How Marketplaces Make Money on Prometora
Two revenue models you can run on Prometora: commission on every sale (5 to 30%) and recurring seller subscriptions. You can run both. Complete fee breakdown, worked examples, and a free calculator below.
Revenue Calculator
Project your earnings based on your commission rate, average order value, and expected sales. Export to CSV or Google Sheets.
Pick your revenue model
Most marketplaces start with commission-on-sale. Subscriptions become attractive once you have committed sellers and want predictable monthly revenue.
You can run both models at the same time, and many mature marketplaces do. Jump to combining both models →
Model 1: Commission on every sale
Available on all plans
Take 5 to 30% of each transaction. Money flows from buyers to sellers via Stripe Connect, and you take a cut on every sale. Used by Etsy, Airbnb, Uber.
Best when: you have buyer traffic and sellers earn from real transactions.
Model 2: Seller subscriptions
Business & Scale plan
Charge sellers a monthly fee to list on your marketplace. Predictable revenue from day one, with per-tier commission rates and optional listing quotas.
Best when: sellers benefit from listing even without immediate sales.
Model 1
Commission on every sale
Setting Your Commission Rate
You can set your commission rate in Store Settings → General. This percentage is automatically deducted from each sale and sent to your Stripe account.
Example: 10% commission on all sales. Try our calculator to see how different rates affect your earnings.
Commission Rate Guidelines
The right commission rate depends on your marketplace type and the value you provide:
| Rate | Best For | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 5-10% | High-volume, low-margin goods | Electronics, commodities, wholesale |
| 10-15% | Standard product marketplaces | Handmade goods, vintage, art |
| 15-20% | Service marketplaces | Freelance, tutoring, consulting |
| 20-30% | Premium/high-value services | Rentals, luxury goods, experiences |
How to Choose Your Rate
Research what similar marketplaces charge. If you're just starting, consider a lower rate (5-10%) to attract sellers, then increase as you add more value (traffic, features, trust).
Commission Fee Breakdown
There are three types of fees involved in a marketplace transaction:
1. Your Commission
You Keep ThisThe percentage you set (e.g., 10%). This goes directly to your Stripe account. This is your revenue.
2. Prometora Platform Fee
Based on PlanA small percentage on transactions, depending on your Prometora plan:
- • Starter: 2% per transaction
- • Professional: 1.5% per transaction
- • Business: 1% per transaction
3. Stripe Processing Fee
Payment ProcessingStripe's standard payment processing fee, deducted from the seller's payout. Rates vary by currency:
- • EU/EEA (EUR, DKK, SEK, NOK, GBP, CHF, etc.): 1.5% + €0.25 per transaction
- • US (USD): 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
The fixed portion (€0.25 / $0.30) means smaller transactions are effectively more expensive in percentage terms. A €5 sale costs ~6.5% in fees; a €100 sale costs ~1.75%.
Complete Revenue Example
Let's break down exactly what happens when a buyer purchases a $100 item on your marketplace:
Seller side
Your net: $8.50 — Seller receives $86.80 after commission + processing fees
Who Pays the Fees?
Sellers absorb both your platform commission and Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30). You (the marketplace owner) absorb only the Prometora fee from your commission. This is the industry-standard model used by Etsy, eBay, and Airbnb.
Seller Pays
- • Your platform commission
- • Stripe processing fee (1.5% + €0.25 EU, or 2.9% + $0.30 US)
- • Both are deducted from the sale price
- • Industry standard approach
Owner Pays
- • Prometora transaction fee (from your commission)
- • Monthly subscription
- • Your commission is fully yours after Prometora's cut
- • Stripe fees do not reduce your earnings
Communicating Fees to Sellers
Be transparent with your sellers about fee structure. Most sellers understand and accept platform fees as a cost of doing business - just like payment processing fees. Include fee information in your seller onboarding and FAQ.
How the Prometora Transaction Fee is Billed
The Prometora transaction fee (1-2% depending on your plan) is not deducted from each individual sale. Instead, it is calculated on your total sales volume (GMV) for each billing period and added to your Prometora subscription invoice via Stripe.
1. Transactions are tracked
Every sale on your marketplace is recorded. The total GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) accumulates throughout your billing period.
2. Fee is calculated at billing cycle end
At the end of your billing period, the transaction fee is calculated as a percentage of your total GMV. For example, on the Business plan with $10,000 in sales: 1% = $100.
3. Added to your next invoice
The fee is automatically added to your Prometora subscription invoice alongside your regular subscription fee. For example: $249 (Business subscription) + $100 (1% on $10K GMV) = $349 total.
4. Counters reset
After the fee is reported, your GMV counter resets to zero for the new billing period.
Monthly vs. Yearly Subscriptions
The transaction fee billing follows your subscription cycle. On a monthly plan, the fee is calculated and charged monthly. On a yearly plan, the fee accumulates over the full year and is charged at your annual renewal.
Revenue Projections
Here's what you could earn at different marketplace sizes (assuming 10% commission, Professional plan):
| Monthly GMV | Your Commission (10%) | Prometora Fee | Subscription | Net Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $500 | $75 | $149 | $276/mo |
| $10,000 | $1,000 | $150 | $149 | $701/mo |
| $25,000 | $2,500 | $375 | $149 | $1,976/mo |
| $50,000 | $5,000 | $750 | $149 | $4,101/mo |
| $100,000 | $10,000 | $1,500 | $149 | $8,351/mo |
* GMV = Gross Merchandise Value (total sales). Net revenue = your commission minus Prometora fees and subscription. Stripe fees are paid by sellers, not deducted from your commission.
Upgrade to Business for Higher Volume
At $50,000+ monthly GMV, upgrading to Business ($249/mo, 1% fee) makes sense. You'd save $51/month in platform fees at $50K GMV, plus get API access, webhooks, and data export.
Tips for Maximizing Revenue
1. Focus on GMV Growth
Your revenue scales with sales volume. Focus on attracting quality sellers and driving buyer traffic. A 10% commission on $100K GMV is far better than 20% on $10K.
2. Start Lower, Increase Later
Begin with a competitive rate (5-10%) to attract early sellers. As you add value (traffic, features, trust), you can gradually increase your commission.
3. Consider Tiered Pricing
Some marketplaces offer lower commission rates for high-volume sellers. This encourages seller loyalty and growth.
4. Add Premium Features
Beyond commission, consider offering premium seller features: featured listings, analytics dashboards, or promotional tools for an additional fee.
Model 2
Seller subscriptions
Charge sellers a recurring monthly subscription to list on your marketplace. Predictable revenue from day one, regardless of whether sellers make sales. You can run this alongside commission-on-sale, or as your only revenue model.
A typical seller-subscription marketplace
| Plan | Monthly Fee | Commission | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 10% | Limited |
| Starter | $49/mo | 5% | More |
| Pro | $99/mo | 3% | Unlimited |
How subscription billing works
Subscriptions are billed via your regular Stripe account (not Stripe Connect). Sellers enter their card on the plan picker, the recurring charge lands in your Stripe balance each month, and Stripe handles dunning for failed payments. Three things to know:
Stripe processing fees apply
Standard Stripe rates on the subscription charge: 2.9% + $0.30 per recurring payment. On a $49/mo plan that is roughly $1.72/mo per subscriber.
Prometora takes 1% of subscription revenue
On the Business tier, Prometora's platform fee on subscription revenue is 1% of the gross monthly subscription MRR you collect from your sellers. This is in addition to Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee. The cut is added to your monthly Prometora invoice, the same way the commission-on-sale transaction fee is billed.
Stripe Customer Portal handles self-serve billing
Sellers can upgrade, downgrade, cancel, and update payment methods themselves without emailing you. Past-due handling is automated.
Two money flows, one marketplace
Subscriptions flow from sellers to you via your regular Stripe account. Commission-on-sale flows from buyers to sellers via Stripe Connect (you take a cut). Both can run on the same marketplace. They're separate Stripe setups for separate money flows.
See the full Subscriptions guide → for setup steps, listing quotas (token system), Customer Portal configuration, and past-due handling.
Combining both models
Many marketplaces run commission and subscriptions together. The most common pattern: a free tier with a higher commission rate to attract sellers, paid tiers with progressively lower commissions to reward commitment. Sellers self-select.
Worked example: two tiers you design for your sellers
You (the marketplace owner) define these tiers in your Subscriptions settings. The names, monthly prices, and commission rates are entirely up to you. Below is one illustrative pair: a Free tier and a Pro tier you might offer your sellers.
Imagine a seller on your marketplace doing $10,000/mo in sales. Here is what they pay you under each of the two tiers you offer:
Best when sellers are casual or low-volume. Your earnings scale with their sales.
Seller saves $451/mo and locks in lower fees. You trade some commission for predictable revenue and stickier sellers.
You could just as easily call them "Bronze / Silver / Gold," charge $19 / $99 / $249, or set per-listing quotas. The two-tier $0 / $49 split is just an example. See how to create your own tiers →
Why offer both?
You make more per sale on the Free tier, but more per seller on Pro (the $49 covers your lost commission once a seller exceeds about $980/mo in GMV). Pro sellers also churn less because they have a financial commitment. The combination lets you capture both casual and committed sellers without forcing either into the wrong model.
On Prometora, each subscription tier has its own commission override, so the two models are configured in the same place. Configure tiered commissions →