Marketplace4 platforms compared

Best CMS for Marketplace Sites in 2026

Compare the best platforms for building two-sided marketplaces with vendor management, listings, search, and payments.

Build the platform, not just a store. Connect buyers and sellers on your terms.

TL;DR — Our Top Pick

Next.js + Payload + Stripe Connect is our top recommendation for marketplace sites.

Full control over the marketplace experience. Payload manages vendors and listings, Stripe Connect handles split payments. The most flexible option.

What a Marketplace CMS Needs

Founders building two-sided marketplaces that connect buyers and sellers, providers and consumers.

Multi-vendor management with seller profiles

Listing creation and management

Search and filtering across listings

Split payments between platform and vendors

Reviews and rating system

Top 4 Platforms Ranked

Next.js + Payload + Stripe Connect

React framework for production with SSR, SSG, and API routes

TOP PICK

Full control over the marketplace experience. Payload manages vendors and listings, Stripe Connect handles split payments. The most flexible option.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Hybrid rendering — SSG, SSR, ISR, and client-side in one app
Most popular React framework with massive community
Built-in image optimization, API routes, and middleware

Trade-offs

React learning curve for non-JavaScript developers
App Router introduced complexity with Server Components

Payload CMS

TypeScript-first headless CMS that lives in your Next.js app

Custom collections for vendors, listings, and orders. Built-in access control ensures vendors only see their own data. Admin panel for platform management.

Open SourceTypeScript / Node.jsFree (self-hosted) / Cloud plans available

Strengths

Lives inside your Next.js codebase — zero API latency
Config-as-code with full TypeScript type safety
Built-in auth, access control, and file uploads

Trade-offs

Tightly coupled to Next.js ecosystem
Newer platform with a smaller community and fewer plugins

Sanity + Next.js

Real-time collaborative headless CMS with customizable Studio

Flexible content modeling for complex listing types. Real-time updates for inventory and pricing. GROQ queries for powerful search and filtering.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio)Free / $15+/month per user

Strengths

GROQ query language is more powerful and flexible than GraphQL
Real-time collaborative editing (like Google Docs)
Fully customizable React-based Studio admin panel

Trade-offs

GROQ is a custom query language with its own learning curve
Studio customization requires React development knowledge

Strapi + Next.js

Open-source headless CMS built with Node.js

Open-source headless CMS with role-based access. REST and GraphQL APIs out of the box. Good for marketplaces that need vendor-facing APIs.

Open SourceNode.js (JavaScript/TypeScript)Free (self-hosted) / $29+/month (Cloud)

Strengths

Fully open-source — self-host with no vendor lock-in
Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs from your content types
Intuitive admin panel with customizable content modeling

Trade-offs

Self-hosting requires DevOps knowledge and maintenance
Plugin ecosystem is growing but still smaller than established CMS

How to Decide

Stripe Connect is essential for split payments — plan your payment flow early

Search is critical for marketplaces — consider Algolia or Meilisearch for fast, faceted search

Start with a minimum viable marketplace — vendor onboarding, listings, and payments

Multi-tenancy and data isolation between vendors is a key architectural decision

Ready to migrate from WordPress?

WordPress → Next.js WordPress → Payload CMS WordPress → Sanity

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I handle payments between buyers and sellers?

Stripe Connect handles split payments, vendor payouts, and platform fees. It supports marketplace models where you collect payment and distribute to sellers minus your commission.

Do I need a custom CMS for a marketplace?

Yes, most headless CMS platforms can be configured for marketplace use cases. Payload is particularly strong here with its access control system for multi-vendor data isolation.

How do I handle search across thousands of listings?

Use a dedicated search service like Algolia or Meilisearch. They provide instant search, faceted filtering, and typo tolerance that database queries can't match at scale.