What Does a Company Valuation Cost?

A company valuation costs between zero euros (online calculator, indicative first estimate) and five-figure amounts for a full opinion according to IDW S1. The occasion is decisive: a sale requires a transaction-oriented assessment, tax or court proceedings require a formal opinion. Choosing the wrong format means either paying too much — or getting a number that is worthless at the decisive moment.

What determines the cost of a company valuation?

Four factors set the price: the purpose of the valuation (orientation, transaction, tax, court), the size and complexity of the company, the quality of the available figures, and whether the result must meet formal requirements. An opinion for a severance proceeding costs a multiple of an indicative estimate — not because more is calculated, but because more is documented, audited and warranted.

Billing by time is standard; hourly rates depend on the valuer's qualification and the complexity of the case. Fixed prices are becoming more common.

Which valuation formats exist — and what do they cost?

The range spans from free online calculators to indicative valuations and short reports up to a full IDW S1 opinion. In the market, fixed-price offers for an IDW S1 opinion start at around 8,000 euros; depending on size and complexity it becomes considerably more. Short reports sit below that, usually in the four-figure range.

Format	Typical use	Cost range
Online calculator	First orientation	Free — with false precision
Indicative valuation (M&A advisor)	Preparing sale/succession	Often part of the first meeting
Short report (tax advisor/valuer)	Internal occasions, shareholder changes	Four figures
Full IDW S1 opinion	Tax, court, severance, squeeze-out	From approx. €8,000, open-ended

These figures are market observations, not price commitments — any serious offer depends on the individual case. What the standard involves: IDW S1; the methods behind it: What is My Company Worth?

When is an indicative valuation enough?

Whenever the number is meant to prepare a decision — sale, succession, investor search. That does not require a hundred-page opinion, but a realistic range based on earnings power and market multiples plus an honest assessment of what buyers currently pay. An EBITDA multiple is a reality check, not a price tag.

The reason is simple: in a sale, the real value emerges in negotiation, not in the formula. In the end, the price is set by a buyer willing to pay — not by an opinion. How the multiple logic works: The Multiplier Method.

When do you need a full opinion?

As soon as the valuation must hold up formally: for tax occasions such as gifts or inheritance, corporate disputes, severance payments or court proceedings. What counts here is not market proximity but methodical traceability according to a recognised standard — in practice usually IDW S1.

Whether such an occasion applies is a question for your tax advisor or lawyer — not one an M&A advisor decides for you. For the fundamentals of valuation logic: Company Valuation: Methods and Occasions.

What does it cost not to know your value?

More than any opinion. The KfW Succession Monitoring 2025 notes that owners' price expectations have risen sharply recently — buyers' willingness to pay does not automatically follow. An inflated asking price burns serious buyers; one set too low gives away a life's work.

A realistic value assessment before the process is therefore not a cost item but insurance against the most expensive mistake in a sale: the wrong anchor. Which other mistakes cost money: 5 Mistakes When Selling a Company.

What does an IDW S1 opinion cost specifically?

Depending on company size, data quality and provider: fixed-price offers start at around 8,000 euros in the market; complex cases run well into five figures. Only an individual offer is binding — serious valuers calculate based on effort.

Is a free company valuation serious?

As a first orientation yes, as a basis for decisions no. Online calculators work with generic multiples and know neither your earnings quality nor your market position. They deliver a ballpark figure — nothing more. Decisions require an assessment from someone who knows current transactions.

How long does a company valuation take?

An indicative valuation takes a few days to two weeks with good data. A full IDW S1 opinion takes several weeks, because planning, market analysis and documentation must meet formal requirements.

The real value emerges in negotiation, not in the formula. For a realistic, independent assessment: IGCP Capital Partners. → igcp.at