What this marketplace budget includes
- Buyer / seller roles
- Product catalog + search
- Payment gateway + escrow
- Rating & review system
- Admin moderation panel
- Push notifications
- Geolocation
- 6-month post-launch support
What drives the cost of a marketplace?
The two main cost drivers in a marketplace are trust mechanisms and payment complexity. Escrow, dispute resolution, and seller verification add significant development time. Search and discovery also require more engineering than a simple e-commerce catalog.
The LATAM blended rate (~$45 USD/hour) assumes a mixed senior/mid team in Colombia, Mexico or Argentina. The budget covers both web and mobile (iOS + Android) apps.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a marketplace app cost?
- A mid-scope two-sided marketplace for LATAM costs around $76,800 USD and takes 8 months with a blended team at ~$45/hour. An MVP with core functionality starts from $30,000 USD / 3 months.
- Does it include payment gateway?
- Yes. Stripe (or local equivalent) with escrow, split payments and automatic seller payouts are included. Payment gateway transaction fees are charged separately by the provider.
- What's the difference from an e-commerce?
- E-commerce has one seller, many buyers. A marketplace has many sellers — requiring seller onboarding, commission management, dispute resolution, and trust systems. This makes marketplaces significantly more complex and costly to build.
- Does it include UX/UI design?
- Yes. Mid-fidelity wireframes and interface design for both buyer and seller flows are included. Branding has an additional cost.