Softgen

// For marketplaces

Marketplace platform development

A marketplace is two products at once, and both sides have to work on day one. We build the listings, search and matching, split payments, reviews and admin tooling that make supply and demand meet — on foundations that don't need a rebuild when you take off.

/01Sound familiar?

What we solve for you.

You need both sides live before either will stay.

We ship supply onboarding and the buyer journey together, so you can seed the market and start transacting fast.

Split payments and payouts are complicated.

Stripe Connect handles onboarding, split payments, commission and payouts — without you holding customer funds.

Trust makes or breaks a marketplace.

Verification, reviews, moderation tools and a proper admin area are built in, so you can keep quality high as you grow.

/02What you get

Why teams like yours choose us.

  • Search, filters and AI-assisted matching
  • Stripe Connect split payments, commission and payouts
  • Verification, reviews and moderation tooling
  • Admin area to run the market day to day
  • Architecture that scales from the first user without a rebuild
/03Where to start

The packages that fit.

Discovery Sprint

De-risk the whole thing before you commit.

£4,950 from

Start with discovery

MVP Build

Your idea in front of real users — fast.

£24,000 from

Build my MVP

SaaS Platform

A platform built to scale from day one.

£45,000 from

Build my platform
/04FAQ

Quick answers.

How much does it cost to build a marketplace?

A focused marketplace MVP with Softgen starts from £24,000; a full multi-tenant platform with billing, roles and an API starts from £45,000. A Discovery Sprint (from £4,950) fixes the scope, price and date first.

How do marketplace payments work without us holding money?

We use Stripe Connect: sellers are onboarded and verified by Stripe, buyers pay through the platform, your commission is taken automatically and payouts go straight to sellers — so you never hold customer funds yourself, though the platform can remain liable for refunds and disputes depending on the charge type we choose together.

Should a marketplace start as a web app or mobile app?

Almost always web first — it's faster and cheaper to launch, easy to share and indexable by search engines. Add native apps once you know which side needs them most.

/05Further reading

Know before you build.

SaaS · 9 min read

How much does it cost to build a SaaS in 2026?

Most serious SaaS platforms cost £45,000–£250,000 to build. Here's what sets the number, the running costs founders forget, and how to launch a sharp v1 for less.

Read the guide
Founders · 7 min read

How much does it cost to build an MVP in 2026?

Most MVPs land between £24,000 and £90,000. Here's what drives the number, where the money goes, and how to get more product for less.

Read the guide
Founders · 7 min read

How much does it cost to build an app in the UK in 2026?

A UK studio build in 2026 runs from £15,000 for a focused web app to £250,000 for a full SaaS platform. Here are Softgen's real ranges by app type, what moves the number, and the running costs people forget.

Read the guide
AI · 7 min read

What is an AI copilot — and should you build one into your product?

Every product is bolting on a copilot. Here's what an AI copilot actually is, how it differs from a chatbot and an agent, and whether yours needs one.

Read the guide
Founders · 6 min read

How long does it take to build an MVP?

A focused MVP takes 4–8 weeks to build and launch. Here's what moves that number, and how to be in the faster half of it.

Read the guide
AI · 6 min read

Vibe coding vs production software: when your AI-built app needs engineers

AI app builders and vibe coding are brilliant for prototypes. Here's exactly where they break when real users arrive — and the fastest way to turn a vibe-coded app into production software.

Read the guide
/06Who we help

Not quite you?

Ready when you are

Let's build the thing.

Tell us what you're building and we'll come back with a plan, a price and a date. No obligation, no jargon.