Free templates

Free due-diligence templates for buying a small online business

Short answer: four free files cover the first week of looking at a listing: a first email to the seller, a read-only access request, the 33-rule checklist and a deal tracker. No email needed for any of them.

Updated 16 October 2026 · By Joan Murphy (pen name) · How we check · Corrections

1. First message to the seller (copy and edit)

Subject: Questions about your listing before I go further

Hi [seller name],

I'm interested in [business / listing number]. Before asking for a call, could you answer:

1. Net profit for each of the last 12 months, after all costs (tools, contractors, your own time if paid).
2. Where new customers or visitors came from each month (share by channel).
3. Monthly churn (customers and revenue) for the last 12 months, if subscription.
4. Share of revenue from the largest customer, affiliate programme or sponsor.
5. Hours a week you spend on it, and on what.
6. Why you are selling now.

If the answers fit, I'd like read-only access to the revenue and analytics accounts next.

Thanks,
[your name]

Download as .txt

2. Read-only access request

Hi [seller name],

Thanks for the answers. To check the numbers, could you give read-only (viewer) access, or a live screen share, for:

- Revenue: Stripe / Shopify / Amazon Seller Central / AdSense / affiliate dashboards, last 12-24 months
- Traffic: Google Analytics and Search Console, last 16 months
- Costs: the P&L or bank statements the profit figure comes from

I'll only view, never change anything, and I'm happy to sign an NDA first.

[your name]

Download as .txt

3. The 33-rule checklist and deal tracker

• 33-rule red-flag checklist (PDF): every rule the checker applies, with the question for each.
• Deal tracker (Excel) or CSV: compare listings side by side; the Excel version fills in payback and multiple.
• 72-hour vetting plan (PDF): what to check before any money moves.

4. Put the checker on your own site

Run a blog, newsletter or brokerage? Embed the free checker with one line of HTML (see embed instructions), or show a result badge on a listing (badge). Both are free and send no listing text anywhere.

General information, not legal or investment advice. Have a lawyer review any LOI or purchase agreement.