20 Trending Digital Marketplace Businesses [2024]

Updated: July 24th, 2023
Start A Digital Marketplace

A digital marketplace is a platform creating avenues for buyers and sellers to transact. The service matches potential buyers with sellers and provides a secure trading platform.

These platforms do not own any products traded via them; hence they are low-cost and low-maintenance business ideas and generate a passive income over their lifetime.

All you need is to build an application like Alibaba or Amazon and provide a secure escrow service so traders trust your platform.

Looking for some examples of a digital marketplace?

Interested in case studies of a successful digital marketplace? Check out our full list of success stories.

1. Zazzle

Zazzle is an e-commerce platform allowing users to create custom products. It was founded in 2005 with over 1,000 employees and an estimated revenue of $250 million. They serve a niche market of individuals looking for personalized items. The company was founded by Robert Beaver and his two sons, and it quickly grew to become a major player in the custom products industry.

Where they're located: La Cautiva, Córdoba, Argentina
Website traffic: 17M/month

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2. AppSumo

Discover, buy, and sell the digital products you need to build a business you’re passionate about. Uncover top productivity, marketing, content tools and more.

How much they make:
Where they're located: Austin, Texas, USA
Current team size: 150

Learn more about starting a digital marketplace:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a digital marketplace?
-> Pros and cons of a digital marketplace

Need inspiration?

-> Other digital marketplace success stories
-> Marketing ideas for a digital marketplace

Other resources

4. Gumroad

Sell music, comics, software, books, and films directly to your audience.

How much they make:
Where they're located: San Francisco, CA, USA
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 17
Website traffic: 16M/month

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5. TemplateMonster

The biggest collection of HTML templates, WordPress and ecommerce themes, web graphics and elements online. TemplateMonster offers web design products developed by professionals from all over the world.

Where they're located: South Australia, Australia
Website traffic: 1.44M/month

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6. Empire Flippers

Want to buy or sell a website on a marketplace with over 75K+ contacts? Empire Flippers is the most trustworthy broker online.

How much they make: $4.2M/year
Where they're located: North York, Ontario, Canada
Current team size: 53
Website traffic: 450K/month

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Empire Flippers: $20M/Year Helping People Buy And Sell Websites

Empire Flippers is a thought leader in brokering online business deals, having brokered over $50 million worth of deals and grown their pool of potential buyers by hundreds every month through a focus on content marketing and middle-of-funnel content.

About
Justin started Empire Flippers almost 12 years ago
Revenue
Justin grew the business to $350K/month
Read by 9,680 founders

7. Spreadshirt

Create custom t-shirts, personalized shirts and other customized apparel at Spreadshirt. Print your own shirt with custom text, designs, or photos.

Where they're located: Cuvette-Ouest, Republic of the Congo
Website traffic: 2.97M/month

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8. Digital Point

Catch up on interesting new discussion and industry news.

Website traffic: 280K/month

9. Cat

Where they're located: Tejutepeque, Departamento de Cabañas, El Salvador
Website traffic: 3.78M/month

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10. Cambria® Natural Quartz Surfaces

Family owned and American made, Cambria natural quartz countertops and surfaces combine innovative design and durability for a lifetime of beauty.

Where they're located: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

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11. unknown

Website traffic: 50K/month

12. StaffDNA

StaffDNA gives healthcare professionals complete career control for higher-paying opportunities and flexibility. Search the highest-paying travel nurse and allied health jobs in the country, no registration required.

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Uplink ist eine simple, faire und transparente Alternative zu klassischen IT-Recruitern. Wir verknüpfen erfahrene Freelance-Entwickler mit den Firmen, die sie suchen!

How much they make: $192K/year
Where they're located: Berlin, Germany
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 2

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How I Started A $16K/Month Business Connecting Companies and Tech Freelancers

Uplink, a German network for IT freelancers, has surpassed 1,000 members and offers job placements for companies with a simple process that charges a commission of 10% to freelancers for the first six months of working with a client through the platform.

About
Manuel started Uplink over 7 years ago
Revenue
Manuel grew the business to $16K/month
Costs
It cost Manuel $100 to start the business
Read by 7,774 founders

14. Cook Eat

Where they're located: Zurich
How much did it cost to start: $20K
Current team size: 2

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15. Digital Marketplace TT – Shop with just a touch

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16. Digital Marketplace – Digital Marketing & Advertising

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18. Flippa

Buy & Sell Online Businesses on the Flippa marketplace.

How much they make:
Where they're located: Cremorne Victoria, Australia
Current team size: 127
Website traffic: 1.18M/month

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19. DotMarket

This website is for sale! market.eu is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, market.eu has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for!

How much they make: $360K/year
Where they're located: Tallinn, Estonia
How much did it cost to start: $25K
Current team size: 6

How We Built A $360K/Year Marketplace To Buy And Sell Online Businesses

French digital assets brokerage platform DotMarket generated $2.9M in 2021, up from $650K in its first year in business, and aims to pass $5-8M in 2022 and break the $10M mark by 2023, following an acquisition of the US market, the launch of Below50 for businesses valued below €50K and opening in new European markets.

About
Kevin started DotMarket about 4 years ago
Revenue
Kevin grew the business to $30K/month
Costs
It cost Kevin $25000 to start the business
Read by 1,784 founders

20. Seamm

Start by selecting digital-only sneakers, pants, long-sleeved shirts, or other apparel and accessories for your custom skin. Seamm transfers your choices to create the complete look in metaverses or video games. The first digital fashion wardrobe for your virtual world avatar. Seamm brings your fashion-obsessed avatar to life, with an aesthetic that reflects your creative vision in a way nothing else can.

How much they make: $150K/year
Where they're located: Middletown, Delaware, USA
How much did it cost to start: $200K
Current team size: 19

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How We Built A $12.5K/Month Business Helping Clothing Brands Innovate Their Digital Spaces With 3D Models

Seamm is a U.S.-based startup that bridges the gap between real-world fashion and virtual worlds, creating digital twins of real-world fashion collections for video games and metaverses, with key features including phygital QR codes and a marketplace with purchase and trade functionality.

About
Artem started Seamm over 2 years ago
Revenue
Artem grew the business to $12.5K/month
Costs
It cost Artem $200000 to start the business
Read by 1,845 founders