Sharetribe Review: No-Code Marketplace Builder

At Bubble, we empower entrepreneurs and venture enthusiasts to create their ideas without code. We explore and review the many app-building tools and software to give our readers an educated and researched review on each product.

What is Sharetribe?

Sharetribe is a website builder for both coders and non-coders that provides entrepreneurs with advanced marketplace software to build and launch their business quickly. The platform can be used to sell or rent products, services, and spaces, allowing people to build custom sites like Etsy, Airbnb, and eBay.

Sharetribe features two products, Sharetribe Go and Sharetribe Flex.

Sharetribe Go allows you to launch, monitor, and manage your website in six steps. You can customize the front-end of your web without code and have it running within minutes, and the back-end is already built-in. While other no-code marketplace apps, like Yelo, support native mobile apps, Sharetribe Go only supports a mobile-friendly web version.

Whether you’re providing rentals, services, or products, Sharetribe Go aims to provide a smooth user experience for both the provider and the customer. Users on your marketplace can create profiles, list their offerings, interact with each other, make online payments, and write reviews. Go also offers customizable filtering and categorization tools to allow individuals and businesses to search with ease.

If you want to keep track of your channels and boost growth, Sharetribe Go offers Analytics and SEO tools. Once your business grows, if you decide you need more customizability, you can switch to Sharetribe Flex.

Sharetribe Flex offers the same features as Go but with more control over your web-design, a reverse marketplace, and third-party software integration. Sharetribe Flex gives users the ability to design and develop a unique web or mobile front-end and build custom features. This version requires you to be familiar with coding.

Who is Sharetribe Go For?

Sharetribe Go targets small to medium customer-to-customer (C2C), vendor-to-vendor (B2B), or vendor-to-user (B2C) businesses, freelancers, hobbyists, and startups. You can rent or sell products, services, or spaces to each other. Customers include Studiotime, Kyoyu, Wheelprice, Fittcoach, and Swimmy.

People who do not know code and are interested in quickly building and launching a small or medium marketplace may be interested in Sharetribe Go.

Sharetribe Go’s Cost and Pricing

(Pricing USD model evaluation: July 2020)

Sharetribe offers four plans: Hobby, Pro, Growth, and Scale. Each plan has a 30 day free trial and the option to pay monthly or semiannually.

• Hobby: This is the cheapest option at $99 per month or $79 per semiannual. It includes access for 100 users, unlimited traffic, listings, and images, unlimited transactions, and support seven days a week.
• Pro: At $149 per month or $119 per semiannual, it includes 1,000 users, all of the Hobby plan features, ability to use your own domain, ability to use your own email address, removal of Sharetribe branding, and a customized footer.
• Growth: At $199 per month or $159 per semiannual, it includes 10,000 users and all the Pro plan features.
• Scale: At $299 per month or $239 per semiannual, it includes 100,000 users and all the Growth plan features.

Sharetribe Go vs. Bubble: A Comparison

How does Sharetribe Go compare to no-code web app platforms like Bubble?

Similarities between Sharetribe Go and Bubble:

Both are global and will be translated into the right language, currency, and formats.

Both Sharetribe and Bubble are used for building web browser applications, but also offer responsive, mobile friendly designs.

Both offer SEO and Google Analytics to help you engage, measure, and expand your customer base.

Both allow easy access for your teammates to collaborate.

Both equip builders with educational resources and support seven days a week.

The key differences between Sharetribe Go and Bubble are:

Marketplace Design Features: Sharetribe Go allows you to build the front-end user experiences and user interfaces for marketplaces without code. If you want more customization, you can upgrade to Flex, but it requires coding. Bubble offers total web design freedom without any knowledge of HTML or CSS and can be used for building more than just marketplaces, including social networks, directories and portals. Bubble allows you to build on the front and back ends without writing a single line of code.

Drag and Drop Design: Sharetribe uses a form for users to fill out, which is simple and convenient. If you want to see your web design, you must preview the site on another page to see your edits. Bubble’s drag and drop design feature allows you to design on the spot. You can see changes and fix errors in real time as you edit with Bubble’s live debugger.

API’s and Integration: Sharetribe Go does not have or provide an API, nor does it allow third-party software integration. Bubble provides two main APIs in every app. You can access and edit your Bubble app’s database from outside your app using the Data API. Using the Workflow API, you can activate certain workflows from outside your app. Bubble also offers integration with thousands of third-party software including Parabola, GitHub, and Algolia to name a few.

Plug-Ins and Templates: Sharetribe Go is developed as an off-the-shelf marketplace platform and does not feature plugins or templates. You can add a custom landing page for $99 per month. Bubble provides plugins as well as free and paid templates built by professional designers. You can even build and publish your own plugins and templates.

Payments: Sharetribe Go offers Stripe and PayPal as payment providers. You can also collect a fee and earn commission from sellers and/or buyers over each transaction. Bubble offers Stripe and Braintree, and supports complex payment models including subscriptions, deferred payments, third-party transactions, and more.

Alternatives to Sharetribe:

Top alternative no-code platforms or tools that allow you to build and manage a marketplace without code include:

Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly for template landing pages and simple CMS for your app, and Wordpress for an open-source CMS platform with plugins and templates.

If you’re looking to build a larger enterprise that offers API integration, allows users to build and integrate front-end and back-end components, and provides a visual workflow editor, try Unqork or Betty Blocks.

Adalo, Glide, or Thunkable are no-code platforms that support native or mobile apps.

If you want to build a robust web app with complete design customization, scalable infrastructure, content and design templates, and support from an active user community, consider Bubble's no-code platform.

About Bubble

Bubble is a leader in the no-code movement. Bubble offers a powerful point-and-click web editor and cloud hosting platform that allows users to build fully customizable web applications and workflows, ranging from simple prototypes to complex marketplaces, SaaS products, and more. Over 400,000 users are currently building and launching businesses on Bubble - some have gone on to participate in top accelerator programs, such as Y Combinator, and even raised $365M in venture funding. Bubble is more than just a product. We are a strong community of builders and entrepreneurs that are united by the belief that everyone should be able to create technology.

Join the no-code movement today.

Disclaimer: The goal of these reviews is to provide an honest, practical, differentiated comparison of features and educate readers on tools in the no- code ecosystem so that you can evaluate how these services fit together and serve your needs.