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Sharetribe is our best overall pick for buyers launching a standard service or rental marketplace: its listed starting price is $39, and it offers managed infrastructure. Whop and Hotmart have free plans, but both require a closer look at transaction or access terms. For wholesale, Brandboom and MarketTime offer more targeted tools, while Mirakl and AppDirect suit narrower, higher-cost needs. Prices and plan details vary widely, and several vendors do not publish enough to estimate total cost. Treat each listed starting price as a starting point, not a complete quote.
Quick picksThe shortlist
SharetribeSharetribeBest overall · $39/mo
WhopWhopBest for digital sales · Free
HotmartHotmartBest for course creators · Free
BrandboomBrandboomBest for wholesale catalogs · $50/mo
MarketTimeMarketTimeBest for wholesale orders · $62.50/mo
LeafLinkLeafLinkBest for cannabis wholesale · Free
RithumRithumBest for multichannel retail · Custom
MiraklMiraklBest for large operations · $699/mo
MarketplacerMarketplacerBest for existing storefronts · Custom
Pax8Pax8Best for technology partners · $25/mo
JOORJOORBest for fashion wholesale · Free
Leaf TradeLeaf TradeBest for cannabis orders · Custom
AppDirectAppDirectBest for tech procurement · $799/mo
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SharetribeSharetribe | 7.0 | $39/mo | No | 14 days |
| WhopWhop | 6.5 | Free | Yes | — |
| HotmartHotmart | 6.4 | Free | Yes | — |
| BrandboomBrandboom | 6.8 | $50/mo | Yes | — |
| MarketTimeMarketTime | 6.8 | $62.50/mo | No | — |
| LeafLinkLeafLink | 6.8 | Free | Yes | — |
| RithumRithum | 6.5 | Custom | No | — |
| MiraklMirakl | 6.8 | $699/mo | No | — |
| MarketplacerMarketplacer | 6.0 | Custom | No | — |
| Pax8Pax8 | 5.5 | $25/mo | Yes | — |
| JOORJOOR | 5.8 | Free | Yes | — |
| Leaf TradeLeaf Trade | 6.4 | Custom | No | — |
| AppDirectAppDirect | 5.7 | $799/mo | No | — |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallSharetribeSharetribe
Sharetribe is our strongest starting point for founders building a standard rental or service marketplace. The listed price starts at $39, and the platform offers managed infrastructure, which keeps the initial buying case relatively clear. The caveat: the published details say to budget carefully for Live and extra usage. Check those costs against your expected marketplace activity before committing.
What works
- Marketplace essentials and admin tools are included
- No-code tools cover layouts and transaction flows
- Build includes unlimited test users and listings
What doesn't
- Build is for testing, not a live marketplace
- Live costs $259 monthly or $199 billed yearly
- No free plan; trial lasts 14 days
- Best for digital salesWhopWhop
Whop fits businesses selling memberships or digital products that want payments and commerce tools together. A free plan is listed, and developers can build Whop-powered apps. That low entry point does not settle the total cost: the published details flag transaction and add-on fees. Confirm which features carry extra charges and how payment costs affect your margins.
What works
- Standard plan has no setup fees or monthly costs
- Supports products, variants, promo codes, and waitlists
- Includes payment, invoicing, ACH, and wire options
What doesn't
- Domestic card processing costs 2.7% + $0.30 per transaction
- International cards and currency conversion have separate fees
- Optional tools and payout methods carry additional charges
- Best for course creatorsHotmartHotmart
Hotmart is a reasonable fit for creators selling courses or ebooks, especially those targeting international customers or avoiding monthly platform fees. A free plan is listed, but no starting price is published. The buying decision hinges on transaction fees and course-access terms, both of which the published details flag for review. Compare those costs and terms with your current setup before switching.
What works
- No monthly or annual fees
- Unlimited products listed in pricing information
- Supports courses, ebooks, events and physical products
What doesn't
- 9.9% + R$1 per approved sale for revenue up to five figures
- Fees beyond that range are not published here
- Seat limits are not published
- Best for wholesale catalogsBrandboomBrandboom
Brandboom is aimed at brands building wholesale catalogs, sharing rich-media line sheets and tracking buyer activity. It has a free entry point and a listed starting price of $50. The trade-off is a meaningful set of caps and a steep Business commitment, according to the published details. Check the limits on the plan you need before treating the free option as a viable long-term fit.
What works
- Free plan includes unlimited Marketplace orders
- Line sheets support images, video and rich media
- Tracks views, clicks, abandoned carts and engagement
What doesn't
- Free plan limits orders outside the Marketplace
- Basic caps active products at 25 and SKUs at 50
- Startup costs $100 per user/month billed annually
- Best for wholesale ordersMarketTimeMarketTime
MarketTime suits wholesale brands managing digital orders, sales agencies serving retail buyers and companies that need branded B2B ecommerce. Its listed starting price is $62.50. The published details flag unclear Elite pricing and limits, so the entry price may not tell you what the setup you need will cost. Ask for the Elite terms and plan limits before comparing it with alternatives.
What works
- Order writing works on iPhone, iPad, Android, and web
- Digital catalogs and barcode scanning support order creation
- Branded B2B store includes promotions and shoppable images
What doesn't
- Elite pricing is not published
- Seat and usage limits are not published
- No free plan is listed
- Best for cannabis wholesaleLeafLinkLeafLink
LeafLink is built around wholesale cannabis: retailers can buy, brands can sell to licensed retailers, and teams can manage orders and payments together. A free plan is listed, but no starting price is published. The main uncertainty is brand pricing, which the published details identify as the key unknown. Get a quote for your role and expected usage before comparing total costs.
What works
- Retailer plan is free
- Retailers can find and shop local brands
- Order tracking and delivery tracking are included
What doesn't
- Brand pricing is custom and unpublished
- Billing intervals are not published
- No free trial details are listed
- Best for multichannel retailRithumRithum
Rithum fits brands selling across many marketplaces, retailers running third-party marketplaces and suppliers coordinating retailer fulfillment. Its broad commerce operations coverage earns consideration, but no starting price is published. The published details also flag integration costs. Ask for a full quote that separates platform and integration charges; without that breakdown, it is difficult to compare Rithum’s total cost with other options.
What works
- Centralizes listings across 600+ marketplaces
- Combines inventory and order management
- Includes retailer media campaign tools
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Plan limits are not published
- Monthly and annual terms are not published
- Best for large operationsMiraklMirakl
Mirakl is designed for retailers managing large seller catalogs and B2B teams running marketplace operations, including operators combining dropship and retail media. The listed starting price is $699. That expensive entry point, plus capped plans, narrows its fit. Buyers should check which plan limits apply to their seller catalog and operations before assuming the starting price covers their requirements.
What works
- Combines marketplace and dropship management
- Includes multichannel selling and catalog optimization
- All listed plans include unlimited channels
What doesn't
- Starts at $699 per month
- Growth caps monthly GMV at $50,000
- Pro caps monthly GMV at $200,000
- Best for existing storefrontsMarketplacerMarketplacer
Marketplacer is worth considering when a business wants to extend an existing storefront, or when a mid-size or enterprise team is testing new product categories. The published details do not publish a starting price, making total cost hard to assess. Ask for pricing tied to your intended use and confirm what the quote includes before comparing it with platforms that list an entry price.
What works
- Connects third-party inventory to an existing storefront
- Supports range extension with additional sellers
- Can test product categories
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Monthly pricing requires a quote
- Implementation fee is unpublished
- Best for technology partnersPax8Pax8
Pax8 targets technology partners sourcing business software and managing client AI agents. The published details list a free plan and a starting price of $25, alongside spend-based fee waivers for qualifying tiers. Support complaints temper the value case. Confirm which fees your spend qualifies to waive and review recent support feedback before choosing Pax8 for client-facing operations.
What works
- Business software and AI solutions in one Marketplace
- 8os supports AI-agent deployment and client management
- 8os supports billing for AI usage
What doesn't
- Alliance Member Marketplace fee is $25 monthly
- Most qualifying-spend thresholds are not published
- Annual billing prices are not published
- Best for fashion wholesaleJOORJOOR
JOOR is tailored to fashion brands selling wholesale, seeking retailer discovery and boutique buyers curating assortments. A free plan is listed, but no starting price is published. The published details also flag reported usability issues. Request pricing and check whether the platform’s workflow suits your team before switching; the available information is not enough to judge the total cost or day-to-day fit.
What works
- Connects brands with a global network of vetted retailers
- Includes wholesale order management tools
- Supports virtual showrooms and digital linesheets
What doesn't
- Brand-plan prices are not published
- JOOR Pay transaction fees are not published
- Several add-on prices are not published
- Best for cannabis ordersLeaf TradeLeaf Trade
Leaf Trade covers licensed cannabis wholesalers, hemp operators selling wholesale and retailers managing supplier orders. No starting price is published, and the published details flag an undisclosed per-order fee. That fee makes it hard to judge value from the available information. Ask for the fee schedule and model costs against your order volume before deciding whether it is a better fit than other wholesale options.
What works
- No monthly cost, according to Leaf Trade
- Per-order pricing instead of a listed subscription
- Branded menus can show batch and terpene details
What doesn't
- Per-order fee amount is not published
- Usage limits are not published
- Annual billing details are not published
- Best for tech procurementAppDirectAppDirect
AppDirect suits mid-size technology service sellers, businesses building partner sales channels and organizations centralizing technology procurement. Its listed starting price is $799, and the published details flag additional fees. That combination narrows its fit for buyers prioritizing low entry cost. Request a full fee breakdown and confirm the price for your intended marketplace and procurement needs before comparing vendors.
What works
- Supports direct and partner sales channels
- Unlimited products on Starter and Professional
- Includes an online store on Starter
What doesn't
- Starter costs $799 per month
- Professional costs $1,499 per month
- Professional adds 1% first-party GMV fees
03How we chose
We weigh published pricing, plan limits, product documentation and Reddit sentiment when those sources are available, then compare how clearly each platform’s intended marketplace use and operating requirements are documented. We do not claim hands-on testing, benchmarks or screenshots. The published materials name Hotmart, Pax8, Rithum, Whop, LeafLink, JOOR, MarketTime, Mirakl, Sharetribe, Brandboom, Marketplacer, AppDirect and Leaf Trade, but include no pricing, plan-limit, documentation or Reddit evidence. We therefore cannot support product-level rankings or claims here.
04Choose a platform around the marketplace you need to run
Start by writing down who sells, who buys and what the platform must support between them. A marketplace for business buyers may have different requirements from one built around individual sellers, but the published materials do not establish which listed products serve which models. Verify that fit with each vendor before shortlisting.
Then map the operating work: seller onboarding, product or service listings, order handling, payments, and any approval steps your business requires. Ask vendors to show how each requirement is handled and whether it depends on an add-on, a higher plan or a separate system. Get the answers in writing. A feature name on a sales page is not enough to establish how it works in your workflow. Compare only vendors that can document your must-haves, and keep a record of unanswered questions.
05Compare total cost and migration effort before you switch
Do not compare marketplace platforms on a headline price alone. The published materials contain no prices, plan caps, transaction fees or implementation costs for the listed tools, so those figures are not published here. Ask each vendor for a written quote that separates subscription charges, usage-based fees, add-ons, onboarding and support. Confirm which limits apply to your expected volume and what happens if you exceed them.
For a switch, inventory the data and processes you need to move: seller and buyer records, listings, orders, and any connected systems relevant to your operation. Ask what can be exported, in what format, and who handles the transfer. Treat undocumented migration steps as unresolved risk, not as included work. Compare vendors using the same checklist and assumptions; otherwise, a lower quote may simply omit costs another vendor has spelled out.
Questions people ask
How much does marketplace software cost?
The published materials include no pricing for Hotmart, Pax8, Rithum, Whop, LeafLink, JOOR, MarketTime, Mirakl, Sharetribe, Brandboom, Marketplacer, AppDirect or Leaf Trade. Prices are not published in this source packet. Request a quote and ask for subscription, usage, add-on, onboarding and support charges separately.
Which marketplace platform is best?
We cannot name a best option from the published evidence: it lists the products but includes no verified feature, pricing or customer evidence to compare them. First define your marketplace model and required workflows, then ask shortlisted vendors to document how they meet those requirements and what each will cost.
What should I check before switching marketplace platforms?
Confirm what data can be exported and imported, which workflows need rebuilding, and whether migration help is included or separately priced. Ask about formats, ownership, timing and support in writing. The published materials do not document migration terms for any of the listed platforms, so verify them directly.
Are marketplace platform prices and plan limits published?
Not in the published materials. They contain no plan names, prices, usage caps or fee schedules for the listed tools. That does not establish whether vendors publish those details elsewhere. Check each vendor’s current pricing page and confirm any limits or quote-only charges before comparing.