Why I left no-code marketplace builder

Published on March 10, 2025 by Rasmus.

A few years ago, I built a marketplace (NinjaBuzz - now closed) using a no-code marketplace builder. But today? I don't use it at all.

In this post, I'll share my experience with no-code marketplace builders, including their limitations and why I ultimately decided to switch and build my own marketplace boilerplate.

To help you make the right choice for your own marketplace, I've also created a "decision tool" that you can find at the bottom of this post or by clicking here.

The limitations of no-code marketplace builders

Look, I'll be honest - when I first started using a no-code marketplace builder, I thought I had hit the jackpot. I could just point and click my way to a working marketplace. Pretty sweet at first.

But as my marketplace started growing (NinjaBuzz - watch the video for a longer story on why I eventually closed it down), things got frustrating real quick. Let me break down the main headaches I ran into:

• You're stuck in a box: Want to add a cool new feature? Too bad! Unless it's already built into the platform, you're out of luck.
  
  I felt like I was constantly hitting walls, trying to make my marketplace stand out but being forced to look like everyone else's. And the thing about marketplaces is that they are all different - so no matter what, when you grow your marketplace, you will have to build something that is unique to your marketplace.
• It's a bit of a money pit: Things get expensive quickly. Check out the pricing here if you don't believe me. We're talking $3000 to $9000 over just two years - and that's before all the transaction fees that come on top.
• You don't really own anything: This one really bugged me. Sure, I built the marketplace, but I didn't actually own it. The platform controlled everything - my data, my features, even when I could make changes. It's a bit like renting a house where you can't paint the walls without asking permission first.

Overall

No-code marketplace builders can be a good choice for validating your idea and launching an MVP quickly if you are non-technical.

You can then launch relatively fast, test your assumptions, and start building your community without a huge upfront investment in custom development.

However, they get quite pricy over time. So, it's worth considering your long-term plans.

Remember that marketplaces typically take one to two years to gain significant traction, and you may eventually want more flexibility and control over your platform.