How Much Does It Cost to Build a Marketplace Website?

Looking for a budget estimation to build a marketplace website? No worries, you have landed in the right place. In this guide, we will show how much does it cost to build a marketplace website step-by-step.

Building a marketplace website is an exciting journey, but understanding the costs involved is crucial before you begin. From selecting the right platform to managing hidden expenses, every decision impacts your budget.

In 2025, building a marketplace has become easier than ever before, thanks to advanced tools and platforms. Now you can create a marketplace website using-

• WordPress, or
• SaaS platform.

In this guide, we will show you budgeting for both platforms. So, without any further ado, let’s get started!

Factors Affect the Cost of Building a Marketplace Website

Building a marketplace website involves various cost factors that can influence your overall budget. From the platform you choose to the essential features and ongoing maintenance, each decision plays a role in the final price tag.

Let’s break down the key factors that will impact how much it costs to build your online marketplace.

(i) Platform Selection

The platform you choose to build your marketplace on is one of the most significant cost factors. If you decide to use a self-hosted solution like WordPress, you’ll need to account for the costs of hosting, domain registration, and premium plugins.

On the other hand, a SaaS solution bundles hosting, maintenance, and support into one price. All these make it easier to manage but potentially more expensive upfront.

(ii) Essential Features

Every marketplace requires essential features like product listings, vendor management, payment gateways, and order tracking. The more advanced your features, the higher the cost.

With WordPress, you may need to purchase additional plugins to get these features, which can add up. In a SaaS solution, these features are often built-in, but the higher-tier plans may offer more robust features, thus increasing the cost.

(iii) Design and Customization

The design of your marketplace and how much customization you want can greatly impact the cost. For WordPress users, you can choose from free or premium themes, with premium themes generally costing between $30 to $100. However, if you need custom design work, the costs can rise significantly.

In comparison, the SaaS solution offers ready-to-use templates, and while customization is possible, it typically involves additional costs if you need specialized design or functionality.

(iv) Hosting and Domain

For WordPress-based marketplaces, hosting and domain registration are ongoing costs. Hosting prices can vary greatly depending on the plan you choose, ranging from $5 to $100+ per month for shared hosting to more for dedicated or cloud hosting. Additionally, you’ll need to pay for a domain name, which typically costs around $10–$20 per year.

With a SaaS solution, hosting is included in the subscription price, so you don’t need to worry about separate hosting costs or technical management, but the overall price is higher.

(v) Maintenance and Updates

Maintaining your marketplace and keeping everything up to date is a recurring cost that can often be overlooked. For WordPress users, you’ll need to regularly update plugins, themes, and the WordPress core itself, which can be time-consuming and require technical knowledge.

With a SaaS platform, maintenance and updates are handled for you, which makes the platform more hands-off but comes with a higher monthly or yearly subscription cost.

Cost Breakdown for Building a Marketplace

If you’re planning to build a simple and basic online marketplace, there are two primary approaches to consider:

1. Using a plugin for a self-hosted solution like WordPress.
2. Using a SaaS platform that provides a ready-to-use marketplace solution.

Dokan offers both options:

• Dokan WordPress Plugin: A powerful multivendor marketplace plugin that integrates with WordPress and gives you full control over your marketplace setup.
• Dokan Cloud: A SaaS platform that provides an all-in-one solution, including hosting, maintenance, and marketplace features, in a subscription-based model.

Let’s dive into the cost breakdown for building a marketplace using the Dokan plugin.

01. How Much Does It Cost to Build a Marketplace Website Using Dokan Plugin

To create a multivendor marketplace using the Dokan Multivendor WordPress plugin, here’s a checklist of essential components:

1. WordPress Installation: Free and open-source. You’ll install it on your chosen hosting platform.
2. Domain Name: A unique web address for your marketplace.
3. Hosting Plan: A server to host your website. Options range from shared to managed WordPress hosting.
4. Dokan Multivendor Plugin: A feature-rich plugin to manage vendors, products, and orders.
5. WordPress Theme: A design template for your marketplace. Free and premium themes are available.
6. Must-Have Plugins: Additional tools for SEO, security, backups, and payment gateways.
7. Custom Development (Optional): Customizing features or designs beyond what’s available in the plugin and theme.

This is the list of the components that you’ll require to create and manage a simple and basic online multivendor marketplace.

Cost Breakdown for Dokan Plugin

Now let us show you the cost breakdown of creating a multivendor marketplace using WordPress and Dokan plugin!

1. WordPress Installation

2. Domain Name

3. Hosting Plan

• Shared Hosting: $5–$15/month (ideal for small marketplaces).
• Managed WordPress Hosting: $20–$100+/month (better performance and support for scaling).

4. Dokan Multivendor Plugin

• Free Plan: Basic features for starting.
• Premium Plans: Dokan plugin comes with 4 different pricing plans. The basic plan starts at $149 per year.

5. WordPress Theme

• Free themes: Available but limited in design and customization.
• Premium themes: It will cost you between $30–$100 per year.

6. Must-Have Plugins
Depending on your needs, you’ll likely require:

• SEO Plugin (e.g., Yoast SEO): Free or $99/year.
• Backup Plugin (e.g., UpdraftPlus): Free or $70+/year for premium.
• Security Plugin (e.g., Wordfence): Free or $99/year.
• Payment Gateway Plugins (e.g., Stripe or PayPal integrations): Free or $50–$100 per gateway for advanced features.

7. Custom Development (Optional)

• Cost: $30–$150/hour. For basic tweaks, expect 10–20 hours of work ($300–$3,000). Advanced customizations could cost more.

Cost Estimation for a Small Marketplace Using Dokan Plugin

Item	Cost Range (Annual)
WordPress	Free
Domain Name	$10–$20
Hosting (Shared/Managed)	$60–$1,200
Dokan Plugin (Starter Plan)	$149
Theme (Premium)	$30–$100
Must-Have Plugins	$100–$300
Custom Development (if any)	$300–$3,000+

Total Estimated Cost: $350–$5,000+ depending on your choices and requirements.

02. How Much Does It Cost to Build a Marketplace Website Using Dokan Cloud

If you prefer a hassle-free approach to building your online marketplace, Dokan Cloud offers a subscription-based, all-in-one solution. It eliminates the need for separate hosting, plugin installation, and maintenance and allows you to focus entirely on growing your marketplace.

Here’s what you’ll need to know when creating a marketplace with Dokan Cloud:

• Subscription Plan: Dokan Cloud provides various subscription tiers, each offering different features and levels of support.
• Hosting and Maintenance: Hosting, regular updates, backups, and security are all included in the subscription cost.
• Built-in Multivendor Functionality: Dokan Cloud comes preloaded with multivendor marketplace features, so there’s no need for separate plugin installations.
• Customization and Scalability: While customization is limited compared to a self-hosted solution, you can scale seamlessly as your marketplace grows.

Cost Breakdown for Dokan Cloud

1. Subscription Plan

Dokan Cloud offers four main pricing tiers:

• Launch: $29/month – Ideal for small marketplaces.
• Pro: $69/month – Designed for expanding businesses with advanced features.
• Advanced: $299/month – Best for larger marketplaces needing premium support and advanced capabilities.
• Elite: If you want a custom package, you can buy this package.

2. Hosting and Maintenance

• Hosting costs are fully covered in the subscription. No need to purchase separate hosting plans.
• Included features: Automatic backups, system updates, and robust security measures.

3. Built-in Multivendor Functionality

• Dokan Cloud includes essential marketplace features such as vendor management, product catalogs, and order tracking. These come at no additional cost within your chosen subscription plan.

4. Customization and Scalability

• While customization may require a developer, most features are pre-built to meet common marketplace needs.
• Scalability: As your marketplace grows, you can switch to a higher subscription tier without worrying about hosting limitations or performance issues.

Cost Estimation for a Small Marketplace Using Dokan Cloud

Item	Cost Range (Annual)
Dokan Cloud Starter Plan	$348/year ($29/month)
Hosting and Maintenance	Included
Built-in Multivendor Features	Included
Additional Customization (Optional)	$300–$3,000+

Total Estimated Cost: $348–$3,500+ depending on customization needs.

Hidden Costs that You Should Be Aware of

When building a marketplace, it’s important to plan for costs that may not be immediately obvious but can impact your budget over time. These hidden expenses often arise as you scale or aim to grow your platform.

Let’s explore some key areas:

01. Marketing and Advertising

Building a marketplace is just the start—you’ll also need to attract vendors and customers. Marketing costs can vary depending on your strategies:

• SEO: Investing in content optimization to improve search rankings. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush may cost $100–$200 per month. Also, if you want to use any AI marketing tool to write your content and copies, you’ll require another %40-$50 per month.
• Social Media Marketing: Paid campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn can start at $50/month and scale up based on your goals.
• Paid Ads: Google Ads or PPC campaigns can cost $500–$1,000+ monthly for competitive industries.

02. Third-Party Tools

To streamline operations and enhance user experience, you may need third-party tools:

• Email Marketing Tools: Platforms like Mailchimp or Sendinblue can range from free to $50+ per month, depending on your subscriber count.
• Analytics Tools: Google Analytics is free for basic needs, but advanced tools like Mixpanel or Hotjar may cost $39–$150+ per month.
• Integrations: Connecting your marketplace to CRM, shipping, or accounting tools could involve subscription fees or setup costs.

03. Transaction Fees

Every sale on your marketplace involves payment processing, which incurs transaction fees. These fees depend on the payment gateway you use:

• Stripe: Typically charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• PayPal: Similar rates, with additional charges for currency conversion or cross-border payments.
• Other Gateways: Costs may vary, especially for specialized or local payment providers.

As your sales volume grows, these fees can add up significantly, so it’s important to account for them in your budget and pricing strategy.

How to Choose the Right Option for Your Budget

Choosing the right solution for building your marketplace depends on your specific needs, budget, and long-term goals. Both Dokan Plugin and Dokan Cloud are excellent options, but they serve different types of users.

Here’s how you can decide:

Factors to Consider

1. Technical Knowledge
   • If you are comfortable managing WordPress, including hosting, plugins, and themes, the Dokan plugin offers more flexibility and control.
   • If you prefer a hands-off approach with minimal technical involvement, Dokan Cloud is a better choice.
2. Growth Expectations
   • For a small marketplace with moderate growth, Dokan Cloud’s subscription plans provide predictable costs and scalability.
   • For a larger marketplace with custom requirements, the Dokan plugin is more suitable as it allows advanced customizations.
3. Ongoing Management
   • Dokan plugin requires you to handle hosting, maintenance, updates, and security, which may involve additional costs or hiring a developer.
   • Dokan Cloud includes hosting, backups, updates, and support in its subscription, saving time and effort.

When to Choose the Dokan Multivendor Plugin

If you are still unsure which solution you should choose to build your first-ever online multivendor marketplace website, check this segment carefully.

First, let’s check when you should choose the Dokan plugin to build your marketplace!

• You have technical skills or a dedicated team: The Dokan plugin is ideal for users who are comfortable managing WordPress or have access to technical expertise.
• You want full control and flexibility: You can customize every aspect of your marketplace, from themes to advanced integrations.
• You’re aiming for a highly scalable or niche marketplace: If your marketplace requires unique features, custom themes, or extensive integrations, the Dokan plugin is the way to go.

When to Choose Dokan Cloud

Now if the above-mentioned scenarios don’t match your requirements, check this segment. In this part, we will give you a straightforward checklist of when you should choose the Dokan Cloud for your marketplace.

• You need a quick and easy setup: Dokan Cloud eliminates the need for hosting, maintenance, or plugin installation, making it ideal for beginners.
• Your priority is convenience: With hosting, security, and updates included, Dokan Cloud allows you to focus entirely on growing your marketplace.
• You’re starting small but plan to scale: Dokan Cloud’s subscription plans grow with your marketplace, letting you upgrade as needed without worrying about performance or hosting issues.

Over to You

Building a marketplace website can seem challenging, but with the right tools and a clear understanding of costs, it’s entirely achievable.

You can choose the Dokan WordPress plugin for complete control and customization or opt for Dokan Cloud if you prefer an all-in-one, hassle-free solution. Both options empower you to create a successful multivendor platform.

When planning your budget, remember to factor in hidden costs like marketing, third-party tools, and transaction fees. Assess your technical skills, growth expectations, and ongoing management preferences to select the option that aligns with your goals.

Want to know more about Dokan Plugin and Dokan Cloud? Check this blog on Dokan Plugin vs Dokan Cloud to explore everything about these two platforms!

Ready to start your journey? Choose the solution that works best for you and take the first step today!