No retainer. No listing fee. No monthly charges. Sentinel earns a single success fee, and only at the close — agreed with you in writing before anything starts.
Every engagement priced to the business, agreed in writing · nothing if it doesn't close
The engagement, start to close
Every stage of the sale runs before you owe us anything. The fee is earned once, the day your sale closes — paid from the closing proceeds by the closing attorneys, agreed with you in writing before any of it began.
How this compares
What you owe, over time — the shape of it
A retainer or listing fee is owed from day one — and keeps adding up whether or not a buyer ever appears.
$0 the entire way through — one success fee, earned and paid the same day your sale closes.
What you get before you pay anything
A market range in 60 seconds, anonymous, no email, based on reported sales of comparable businesses.
$0Pulled from reported sales of comparable businesses — the same market data behind your Exit Profile.
One email, no password required. Your range and context saved and kept current as market benchmarks change.
$0One email, a secure link — no password. Nothing in your Desk is shared with anyone without your approval.
Sentinel's AI answers your questions at any hour — what moves your number, who would buy, what happens next.
$0Grounded in your deal’s actual data — the 2 a.m. “did I make the right call?” included.
Your value drivers scored, your fastest fixes priced, the buyer categories most likely to want your business.
$0Shows exactly what moves your number first — and which buyer categories are likeliest to want your business.
And whenever you want a human read: a senior principal will review your numbers — confidentially, with no obligation, before you've agreed to anything.
Why it's built this way
If your business doesn't sell, we earn nothing. That means we only take on engagements we believe can close well — and we're working for your result from the first call.
There's no retainer clock running and no monthly bill to justify. The right buyer and the right terms matter more to us than a fast close.
Your fee is agreed with you in writing before anything starts, and conflicts are handled in writing too — see exactly how.
See how we handle conflicts, in writing: Both Sides of the Table →
Questions owners ask about the fee
Only at the close. Our fee is paid out of the closing proceeds, handled directly by the closing attorneys, the same day your sale completes. Nothing is invoiced to you before that, and nothing comes out of your pocket along the way.
You owe nothing. If a deal doesn't close, we earn nothing — which is exactly why we only take on engagements we believe can close well, and why finding the right buyer matters more to us than finding any buyer.
No. No retainer, no listing fee, no monthly charges, nothing upfront. The free valuation, the free account, Vera and your Exit Profile all cost nothing to use, whether you sell next quarter or in several years.
Yes. Our engagement is with you, the seller, and our fee is paid from your closing proceeds by the closing attorneys as part of the closing mechanics — the same way a seller's other closing costs are settled. It is agreed with you in writing before anything starts.
Yes — ask us to walk you through it. Most owners are surprised how short it is. Nothing starts until you've read it and agreed to the terms in writing.
Nothing. Your free Sentinel account, your valuation, your Exit Profile, Vera, and a principal's read of your numbers are free to use for as long as you want — there is no point at which a bill appears for using them.
Because every engagement is priced to the business — its size, complexity and the work the sale actually requires — and agreed with you in writing before anything starts. A number published for every business would not be an honest number for yours. There are no surprises: you see the figure, in writing, before you sign.
Free, confidential, no obligation
Get a free market range in 60 seconds, then open a free account and ask Vera anything — your fee is never a mystery and never due until your sale closes.
Prefer to talk it through first? Ask us to walk you through the engagement letter → · Or call (888) 560-5852