Buyer comparison
SimpleClosure vs Sunset: which should license your data?
Both help startups shut down and both turn leftover data into cash. SimpleClosure sells it on your behalf; Sunset buys it from you outright.
In this guide
| SimpleClosure | Sunset | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 5.9 / 10 | 5.6 / 10 |
| Type | Wind-down service | Wind-down service |
| Referral program | Small referral reported | Small referral reported |
| Pays companies | $10K to $100K typical | Not published |
| Minimum size | No minimum; built for startups, now open to operating companies | Startups winding down |
| Regions | US venture-backed startups | US |
| Time to payment | Not published | Not published |
| Exclusivity | License if operating; outright sale if closing | Outright purchase |
01
Where they really differ
Model. SimpleClosure sells through its Asset Hub. Sunset buys the dataset outright and licenses it on itself.
Track record. SimpleClosure reports 150+ data deals, typically $10K to $100K. Sunset publishes no deal count or prices.
Risk and upside. With an outright purchase, Sunset carries the resale risk and keeps any upside.
02
When SimpleClosure is the better call
You want a seller with a visible track record and are happy to wait for buyers.
03
When Sunset is the better call
You want one fixed payment and no further involvement.
04
How to use two offers
You do not have to choose between SimpleClosure and Sunset up front. The cleanest approach is to qualify with both, get each offer in writing for the same scope of data, and only then decide.
- 1
Fix the scope first
Decide which systems and years are in, and what stays out (client files, HR records, anything under NDA). Give both buyers the same scope so the offers are comparable.
- 2
Compare net, not headline
Subtract any seller fee or agent commission, and note whether the money arrives in one payment or several.
- 3
Read the license term
An exclusive license, even for a year or two, stops you licensing the same records elsewhere. A non-exclusive one leaves that door open.
- 4
Sign one before you send anything
No export until a contract is signed and you have approved how personal data is removed.
05
Ask both of them the same questions
Put the same five questions to each buyer in writing and compare the answers side by side. Vague answers are an answer too.
- 1What is your written offer for our data, and what exactly does it cover?
- 2Can we license these records to anyone else, and if not, until when?
- 3Who does the de-identification, using which method, and do we sign off on a sample before anything leaves?
- 4When are we paid, and in how many payments?
- 5Will you name the AI companies that end up with our data?
FAQ
Questions, answered
Which pays more?
Neither publishes enough to say. SimpleClosure's deals typically run $10K to $100K; ask Sunset for a written number.
Get offers from buyers that fit
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Sources
Every number on this page links back to one of these.
- 1MIT Technology Review: AI labs buy data from dead startupstechnologyreview.com
- 2Forbes: AI's new training data is your old Slacks and emailsforbes.com
- 3Sunset blog: monetizing startup data in a wind-downsunsethq.com
Spot something wrong? See our corrections policy. Some buyers pay us a referral fee. How we make money.