# How to build a digital product marketplace This guide is for founders who want to build a marketplace where creators, like designers, artists, and teachers, sell files such as templates, fonts, patterns, or stock photos. It covers the whole path, from picking a niche to launching. It also covers selling files next to physical products, services, or rentals on the same marketplace. [![Julia Kuzmina photo](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/y-DuuXE3JbrQjS8A_julia_serious.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048)](/author/julia-kuzmina/) Nov 9, 2026 Julia Kuzmina Content Marketing and SEO [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kuzmina/) Table of contents 1. [The steps in short](#the-steps-in-short) 2. [What is a digital product marketplace?](#what-is-a-digital-product-marketplace) 3. [What can you sell on a digital product marketplace?](#what-can-you-sell-on-a-digital-product-marketplace) 4. [Examples of digital product marketplaces and how they make money](#examples-of-digital-product-marketplaces-and-how-they-make-money) 5. [What to know before you build: what sellers, buyers, and you should expect](#what-to-know-before-you-build-what-sellers-buyers-and-you-should-expect) 1. [What sellers will expect from you](#what-sellers-will-expect-from-you) 2. [What buyers will expect from you](#what-buyers-will-expect-from-you) 3. [What you should expect](#what-you-should-expect) 6. [How to build a digital product marketplace in 9 steps](#how-to-build-a-digital-product-marketplace-in-9-steps) 1. [Step 1: Pick a niche the big platforms serve badly](#step-1-pick-a-niche-the-big-platforms-serve-badly) 2. [Step 2: Sign up 10 to 20 founding creators](#step-2-sign-up-10-to-20-founding-creators) 3. [Step 3: Choose how to build it](#step-3-choose-how-to-build-it) 4. [Step 4: Set up the must-have features](#step-4-set-up-the-must-have-features) 5. [Step 5: Write simple license terms](#step-5-write-simple-license-terms) 6. [Step 6: Choose how you'll earn](#step-6-choose-how-you-ll-earn) 7. [Step 7: Set refund rules before the first dispute](#step-7-set-refund-rules-before-the-first-dispute) 8. [Step 8: Sort out tax before you launch](#step-8-sort-out-tax-before-you-launch) 9. [Step 9: Bring in your first buyers](#step-9-bring-in-your-first-buyers) 7. [Sell digital files next to products, services, or rentals](#sell-digital-files-next-to-products-services-or-rentals) 8. [Launch your digital product marketplace with Sharetribe](#launch-your-digital-product-marketplace-with-sharetribe) 1. [Who's already building with it](#whos-already-building-with-it) 9. [Start building your digital product marketplace today](#start-building-your-digital-product-marketplace-today) 10. [FAQs about digital product marketplaces](#faqs-about-digital-product-marketplaces) 1. [How long does it take to launch a digital product marketplace?](#how-long-does-it-take-to-launch-a-digital-product-marketplace) 2. [What file types and sizes can sellers upload?](#what-file-types-and-sizes-can-sellers-upload) 3. [How do I stop buyers from sharing files they bought?](#how-do-i-stop-buyers-from-sharing-files-they-bought) 4. [Can I sell custom digital work, like commissions?](#can-i-sell-custom-digital-work-like-commissions) 5. [Can I sell both digital and physical products on one marketplace?](#can-i-sell-both-digital-and-physical-products-on-one-marketplace) 6. [Do I need to collect VAT or sales tax on digital products?](#do-i-need-to-collect-vat-or-sales-tax-on-digital-products) 7. [Can I sell online courses or subscriptions?](#can-i-sell-online-courses-or-subscriptions) ## Summary A digital product marketplace is a website where many independent creators sell downloadable files, like templates, fonts, or stock photos, and the platform takes a commission on each sale. To build one, start with a narrow niche, recruit creators before buyers, and use a marketplace builder that handles file storage, delivery, and seller payouts, so you can launch in weeks or even days. This guide covers each step, the must-have features, and how to set it up with Sharetribe, from $39 per month. On Sharetribe, you can also sell files next to physical products, services, or rentals on the same marketplace. [Skip to the full article](#after-summary-0) ## Key takeaways * **Start with one niche.** The German marketplace Makerist started with sewing patterns only, because digital patterns were the easiest product to scale. * **Recruit creators first, and look after your best ones.** On Teachers Pay Teachers, the top 1% of sellers made 81% of all sales. * **Pick a platform that handles files for you.** Sharetribe doesn’t cap the number of file uploads at the platform level, and a single listing can include up to 10 files, each up to 1 GB. * **Hold payouts for a short window.** Sharetribe pays sellers 7 days after a purchase, so buyers have time to report a broken file. * **Sell more than files if you want.** On Sharetribe, digital downloads run as their own listing type next to bookings, rentals, or shipped products. ## The steps in short --- We've helped founders launch marketplaces for more than a decade, and when the marketplace sells files, the same questions keep coming up: where to find the first creators, how to set a commission that still works on a $3 file, and how to handle file storage. The list below is the order we'd go in if we were starting a digital product marketplace today. Each step is explained in detail further down, so skim the list first and go straight to the step you're stuck on. 1. **[Pick your niche](#step-1-pick-a-niche-the-big-platforms-serve-badly).** Find creators and buyers that Etsy and Gumroad serve badly. 2. **[Sign up founding creators](#step-2-sign-up-10-to-20-founding-creators).** Recruit 10 to 20 strong creators and approve them yourself. 3. **[Choose how to build it](#step-3-choose-how-to-build-it).** A marketplace builder, WordPress with plugins, or custom code. 4. **[Set up the must-have features](#step-4-set-up-the-must-have-features).** File storage, instant delivery, file security, and seller payouts. 5. **[Write license terms](#step-5-write-simple-license-terms).** Say in plain words what buyers can do with each file. 6. **[Choose how you'll earn](#step-6-choose-how-you-ll-earn).** Set a commission that also covers cheap files. 7. **[Set refund rules](#step-7-set-refund-rules-before-the-first-dispute).** Refund broken files and hold payouts for a few days. 8. **[Sort out tax](#step-8-sort-out-tax-before-you-launch).** Check who owes VAT or sales tax in your main markets. 9. **[Bring in your first buyers](#step-9-bring-in-your-first-buyers).** Launch together with your creators. Build it without code ## Sharetribe gives you file uploads, instant delivery, and seller payouts out of the box, so you can launch your digital product marketplace without developers. [Start your free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new) ## What is a digital product marketplace? --- A **digital product marketplace** is an online platform where many independent sellers offer files that buyers download after paying. Think of [Teachers Pay Teachers](https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/) for lesson plans, [Envato](https://elements.envato.com/) for website templates, or [Creative Market](https://creativemarket.com/) for fonts and graphics. The marketplace doesn't make the products. It brings creators and buyers together, handles the payment, and takes a cut of every sale. A **digital product** is anything a creator makes once and can sell again and again as a file: an ebook, a font, a preset, a pattern. There's no inventory and no shipping, which is why the model scales so well. And the pool of potential sellers is huge. Goldman Sachs Research [estimated 50 million creators worldwide](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-creator-economy-could-approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027) in 2023; in the creator economy, it expects to reach $480 billion by 2027. If you want to sell your own files, setting up a store on a relevant existing marketplace like Gumroad or Etsy is the faster route. If you want to bring many creators together around one audience and earn from every sale, you're building a marketplace, and that's what the rest of this guide is about. It works the same way as any other [multi-vendor marketplace](/how-to-build/multi-vendor-marketplace/), just with files instead of shipped goods. ![Yarntribe, an example knitting pattern marketplace built with Sharetribe, showing eight pattern listings with prices and filters for category, skill level, and yarn weight.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/NxNoxMGTk60fSjzg_search_page.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048) Yarntribe, an example knitting pattern marketplace built with Sharetribe, showing eight pattern listings with prices and filters for category, skill level, and yarn weight. ## What can you sell on a digital product marketplace? --- You can sell almost anything that's delivered as a file and can be sold more than once. The categories that work well usually serve a specific community of makers or professionals: * Design templates: Canva templates, resumes, social media planners * Stock photos, icons, and fonts * Sewing and knitting patterns * Music tracks and sound effects * Software plugins, themes, and presets * Worksheets, lesson plans, and study guides There's a second model worth knowing about: custom digital work. Here the buyer sends a brief, and the seller delivers files later, like a logo, an illustration, or a commissioned portrait. Many digital marketplaces mix both. A font marketplace might sell ready-made fonts and take requests for custom lettering on the side. ## Examples of digital product marketplaces and how they make money --- Most digital product marketplaces take a commission on every sale, and the rates vary a lot, from under 10% on Etsy to around half of each sale on [Envato](https://elements.envato.com/) and [Teachers Pay Teachers](https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/). Some also charge listing fees or seller memberships. | **Marketplace** | **What it sells** | **What sellers pay** | **Source** | | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Etsy | Mostly physical goods; digital downloads like printables and templates are one category | $0.20 per listing, 6.5% transaction fee, plus payment processing that varies by country | [Etsy Help Center](https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035902374-Etsy-Fee-Basics) | | Teachers Pay Teachers | Teaching resources | Basic sellers keep 55% of each sale minus $0.30 per resource; Exclusive sellers keep 80% (77.5% from Jan 2027) | [TpT seller page](https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/become-a-seller) | | Envato | Website templates, audio, video | A flat 50% author fee since July 2026 | [Envato Author Hub](https://author.envato.com/hub/changes-to-envato-market-revenue-share-and-exclusivity-what-you-need-to-know/) | The big ones show how much money can flow to creators. Envato's creators had [earned more than $1.3 billion](https://hub.author.envato.com/2022-wrapped/) across its sites by the end of 2022, according to the company. Teacher-authors on Teachers Pay Teachers have [earned $1.5 billion in take-home profits](https://edsurge.com/news/2022-11-28-why-did-we-stop-hearing-about-the-teachers-making-millions-on-teachers-pay-teachers), according to EdSurge in 2022. For your own marketplace, a simple percentage commission is the easiest place to start. Many new marketplaces set it lower than the big players to win sellers over, then adjust once they have traction. Our guide to [marketplace business models](/academy/how-to-choose-the-right-business-model-for-your-marketplace/) covers the other options, like listing fees and subscriptions. ## What to know before you build: what sellers, buyers, and you should expect --- A file marketplace can look like an online store on the surface, but you’re not the one selling. Instead, you’re in charge of making sure others can buy and sell smoothly, including handling things like copied files and refund requests. > **Sellers and buyers on file marketplaces have expectations they rarely say out loud.** Sellers and buyers on marketplace platforms have expectations they rarely say out loud, and if your marketplace doesn't meet them, they go back to Etsy or Gumroad. Here's what to plan for, and where each point is covered in the steps below. ### What sellers will expect from you * **Their work stays protected.** Keep files hidden until purchase, and have a clear way to report copies and stolen work. In the US, register a DMCA agent with the [Copyright Office](https://www.copyright.gov/dmca-directory/) ($6, renewed every three years) to keep your legal protection as a platform. In the EU, the [Digital Services Act](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj) requires an easy way to report illegal content. See step 4. * **To know what they'll earn, and when.** Show your commission upfront, and explain the payout timeline: a 7-day report window, then usually 5 to 10 business days for the money to arrive. See steps 6 and 7. * **A fair chance to be found.** Curate early, so low-effort or mass-produced AI files don't bury original work. Decide your AI rule before launch. Etsy, for example, requires sellers to [label and disclose AI-made items](https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/09/etsy-new-seller-policy-2024-generative-ai) since July 2024\. See step 2. * **Protection from unfair refunds.** Tie refunds to clear reasons, like a broken file, so buyers can't download and ask for their money back. See step 7. * **Their own name and following.** Give every seller a profile with their reviews, so the audience they build on your marketplace stays visible. See step 4. ### What buyers will expect from you * **The file right after paying.** Delivery has to be automatic. On Sharetribe, the files unlock as soon as the payment is confirmed, and the buyer downloads them from the transaction page. They can download them again anytime from the same page. * **To know exactly what they're buying.** Previews of the file in use, the format, the software needed, and what's included. See step 4. * **A plain answer on what they're allowed to do.** A short license summary on every listing. See step 5. * **Safe downloads.** Scan every upload for malware, and say so on your listing pages. Sharetribe does the scanning automatically. * **Help when something's wrong.** A visible way to report a problem, and refund rules they can read before buying. See step 7. * **Updates for templates and plugins.** Buyers of software, themes, and templates expect new versions. On Sharetribe, sellers can't change the files of an order by default, but you can add a [replace option with AI-assisted coding](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/17884155-let-sellers-replace-digital-download-files-ai-assisted-coding). * **A proper invoice.** Business buyers, especially in the EU and UK, need VAT invoices. Sharetribe's no-code setup doesn't calculate tax, but the Help Center has a [Zapier tutorial for PDF invoices with tax](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/9655505-zapier-tutorial-pdf-invoices-with-tax-support). See step 8. ![Buyer's transaction page after purchasing a cardigan knitting pattern, showing "Purchase confirmed! Your files are ready for download" and a downloadable pattern.pdf file.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/WNPIHpgPnB5ohUlh_downloadfiles.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048) After payment, the files are unlocked on the transaction page, and the buyer can download them at any time. ### What you should expect These are the differences founders usually don't count on before they build: * **Files get copied.** Once a buyer downloads a file, you can't stop them sharing it. Your tools are licenses, watermarked previews, and taking down copies when you find them. * **Some uploads won't belong to the seller.** Stolen designs, fonts, and photos turn up on open file marketplaces. Have your [takedown process](/academy/content-moderation-trust/) ready before launch, so the first complaint doesn't catch you off guard. * **There are no returns.** Every refund is a judgment call, so written rules are what keep you consistent and fair to both sides. * **Cheap files can cost you money.** Card fees include a fixed amount on every sale, which can be more than your commission on a $2 file. See step 6. * **You may owe the tax.** In the EU, the platform is often treated as the seller for VAT on the full price. See step 8. * **Fraud costs more than with physical goods.** Stolen cards are attractive for instant downloads because there's nothing to ship or send back. Digital-only merchants spent 6.9% of revenue on fraud control, compared with 5.7% for physical goods sellers, according to a [2017 Javelin survey](https://www.digitaltransactions.net/fraud-control-expenses-and-chargebacks-consume-more-of-merchants-revenues/). Holding payouts for 7 days gives you time to spot suspicious orders before the seller is paid. * **A few creators drive most of your sales.** Losing two or three top sellers can hurt more than losing a hundred small ones. See step 2. * **Creators can take buyers elsewhere.** A buyer who loves a creator can follow them to their own website. Fair fees, reliable payouts, and an audience they can't get on their own are what keep sellers with you. Our guide on [keeping transactions on your platform](/academy/how-to-discourage-people-from-going-around-your-payment-system/) has more ideas. ## How to build a digital product marketplace in 9 steps --- You can launch a digital product marketplace in a few weeks if you get four things right. Pick a niche the big platforms serve badly, sign up a small group of strong creators first, choose a platform that handles files and payouts for you, and set clear rules for licenses and refunds before the first sale. **Here's how to do each step**, with what's worked for marketplaces like Envato, Creative Market, and Teachers Pay Teachers. ![Yarntribe, an example knitting pattern marketplace built with Sharetribe, showing eight pattern listings with prices and filters for category, skill level, and yarn weight.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/NxNoxMGTk60fSjzg_search_page.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048) A digital product marketplace built with Sharetribe. Buyers filter knitting patterns by skill level and yarn weight- the kind of niche filters Step 1 talks about. ### Step 1: Pick a niche the big platforms serve badly **The [best niche](/how-to-build/niche-marketplace/) is one where general platforms like [Etsy](/how-to-build/website-like-etsy/) or Gumroad fall short for a specific group of creators and buyers.** Three signs you've found one: * **The files are too big or too many for general platforms.** For example, Etsy allows [up to five files per listing, 20 MB each](https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015628347-How-to-Add-Files-to-a-Digital-Listing). That rules out a lot: 3D models, sample packs, font families, video presets, high-resolution photo bundles. Creators in these categories already struggle to sell on Etsy. * **Your buyers get lost on big general platforms.** On Etsy, digital files compete for attention with everything else it sells. A niche marketplace gives sellers more visibility and buyers who came for exactly those files. * **Buyers need filters that make sense for your niche.** A knitter searches by yarn weight and skill level. A video editor searches by software version and resolution. If you can list five filters your buyers would use, beyond category and price, you have a real niche. If you can't, it's probably still too broad. * **The community already gathers somewhere.** Look for active Facebook groups, subreddits, Discord servers, or forums where people share and swap these files today. Makerist founder Axel Heinz tested several directions, from fabrics to video, by running Facebook groups like "Sewing Café" and "Knitting Café" before building anything. Sewing patterns won. As he put it in our [interview](/academy/backstage-validate-marketplace-idea/). > The digital patterns, e-books, sewing patterns, actually worked the best. And it was the easiest thing to scale. **Tip:** Start by checking the pain. Read what creators and buyers complain about in the community or platform you found, then ask 10 creators two questions: where do you sell now, and what annoys you about it? If the same problem keeps coming up, build a simple version of your marketplace during [Sharetribe's free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new) and send creators the link. They can sign up, list a file, and buy one with a test card. Then ask where they got stuck, what's missing, and what would make them switch. Once a few say they'd list for real, go live and invite them first, so their files are there when the first buyers arrive. You pay a monthly subscription while you learn, instead of months of development up front. Our guide on [how to validate a marketplace idea](/academy/how-to-validate-your-marketplace-idea-before-building-the-platform/) has more ways to test demand. ### Step 2: Sign up 10 to 20 founding creators **Recruit a small group of [strong creators before you launch](/academy/onboard-initial-marketplace-supply/), and treat them like partners.** Buyers come for selection, and on digital marketplaces a few sellers drive most of it: on Teachers Pay Teachers, the top 1% of sellers made 81% of all sales, according to a [2020 study of the platform](https://spencergreenhalgh.com/2020-Koehler-et-al-TPT.pdf). Where to find them: * **Creators who get a bad deal today.** Makerist's pattern designers had sold to publishers before and "didn't actually earn very much—a couple of hundred euros per pattern," Heinz said. Selling on Makerist let them earn from the same pattern for years. * **Creators already selling elsewhere.** Etsy shops, Creative Market shops, and Gumroad pages in your niche show you who's active. Look for people with a following on Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube, because they bring their own buyers. * **The community from step 1.** The people who answered your posts or bought your test files are often your first sellers too. > **Buyers come for the selection, and the selection comes from your creators. Win them first.** What to offer them: * A lower commission for a set period, like the first 12 months. Put an end date on it, so it doesn't become your permanent price. * Featured placement on the homepage and in your launch emails. * A direct line to you. Early creators shape the product, and they'll tell you what's missing. Ask each founding creator for at least one sample you can give away. The same 2020 study found that 69% of all downloads on Teachers Pay Teachers were free resources. Free files bring buyers in, and some of them come back to pay. On Sharetribe, every listing needs a price above zero, so share free samples through your newsletter or a landing page instead. With custom code, you can also offer free downloads on the marketplace. Set your quality bar from day one. Creative Market [accepts shops through an application](https://payhip.com/hub/what-is-creative-market/), and Envato reviews every item before it goes on sale. You don't need a review team, but do approve sellers yourself at the start. Sharetribe's access control settings let you approve each new user, give publishing rights only to sellers you've checked, or review every listing before it goes live. You can also keep the whole marketplace private while you build up supply, so only logged-in users see listings. ### Step 3: Choose how to build it **Start with a marketplace builder like Sharetribe, and add custom features with code or AI later.** Most founders choose between [three ways to build](/best-marketplace-software/) a digital product marketplace: a marketplace builder, WordPress with marketplace plugins, or building from scratch with developers or AI tools. The right choice depends on how fast you want to launch and how much of the technical work you want to own. Here's how they compare for a digital marketplace: | | **Marketplace builder (Sharetribe)** | **WordPress + plugins** | **Custom development** | | --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Time to a first version | A day to set up, a few weeks to launch | A few weeks | Weeks (depends on the feature set and [infrastructure](/academy/what-does-it-cost-to-run-a-marketplace-platform/) you need) | | Upfront cost | $0 during the 14-day free trial | Theme, plugin licenses, and setup | Developer or AI-assisted build time | | Ongoing cost | $39/month while building, $199/month (billed yearly) when live, hosting included, + usage when you scale | Hosting plus yearly plugin licenses, for example [Dokan Pro from $149/year](https://dokan.co/wordpress/pricing/), and managed hosting [from $28/month at WP Engine](https://wpengine.com/plans/) | [Infrastructure from about $260–480/month](/academy/what-does-it-cost-to-run-a-marketplace-platform/), plus maintenance and developer time | | File storage and delivery | Built in: 10 files per listing, 1 GB each, malware scanning | Depends on plugins and your hosting plan | You build it | | Who keeps it running | Sharetribe handles hosting, security, and updates | You do: plugin updates, security, compatibility | You or your developers | | When you outgrow the basics | Add custom features with code on the same platform | Add more plugins or custom code | Anything, if you have the budget | #### What about building it with AI? AI app builders like Lovable and Bolt, and coding tools like Claude Code and Cursor, can get you a working demo in days. However, a live marketplace also needs secure payments and payouts, protected file storage, hosting, and someone to fix things when they break. When our CMO Sjoerd Handgraaf [tried to vibe-code a marketplace](/academy/can-you-vibe-code-a-marketplace/), the demo took over 60 hours, and he estimated another 100 to 200 hours to fix the known bugs: bookings were confirmed while payments were still pending, and users with technical knowledge could change a transaction's price. You also pay for hosting, a database, and file storage yourself, and those bills grow with your users. > A vibe-coded marketplace demo took **over 60 hours**. Fixing the known bugs would have taken **another 100 to 200**. You can still use AI with Sharetribe. Launch without code, and when you need a custom feature, use [AI-assisted coding on top of Sharetribe](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/15646543-how-to-start-ai-assisted-coding-on-top-of-sharetribe-for-non-developers) with Claude, Codex, Gemini, or Cursor. Sharetribe's backend keeps handling payments, file storage, and transactions, so the AI only changes the parts that make your marketplace different. **Our recommendation: start with Sharetribe.** You can launch in weeks without code, test your niche with real creators, and add custom features with a developer or AI once you know what your marketplace needs, all on the same platform, so you never have to rebuild. WordPress can cost less in cash at the start, but you run the hosting, security, and plugin updates yourself. If you're weighing WordPress, our comparison of [WordPress and SaaS marketplace software](/how-to-build/wordpress-or-saas/) goes into the trade-offs. For a full first-year budget, see [how much it costs to start a marketplace business](/academy/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-marketplace-business/). **Tip:** Before you choose, write down the features from step 4 that you need at launch, and check each option against that list. File size limits and automatic delivery are the two that rule out the most tools. ### Step 4: Set up the must-have features **A digital product marketplace needs a few features that a regular online store doesn't: secure file storage, automatic delivery, a way to handle problem files, and tools to pay many sellers.** Here's the full list, and how each one works in Sharetribe: | **Feature** | **Why it matters** | **How it works in Sharetribe** | | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | File upload and storage | Sellers need a safe place for large files | Up to 10 files per listing, 1 GB each, stored on your marketplace | | Automatic delivery | Buyers expect their files the moment they pay | Payment unlocks the files on the transaction page | | File security | Paid files shouldn't leak, and downloads shouldn't carry malware | Files stay hidden until purchase; every upload is scanned; executables and scripts are blocked | | Rich listings | Buyers judge files by previews and details | Image galleries, custom listing fields, and fields you can make mandatory | | Niche search and filters | Buyers search by format, software, style, or license | Keyword search, up to three levels of categories, and custom filters | | Seller profiles and reviews | Buyers trust creators with a track record | Seller profiles; buyers review the purchase after the report window | | Payments and payouts | You need to pay many sellers without manual work | Stripe handles checkout, seller verification, and automatic payouts | | Commission | It's how you earn | A percentage from sellers, buyers, or both, plus the option to set a minimum commission and minimum price | | Problem reports and refunds | Digital files can't be sent back | A 7-day report window before the seller is paid. If the buyer reports a problem, the payout stays on hold until you refund or complete the sale (up to 60 days) | | Seller approval | Quality keeps buyers coming back | Approve users, limit who can publish, or review each listing before it goes live | | Custom work | Many creators also take commissions | Price negotiation, transaction fields for briefs, and file attachments in messages | | Admin file controls | You'll need to act fast on copyright or spam problems | View or delete any file in Console, or pause all uploads and downloads at once | ![Sharetribe Console listing type settings for a "Knitting pattern" listing type, with the Digital download transaction process selected and file attachments in messages turned on.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/P9-1YSd0ap4AUN8M_digitaldownload.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048) In Console, create a listing type and choose the Digital download process. [Start a free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/) to check this out. Our list of [essential marketplace website features](/how-to-build/marketplace-website-features/) covers the features every marketplace needs, beyond selling digital files. The feature that makes the biggest difference to sales is the listing itself. A good digital listing shows exactly what the buyer gets before they pay. It also prevents refunds: Envato treats an item as "not as described" when it's [materially different from the description or preview](https://codecanyon.net/page/customer%5Frefund%5Fpolicy). Require these on every listing: * **Preview images that show the file in use**, like a template filled in, a font set in a sentence, or a pattern sewn up. Watermark them if the preview is the product itself, like a photo. * **A file list**: format, size, dimensions or resolution, and the software needed to open it. * **The license**, from step 5. * **What's included**, like "12 Canva templates, 3 color versions, a PDF guide." In Sharetribe, add these as [listing fields](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8413305-what-are-listing-fields) and make them mandatory, so sellers can't publish without them. The same fields can work as search filters. **Tip:** Name your categories the way buyers search. "Wedding invitations" works better as a category than "Canva templates," because that's what buyers look for. By default, the files attached to an order stay as they were at the time of purchase. If you sell templates or plugins where updates matter, you can add a [file-replacement option](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/17884155-let-sellers-replace-digital-download-files-ai-assisted-coding) with AI-assisted coding. ### Step 5: Write simple license terms **Every listing needs to tell buyers what they can do with the file.** Clear terms up front save you from the most awkward disputes, the ones about how a file was used. Creative Market's licenses are a useful model. They have [three tiers](https://creativemarket.com/licenses): | **License** | **What it covers** | **Example** | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Personal | Projects that don't make money | A birthday invitation for your own party | | Commercial | Business use, up to a set number of products sold (5,000 end products on Creative Market) | A logo for a client, a template used in a paid course | | Extended commercial | Larger volumes, and use in apps, websites, or games | A font used inside a mobile app | You don't need three tiers at launch. Many marketplaces start with one standard license that allows commercial use, and add an extended license once buyers ask for it. **Tip:** Put a short "You can / You can't" list on every listing, in plain language. "You can use this in client projects. You can't resell the file itself." Link to the full license terms from there. ### Step 6: Choose how you'll earn **Pick a [commission model](/academy/how-to-set-pricing-in-your-marketplace/) that covers your costs on cheap files and is easy for sellers to understand.** Here's how established marketplaces do it: | **Model** | **Example** | **How it works** | | ----------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Low flat fee | Etsy | $0.20 per listing plus a 6.5% transaction fee and payment processing | | Revenue split | Teachers Pay Teachers, Envato | The marketplace keeps a large share of each sale: 45% on TpT's Basic plan, 50% on Envato | | Creator chooses | itch.io | Creators set the platform's share anywhere from [0% to 100%](https://itch.io/docs/creators/payments); the default is 10% | | Seller membership | Teachers Pay Teachers | Sellers pay a yearly fee to keep a higher share of each sale | Big splits like 50% work for marketplaces that bring huge audiences. A new marketplace can't promise that yet, so most start lower and use the commission as a reason for creators to join. Watch out for cheap files. On Sharetribe, [Stripe's fees come out of your commission](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8803821-stripe-s-processing-fees), and card fees include a fixed amount on every sale. Stripe's standard US card rate is [2.9% + 30¢](https://stripe.com/us/pricing), so a 15% commission on a $2 file earns you 30¢ while the card fee is about 36¢. Teachers Pay Teachers, for example, adds a 30¢ fee per resource for Basic sellers. Sharetribe gives you two fixes. A [minimum transaction size](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8418027-what-is-the-minimum-transaction-size) sets the lowest price a seller can list a file for. A minimum commission works alongside your percentage, and you earn whichever is higher. You can also charge commission from sellers, buyers, or both, for example, 10% from the seller and 5% from the buyer. You can also add seller memberships later with Zapier and Stripe. Our guide to [marketplace business models](/academy/how-to-choose-the-right-business-model-for-your-marketplace/) compares the options. ### Step 7: Set refund rules before the first dispute **Write down when buyers can get their money back, and hold payouts long enough to check.** Digital files can't be returned, so "I changed my mind" refunds after a download are hard on honest sellers. Envato's [refund rules](https://codecanyon.net/page/customer%5Frefund%5Fpolicy) are a good starting point. Buyers can get a refund when: * The item is "not as described" or doesn't work, and the seller can't fix it * The item has a security problem the seller doesn't fix * Support was promised and not provided * The buyer never downloaded the item **Tip:** Ask sellers to fix the file first. A corrected file solves most problems and saves the sale. Here's how this fits the payout flow on Sharetribe: 1. The buyer pays, and the files unlock. 2. The buyer has 7 days to report a problem. 3. If nobody reports anything, the sale completes, and Stripe releases the seller’s payout. The money usually arrives in 5 to 10 business days. 4. If the buyer reports a problem within the seven-day reporting period, you have 60 days to look into it, then either refund the buyer or complete the sale. Your commission is available as soon as the buyer's payment goes through. Our guide to [marketplace payments](/academy/marketplace-payments/) compares payment providers if you need something other than Stripe. ### Step 8: Sort out tax before you launch **Tax on digital files usually depends on where the buyer lives, and in some regions the marketplace itself owes the tax.** Here's what to know for the main markets: * **EU:** When digital services are sold through an online platform, the platform is presumed to be the seller for VAT and pays VAT on the full price, not just its commission. The EU's top court confirmed this in the Fenix International case in [February 2023](https://www.bdo.global/en-gb/insights/tax/indirect-tax/european-union-cjeu-holds-online-platform-operator-liable-for-vat-collected-from-customers). * **EU thresholds:** EU-based businesses can charge their home country's VAT until their cross-border sales pass €10,000 a year. Businesses outside the EU have [no threshold](https://stripe.com/resources/more/uk-vat-on-digital-products). * **UK:** UK businesses [register for VAT](https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat) at £90,000 in turnover. Businesses outside the UK that sell digital products to UK consumers register from their first sale. * **US:** Sales tax on digital products depends on the state. **On Sharetribe:** Listing prices include tax, and the no-code setup doesn't show tax as a separate line. You can send buyers [invoices with tax through Zapier](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/9655505-zapier-tutorial-pdf-invoices-with-tax-support), and a separate tax line at checkout needs custom code. If you're in the EU, also read up on [DAC7 seller reporting](/academy/what-is-dac7/). Tax rules change often, so check yours with a tax advisor. ### Step 9: Bring in your first buyers **Your first buyers mostly come through your creators and your niche community, so plan [launch marketing](/academy/how-to-launch-your-marketplace/) around them.** * **Launch with your creators.** Give each founding creator a launch-day link and something to announce, like a new file or a launch discount. Creators with a following are your cheapest marketing channel. * **Use free samples to build your email list.** Creative Market gives members a few [free goods every week](https://support.creativemarket.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006136967), picked by its design team and free for that week only. A free file a week gives buyers a reason to sign up and come back. On Sharetribe, send free samples by email or link them from a landing page. * **Treat every listing as a search page.** People search for specific files, like "boho wedding invitation template" or "beginner sock knitting pattern." Ask sellers to use those words in titles and descriptions. Our guide to [marketplace SEO](/academy/marketplace-seo/) shows how. * **Go back to the community.** Share new files and creator stories in the groups where you tested your idea, and follow each group's rules on self-promotion. ## Sell digital files next to products, services, or rentals --- **If your marketplace sells products, services, or rentals, you can sell digital files on it too, from launch or later, when you expand.** _Digital download_ is one of Sharetribe's default transaction processes, together with _Calendar booking, Purchase, Price negotiation, and Free messaging._ A marketplace can have several [listing types](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8413295-how-listing-types-work). Each listing uses one type, so sellers choose the download type when they list a file. They upload up to 10 files, each up to 1 GB, and the files stay hidden until someone pays. After paying, a buyer downloads them from the transaction page. Here's what that can look like on different marketplaces: * **[Service marketplaces](/how-to-build/service-marketplace/).** Coaches, tutors, and consultants can sell workbooks, templates, or recorded guides next to their bookable sessions. Buyers who aren't ready to book get a cheaper way to start, and sellers earn between sessions. * **Product marketplaces.** A marketplace for craft supplies can add downloadable patterns, and one for printed art can offer digital versions of the same work. * **[Rental marketplaces](/how-to-build/rental-marketplace/).** A camera rental marketplace can let photographers sell their editing presets, or owners sell how-to guides for the gear they rent out. * **Custom work.** If your sellers already deliver work through messages, their ready-made pieces, like a logo template or a standard contract, can become downloads that sell without a back-and-forth. For you, files are a second way to earn from the same buyers, with nothing to ship or schedule. To set it up, add a listing type with the [Digital download process](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/16053544-how-digital-download-transactions-work), add [listing fields](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8413305-what-are-listing-fields) for things like file format and license (see steps 4 and 5), and decide whether you'll approve file listings before they go live. The [setup tutorial](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/9853868-how-to-set-up-a-marketplace-for-digital-products) covers each setting. ## Launch your digital product marketplace with Sharetribe --- Sharetribe is a marketplace builder that lets you launch a digital product marketplace without coding. The Digital download feature, [released in July 2026](/changelog/digital-downloads/), lets each seller upload up to 10 files per listing, up to 1 GB each. Files stay hidden until someone buys, unlock automatically after payment, and are scanned for malware on upload. Stripe pays the seller once a 7-day report window closes, and the marketplace's commission is collected automatically on every sale. Here's where to start. Sharetribe's [setup tutorial for digital product marketplaces](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/9853868-how-to-set-up-a-marketplace-for-digital-products) walks through the whole setup, and you can do the basics in a day: [**Start a free trial**](https://console.sharetribe.com/new) and answer a few questions about your marketplace. Sharetribe sets up your test marketplace based on your answers. Invite your founding creators to list their files before you open to buyers. You can share your test marketplace's link with them even earlier, so they can try listing and buying. Test listings don't move to your live marketplace, though, so sellers will have to upload their files again when you go live. For custom digital work, you can add a second listing type that uses price negotiation, collects a brief when the order starts, and lets sellers send the finished work as files in messages. Both can live on the same marketplace. See all the relevant features on our [digital product marketplace](/digital-product-marketplace/) page. ![Two listing types in Sharetribe Console: "Knitting pattern" using the Digital download process, and "Custom design" using price negotiation with file attachments in messages.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/kyf4c3qTbRMSrDxa_listingtypessidebyside.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&w=2048) Sell ready-made files and custom work on one marketplace, with a listing type for each. ### Who's already building with it Sharetribe marketplaces already sell digital files. Here's one from our [public customer gallery](/customers/gallery/): [**The Luupe**](https://theluupe.com/) licenses exclusive stock photos and videos from a vetted community of professional creators, and also offers brands custom production. It's a good example of files and services on one marketplace. ## Start building your digital product marketplace today --- A digital product marketplace works when you serve one community well: pick a narrow niche, bring in strong creators first, be clear about licenses, and make delivery and payouts automatic. Get the tax question answered before launch, and you can spend the rest of your time on growth. For the full journey, from idea to growth, read our [complete guide to building a marketplace](/academy/guide/). With Sharetribe, you can set up file sales, payouts, and commissions without code, and test everything during a 14-day free trial. [Start your free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new) or explore the [digital product marketplace features](/digital-product-marketplace/) first. ## FAQs about digital product marketplaces --- ### How long does it take to launch a digital product marketplace? With a no-code builder, you can set up a working marketplace in a day and launch in a few weeks once your first sellers have listings ready. ### What file types and sizes can sellers upload? On Sharetribe, sellers can upload up to 10 files per listing, up to 1 GB each. Most common file types are supported. Executables and scripts are blocked for security reasons. ### How do I stop buyers from sharing files they bought? No marketplace can fully stop a buyer from sharing a file once they've downloaded it. What you can do is keep files hidden until purchase, show watermarked previews, and set clear license terms so sellers have grounds to act on misuse. ### Can I sell custom digital work, like commissions? Yes. On Sharetribe, you can set up a listing type with price negotiation and use [transaction fields](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/13727923-what-are-transaction-fields) to collect a brief when the order starts. Sellers then deliver drafts and final files as message attachments, up to 10 files of 1 GB each per message. ### Can I sell both digital and physical products on one marketplace? Yes. On Sharetribe, you can have several [listing types](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8413295-how-listing-types-work) on one marketplace, like one for shipped products and one for digital downloads. Each listing uses one type, and sellers pick the right one when they create a listing. ### Do I need to collect VAT or sales tax on digital products? Usually, yes, and it often depends on where the buyer lives. In the EU, the marketplace is often treated as the seller for VAT, so it may have to collect and pay VAT on the full sale price. Check the rules for your main markets with a tax advisor before you launch. On Sharetribe, listing prices include tax, and showing tax as a separate line needs custom code. ### Can I sell online courses or subscriptions? Yes, as files. Digital download delivers files, so a course is sold as a set of downloads, like video lessons (up to 1 GB each, 10 per listing), worksheets, lesson plans, or study guides. With custom coding, you can also integrate a third-party video hosting platform for customers to stream a course instead of downloading files. Start your 14-day free trial ## Create a marketplace today! * Launch quickly, without coding * Extend infinitely * Scale to any size [Start free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new) No credit card required