Notes on building platforms
Practical guides on what marketplaces, SaaS products and AI agents cost, how long they take and the features that make them work.
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- PricingHow much does it cost to build a marketplace website?What really drives the price of a custom marketplace, module by module, and how to keep the first version affordable without painting yourself into a corner.
- BuildingCustom code vs page builders: which is right for your platform?Page builders are great for simple websites. For platforms with users, payments and data, here is where they start to cost you, and when cus…
- PlatformsHow escrow payments work on a service marketplaceA plain-English walk through holding a buyer’s payment until the work is approved, releasing it to the seller and handling disputes fairly.
- AIWhat an AI agent can (and can’t) do for a small businessWhere AI agents genuinely save time, where they need a person, and how to set one up so it answers from your own information instead of maki…
- PlatformsHow long does it take to build a job board?A realistic week-by-week plan for a custom job board, from the first database table to launch, and the decisions that speed it up or slow it…
- PlatformsBuilding an online auction platform: the features that matterTimed or live bidding, maximum bids, reserve prices and buyer verification: what an auction platform needs on day one, and what can wait.
- PlatformsHow to build a learning platform students actually finishThe LMS features that keep students moving, from course structure and live classes to exams, certificates and fair payment plans.
- PlatformsReal estate portal features buyers actually useMap search, saved searches, viewing bookings and fast enquiries: the property portal features that turn browsers into buyers, and the ones y…
- PlatformsYour SaaS first version: what to build first and what to leave outHow to scope the first version of a SaaS product around one core job, with sign-up, billing and an admin panel, so you can launch in weeks r…
- BuildingProgressive web app or native app: what does your platform need?Installable web apps now cover most of what platforms need from a phone. Here is when a PWA is enough, and when native apps are worth the co…
- ProcessHow to write a project brief that gets you an accurate quoteA simple checklist for describing your platform, so developers can quote accurately and you can compare offers like for like.
- BuildingWhy your website should load in under two secondsHow page speed affects enquiries and Google rankings, what Core Web Vitals measure, and the fixes that make the biggest difference.
