How much is my company's data worth to AI companies?
Updated October 2026 · listmydata team
There's no price list for company data. Reported payments to startups have run from about $10,000 to several hundred thousand dollars. One buyer told Business Insider it pays midsize companies $100,000 to $2 million. What you get depends on how much you have, how specialized it is, how clean it is, and whether you give up exclusive rights.
Reported deals and offers
These are figures reported in the news, not quotes. We'll update this list as new numbers come out.
| Seller | Data | Reported price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shut-down startups, about 100 deals through one service | Slack, email, project tools | $10,000 to $100,000 each | Fast Company, April 2026 |
| Shut-down startups, 150+ deals through one marketplace | Code and workspace data | Expects to return more than $10 million to sellers by the end of 2026 | MIT Technology Review, October 2026 |
| A former startup's CEO | Every Slack message, internal email and Jira ticket | "Hundreds of thousands" of dollars | Fast Company, April 2026 |
| A small startup founder | Codebase, then workspace data | About $25,000, plus about $15,000 pending | MIT Technology Review, October 2026 |
| Midsize companies | Company data, with personal details removed | $100,000 to $2 million (one buyer's range) | Business Insider, October 2026 |
| Spirit Airlines, during its wind-down | 100 million emails and 500 million Teams messages | A reported $10 million winning bid from Google. Business Insider reported the deal is held up after members of Congress raised concerns about former employees' privacy. | MIT Technology Review, Business Insider |
Most reported deals so far involve startups and large companies. Older small businesses with decades of specialized records are a newer part of the market.
What makes data worth more
- Years and volume. Ten years of a firm's email is worth more than one. Buyers also look at head count and how heavily the team used its tools.
- Expertise. Records of skilled work in specialized fields sell best. Business Insider reported law and accounting as especially in demand.
- Real problem-solving. Threads where people work through a problem and reach an answer are what buyers want. Newsletters and spam are not.
- Completeness. Email plus the matching project files, tickets and customer history is worth more than any one of them alone. Business Insider reported that data is worth less when key parts are held back.
- Clean, organized files. A consistent export with personal information already removed saves the buyer work.
- Clear rights. You own it, no contract forbids sharing it, and consents are in place where needed.
- Exclusivity. Buyers pay less for data a rival already has. If you grant exclusive rights, you can't sell it again, so the price should be higher.
What lowers the price or stops a deal
- Personal information that hasn't been removed
- Client files you're bound to keep confidential
- HR and payroll records, which buyers usually leave out
- Records you can't show you own
How payment usually works
Payment terms are rarely published. You can license data while your business is still running (you keep ownership and the buyer gets the right to use it), or sell it outright when you close. Either way, ask to be paid before the full delivery or use escrow, and be wary of anyone who asks you to pay a fee to sell.
Getting a real number for your data
- Read the wanted ads to see what buyers ask for and sometimes what they'll pay.
- Post a listing with an asking price, or leave the price blank and let buyers make offers. Owners always post free.
- Ask for an estimate through what's my data worth? An independent broker gives the estimate, and we may receive a referral fee.
- Share what you learn in the pricing forum, without names. Every real number helps other owners.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Ask your accountant how a sale would be taxed.
next steps
- List your data: owners always post free.
- Read what buyers want in the wanted ads.
- Get help selling from an independent data broker.
- Get an email when something new is posted.
- Ask other owners in the forums.