Website Due Diligence Checklist for Buyers

Due diligence is the work you do before buying to make sure the business is what the seller says it is. It protects you from scams, but it also protects you from honest mistakes: a seller who misunderstands their own numbers, an account that cannot be transferred, or a risk nobody noticed.

Use this checklist for websites, blogs, niche sites, small stores and SaaS. Skip the parts that do not apply, and go deeper where the money is.

Before you start

Read the full listing, the proof and any public questions and answers.
Write down the seller's claims: monthly revenue, profit, visitors, traffic sources, hours of work, what transfers.
Decide your maximum price based on the listing's own numbers. Due diligence then confirms or adjusts it.

1. Income

Watch the seller open every earnings dashboard live on a video call, change the date range and refresh.
Compare live figures with the screenshots and with the listing.
Get at least 12 months of income, month by month.
Check each income source separately: ad network, affiliate programs, sponsorships, product sales, subscriptions.
Confirm payouts landed in a bank or payment account, not just "earned" in a dashboard.
Ask about any one-off income that inflates the average.
Check that the income belongs to this site only, not to other sites in the same account.

2. Costs and profit

List every cost: hosting, domain, themes, plugins, tools, writers, editors, assistants, paid traffic, payment fees.
Ask for invoices or receipts for the larger costs.
Calculate profit yourself from income minus costs.
Decide how you will treat the seller's time and whether you will need to pay someone for it.

3. Traffic

View Google Analytics live for the last 12 to 24 months.
Compare analytics with Search Console clicks; trends should broadly match.
Check traffic sources: organic, direct, social, referral, paid, email.
Check top countries; unexpected countries can mean bot traffic.
Look for sudden spikes or drops and ask why.
Check the dates of major search algorithm updates against the traffic graph.
Confirm analytics was installed on all pages for the whole period.

4. SEO and backlinks

Check Domain Rating (Ahrefs) and Domain Authority (Moz) yourself; they are different scores.
Review referring domains: relevant sites or spam?
Look for signs of paid links, private blog networks or sudden link spikes.
Check the main keywords' rankings from a private browser window.
Search the domain name and brand for any history of penalties or bad reviews.
Look up the domain's history to see what it was used for before.

5. Content

Spot-check articles for originality by searching sentences.
Ask who wrote the content and confirm you receive the rights.
Check how much is AI-generated and whether it has been edited.
Identify the top pages that bring most traffic and income; the business depends on them.
Check images for licences.

6. Monetization accounts

List each monetization platform and whether the account can transfer.
For ad networks with traffic requirements, check you will qualify in your own name.
Check affiliate programs' terms on ownership changes.
Check for any policy warnings or strikes.

7. Operations

Get a written list of weekly tasks and how long they take.
List all tools and subscriptions you will need to take over or replace.
Get contacts for writers, developers or suppliers who will keep working.
For stores: suppliers, stock levels, shipping, returns and customer service history.
For SaaS: code repository, hosting setup, customer list, churn, support tickets.

8. Ownership and legal

Confirm the seller controls the domain (verification code on the site or registrar shown live).
Check the domain's expiry date and that it is not locked in a dispute.
Check for trademarks in the domain name that could cause problems.
Ask whether the seller will agree not to compete in the same niche for a period.
Put the price, asset list, handover steps, support period and payment method in a written agreement.
For larger deals, have a lawyer review the agreement.

9. Payment and handover

Use a licensed, independent escrow service.
Start the handover only after the escrow service confirms it holds your payment.
Follow a transfer checklist and check each asset before approving release; see our website transfer checklist.
Change all passwords and recovery emails after each transfer.

How long does due diligence take?

For a small content site, a few focused days are often enough. For a larger business or a SaaS, plan one to three weeks, and consider paying an expert to review the code, the finances or the SEO.

Extra checks for specific business types

YouTube or social channels: channel analytics live, monetization status, copyright and community guideline strikes, how ownership will be moved, and whether the audience is real.
Newsletters: subscriber growth, open and click rates in the platform, how subscribers were gained, and sponsor history.
Local lead-generation sites: call-tracking reports, current rental agreements, map-pack rankings and whether a Google Business Profile is included.
Apps: store console data, ratings, crash reports and whether the developer account can be moved.

Tools that help

You do not need expensive software for most checks:

Google Analytics and Search Console, viewed live through the seller's screen.
A backlink checker such as Ahrefs or Moz for links, Domain Rating and Domain Authority.
A domain history tool to see past versions of the site.
A plagiarism or simple search check for content originality.
A spreadsheet to rebuild the profit and loss from the seller's numbers.

Record what you checked and what you found. If you renegotiate, specific findings carry far more weight than a general feeling.

Red flags that should stop or slow the deal

Live dashboards do not match the screenshots.
The seller avoids video calls or keeps changing answers.
Most income comes from one source that may not transfer.
Traffic depends on links or tactics that break search guidelines.
Pressure to pay outside escrow.

Find listings that come with proof, history and public answers: browse businesses for sale.

Frequently asked questions

What is due diligence when buying a website?

It is the set of checks a buyer runs before paying, to confirm the income, traffic, ownership and assets are real and transferable.

Can I do due diligence myself?

For small sites, yes, using this checklist. For larger or technical businesses, consider paying an expert for the parts you cannot judge yourself.

What documents should I ask for?

Twelve months of income and traffic reports, cost invoices, a list of assets and accounts, and a written agreement covering price, handover and support.

Should I sign a confidentiality agreement?

Often yes. Sellers may share sensitive details, such as the domain or income accounts, only after you agree to keep them private. That is normal and reasonable.

What if I find a problem?

Ask the seller to explain it. If it is real, adjust your offer or walk away. Many good deals are renegotiated after due diligence.

What red flags should stop a purchase?

Stop or slow down if income cannot be matched to payment records, traffic comes mostly from one unclear source, the seller will not show live dashboards, the content is copied, or the domain has a history of spam. One red flag is a reason to ask more questions; several together are a reason to walk away.

Which tools help with due diligence?

Use Google Analytics and Search Console for traffic, the seller's payment and ad dashboards for income, an SEO tool for backlinks and keyword history, the Wayback Machine for the site's past, and a plagiarism checker for content. Combine the results; no single tool shows the whole picture.

Should I pay someone to do due diligence for me?

For larger purchases, a paid expert can save you from expensive mistakes, especially for technical, legal or financial checks. For smaller sites, many buyers do the checks themselves using a checklist like this one. Either way, you remain responsible for the final decision.