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Acquire · Social media handle acquisition

Secure the @handle customers expect.

The result: A brand-accurate name on your active account, where the holder and platform route allow it.

Our brokers manage confidential outreach, checks and negotiation. You approve the terms before any handover.

Secure your @handleSee how it works
Read our Trustpilot reviews

  • <1 month

    The Lash Lounge reports that outreach and negotiation for its TikTok handle took less than a month after terms were agreed.

    Read the review

  • A clearer destination

    Help customers find and recognise the account your brand already uses.

  • Fee on success

    You approve the route and terms. No acquisition fee if the handle is not secured.

An illustrative Acme handle acquisition, from the brief to the handover

A good brand. A workaround for a name.

AcmePreferred handle requested

You’ve built the audience. Now get the handle.

Acme has the profiles, the posts and the people. But its preferred name is already taken, so customers find it at @acmeofficial.

Current account
@acmeofficial
Target name
@acme
Platforms
Instagram · TikTok

Start with the name you want. Your broker checks what’s possible on each platform.

Business value

One name. Fewer wrong turns for customers.

An exact-match name gives the official account a simpler place in search, campaigns and conversations.

  • Easier to find

    Give customers a clear route to the official account when they search for your brand.

  • Easier to recognise

    Make your real profile more distinct from lookalikes and naming workarounds.

  • Easier to use

    Put the same simple @name in campaigns, content and customer communications.

What we handle

A broker runs the route. You make the decisions.

Keep your existing profile

Where the platform allows it, the new name moves to the account you already run. Followers, posts and history stay where they are.

One broker to run the route

Your broker assesses the holder, manages confidential outreach and handles the negotiation. You hear back at each decision point, not at every step.

Approve terms before transfer

The parties and terms are checked and documented first. Handover work begins only after you approve.

  • Pay on success

    No acquisition fee is charged if the handle cannot be secured.

  • Review inactive names

    A quiet profile is not automatically available. We assess the holder and platform route.

  • Work across platforms

    Availability and the route are reviewed separately for each platform you request.

How acquisition works

Know the route before you agree terms.

Share the target, platform and your current account. We can then assess the route and bring each decision back to you.

  1. Set the target

    Share the @handle, platform, current brand account and the result you need.

  2. Agree the route

    We review the holder, appropriate checks, commercial ceiling and a possible platform route with you.

  3. Approve the terms

    We manage confidential outreach and bring proposed terms back for your decision.

  4. Complete the handover

    Where agreement and the platform route allow it, we document the transfer to the intended account.

First answer: is there a viable route?

Holder response, approvals and the platform route determine when a handover can happen.

Start with your target

Customer result

A real recovery, in the customer’s words.

The Lash Lounge’s published story shows one successful route through a squatter-held handle. Every target has its own holder, terms and platform constraints.

Inside a The Lash Lounge salon
“Socialbroker was confident they’d be able to negotiate the release of our handle… it took less than a month. Throughout, they were a joy to work with.”
TaylorVP Marketing, The Lash Lounge
Read the customer story Review on Trustpilot

Partnership story · 18 Jan 2026

How handles helped X design its Handle Marketplace

How handles contributed to the design of X's Handle Marketplace and its approach to username allocation.

Written by handles Newsroom Team

Read the case study
Explore inactive X handles

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why is my handle important?

A clear @handle helps people recognise your official account and gives campaigns a simpler name to share. Consistency across platforms can reduce confusion when customers look for you.

How much is my @handle worth?

There is no fixed price. The holder, platform, name and available route all affect the terms. We assess the target and agree a commercial ceiling with you before outreach.

What if the @handle I want is active?

An active account needs a careful holder and platform review. We assess whether outreach or another permitted route is appropriate, then bring any proposed terms back for your approval.

What happens if you can’t get my @handle?

You pay no acquisition fee if the handle is not secured. We explain what blocked the route and, where useful, review another name or platform option with you.

What is a social media handle?

The @name an account is found and addressed by on a platform. It is distinct from the display name, which can be changed freely: the handle is the unique address, it is what appears in a link, and only one account can hold it on each platform.

How do you buy an Instagram handle someone already owns?

We first assess the holder and the platform route. Where outreach is appropriate, we approach the holder confidentially, carry out relevant checks and bring proposed terms to you. A handover depends on agreement and what the platform permits. No acquisition fee is charged unless the handle is secured.

Further reading

All articles

Have a target @handle?

Tell us the name. A broker will assess the holder and platform route, then come back with a first answer. No acquisition fee unless the handle is secured.