What is Sharetribe? Complete Marketplace Platform Guide (2025)
Last year, Sarah spent €50,000 and 8 months building a marketplace that failed in 2 weeks. Tom launched his for €299 and made his first €10,000 in month three.
The difference? Tom used Sharetribe.
Sarah built everything from scratch. User logins, payment processing, messaging, reviews - eight months of development for features every marketplace needs. By launch, her money was gone and her idea was stale.
Tom started selling on day 15. Real transactions. Real feedback. Real revenue. When users asked for new features, he had budget to build them.
This guide shows you exactly what Sharetribe is, how much it really costs, and whether it's right for your marketplace idea.
The Netflix of Marketplaces
You know how Netflix handles the complex stuff - streaming technology, payments, content delivery - so movie makers can focus on creating great content?
Sharetribe does that for marketplaces. They handle the technical nightmare. You focus on connecting buyers and sellers.
Here's what that actually means:
Without Sharetribe: Hire developers. Build user authentication. Integrate payments. Create messaging. Add reviews. Handle security. Fix bugs. Update servers. 6-12 months. €50,000+.
With Sharetribe: Pick a plan. Configure settings. Add your branding. Invite users. Start selling. 2-6 weeks. From €39/month.
How Sharetribe Actually Works
Think of Sharetribe as a marketplace in a box. Everything you need is there. You just decide how to use it.
The Foundation (Included in Every Plan):
User accounts work instantly. People sign up, create profiles, verify emails. You don't write a line of code.
Payments flow through Stripe. Buyers pay securely. Money splits between sellers and your commission. Automatic invoices. Tax handling. Refund management.
Listings appear professionally. Multiple photos. Categories. Search filters. Maps. Everything expected from modern marketplaces.
Communication happens naturally. Buyers message sellers. Automated emails confirm bookings. Review reminders go out. You moderate if needed.
The Magic (Your Customization):
This is where your marketplace becomes unique. Bike rentals need hourly rates. Consultants need project proposals. Home services need address collection.
Sharetribe adapts. No-code tools for simple changes. APIs for complex features. Start basic. Add complexity as you grow.
Real Money, Real Marketplaces
Let me show you what people actually build:
Rentif (Switzerland) Photography equipment rental. Started with 10 cameras. Now 1,000+ items. Average rental €150. Platform takes 20%. That's €30 per transaction. 100 rentals monthly = €3,000 revenue.
SWOP (Fashion) Global clothing swap. Not rental - permanent swaps. Users list items, request others, platform manages fairness. 100,000+ items. No inventory costs. Pure commission model.
These aren't dreams. They're operating businesses processing real transactions daily.
The Four Sharetribe Plans (What You Actually Get)
Forget marketing speak. Here's what each plan really does:
Build Plan - €39/month
The Testing Ground
Perfect for validation. Full marketplace features but test mode only. Unlimited fake transactions. Show investors. Test with friends. Learn the system. When ready, upgrade and go live.
Who uses it: Founders validating ideas. Students building projects. Teams creating demos.
Lite Plan - €99/month
The Real Start
Your marketplace goes live. Real users. Real money. 50 free transactions monthly (additional cost €0.19 each). Basic domain like yourname.sharetribe.com.
Who uses it: Early-stage marketplaces. Local communities. Niche platforms. Anyone starting small.
Pro Plan - €199/month
The Business Builder
Custom domain (yourmarketplace.com). Professional emails. 250 free transactions. Zapier integration for automation. Social logins. Third-party tools.
Who uses it: Growing marketplaces. Serious businesses. Anyone needing automation. Professional appearance matters.
Extend Plan - €299/month
The Scale Machine
Full code access. API control. Custom features. Mobile apps. 500 free transactions. Complete freedom to build anything.
Who uses it: Unique business models. Scaled marketplaces. Custom workflows. Venture-backed startups.
What Nobody Tells You About Costs
The monthly fee is just the start. Here's the real math:
Transaction Fees:
- After free tier: €0.19 per transaction
- Stripe payment processing: 2.9% + €0.30
- Your commission: 10-30% (you keep this)
Example: €100 service booking
- Stripe takes: €3.20
- Sharetribe takes: €0.19
- You take: €15 (at 15% commission)
- Seller gets: €81.61
On 100 transactions monthly, you gross €1,500. Costs total €339. Net profit: €1,161.
Development Costs (If Needed):
- Basic customization: €2,000-5,000
- Advanced features: €5,000-15,000
- Full custom marketplace: €15,000-30,000
Still cheaper than €50,000+ for building from scratch.
The Sharetribe Story (Why Trust Them?)
2011: Finnish founders Juho Makkonen and Antti Virolainen see a problem. Building marketplaces is stupidly hard. They start Sharetribe.
2012: Open-source launch. Developers love it. We start experimenting.
2015: IT House becomes official partner. We've been building on Sharetribe since.
2018: Sharetribe Flex launches. Full customization possible. Game changer.
Today: Powers marketplaces in 50+ countries. Millions in transactions. Proven platform.
The founders still run the company. No venture capital pressure. They focus on making marketplace building accessible, not maximizing profits. That matters.
When Sharetribe Makes Sense (And When It Doesn't)
Perfect for Sharetribe:
You want to test a marketplace idea. Budget under €20K. Standard marketplace model (buyers, sellers, transactions). Need to launch fast. Want proven technology.
Real example: Local service marketplace. Cleaners list availability. Customers book. Platform takes 20%. Launched in 3 weeks. Profitable month two.
Consider alternatives when:
You need complete code ownership. Blockchain, AI, or complex algorithms are core. Handling physical inventory yourself. Building social network features. Regulatory requirements demand custom infrastructure.
Real example: Medical equipment marketplace with FDA compliance needs. Custom build made more sense. €75K budget. 9-month timeline. Specific requirements justified the cost.
The hybrid approach:
Start on Sharetribe. Validate the model. Generate revenue. Use profits to fund custom platform. Migrate when ready. Several clients followed this path successfully.
Common Questions (Honest Answers)
"Can I customize the design?" Yes, but limits exist. Lite/Pro plans: colors, logos, basic styling. Extend plan: complete freedom. Most successful marketplaces care more about transactions than aesthetics.
"What if I outgrow Sharetribe?" Export your data. Build custom platform. Migrate users. We've helped three clients do this. Not easy, but possible. Most never need to.
"Is it reliable?" 99.9% uptime. Regular security updates. Handles marketplaces doing millions in transactions. More reliable than most custom builds.
"Do I need technical skills?" For Build/Lite/Pro: No. For Extend customizations: Yes, or hire developers. That's where we come in.
"What about mobile apps?" Websites are mobile-responsive. Native apps require Extend plan plus development. Budget €10-30K for quality apps.
Your Decision Framework
Choose Sharetribe when:
- Speed matters more than perfection
- Budget is limited
- Marketplace model is proven
- You want to validate before investing heavily
Build custom when:
- Unique technology is your competitive advantage
- Regulatory requirements are complex
- You have €50K+ and 6+ months
- Standard marketplace features aren't enough
Start with Sharetribe, then custom when:
- Idea needs validation
- Revenue should fund development
- Risk tolerance is low
- Growth will guide features
Getting Started (The Smart Way)
Week 1: Research and Planning Define your marketplace. Who sells? Who buys? What's the transaction? How do you make money?
Study competitors. What works? What's missing? How will you be different?
Week 2: Build and Test Start with Build plan (€39). Create test marketplace. Configure features. Invite 10 potential users. Gather feedback.
Week 3: Launch Preparation Choose right plan. Lite for testing market. Pro for serious launch. Extend if custom features needed.
Set up payments. Write marketplace rules. Plan seller onboarding. Prepare launch marketing.
Week 4: Go Live Launch to small group. Get first transactions. Gather feedback. Fix issues. Iterate quickly.
Month 2+: Growth Focus on supply. More sellers = more buyers. Optimize conversions. Add features users actually request. Scale gradually.
Why Work With IT House?
We've been Sharetribe partners since 2015. Launched 20+ marketplaces. Seen every mistake. Know every workaround.
What we tell clients:
- 60% should use standard Sharetribe features
- 30% need minor customizations
- 10% require major custom work
We'll tell you honestly which group you're in. Sometimes Sharetribe isn't the answer. We've built 100+ custom platforms too. We care about your success, not selling unnecessary services.
Your Next Step
Every successful marketplace started with someone deciding to stop planning and start building.
Option 1: Start exploring Sign up for Sharetribe free trial. Test ideas. Learn by doing.
Option 2: Get expert guidance
Free Marketplace Consultation
30 minutes. Your idea. Our experience. You'll learn:
- Whether Sharetribe fits your needs
- Which plan makes sense
- Realistic costs and timeline
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- Clear next steps
In need of an consultation or you are ready to start building your own marketplace?
Contact us
