Compare Connor Finlayson's Marketplace Solution vs (Webflow x Tangram)
In this article we will help you figure out the pros and cons to both Connor Finlayson’s famous (Webflow x Airtable x Zapier) marketplace solution and (Webflow x Tangram) when it comes to pricing, ease of setup, features/integrations, and scalability.
Connor Finlayson, founder of a freelancer marketplace called The Unicorn Factory built entirely using no-code tools, gave an amazing presentation of how he accomplished this at Webflow’s famous No-Code Conference online event in 2021. He utilized the front-end tool Webflow for the design of the landing page and marketplace, Airtable for his database layer, and Zapier to manage automations.
This no-code marketplace stack has since become somewhat of the standard for many experienced no-coders who have the time and skills required to set one up. However, Connor’s solution can be very time consuming and overwhelming to novice no-coders. There are also several key limitations to using Connor’s proposed solution that should be considered before committing to it.
Below are some marketplace features that Connor’s (Webflow x Airtable x Zapier) doesn’t currently offer but Tangram does:
- in-app chat/inbox
- a native scheduling/availability system
- dynamic user dashboards/portals
- the ability to paywall complex marketplace-specific behaviors using subscriptions
- the ability to handle over 10,000 database records
These limitations can be very disappointing to run into after spending hours, days, or even months teaching yourself how to integrate these tools. Tangram provides out-of-the-box functionality for core marketplace needs like payments, scheduling, communication, user authentication/accounts, dashboarding/analytics, and can scale with your business. If you still want to leverage no-code tools like Zapier and Webflow, but want to save time and avoid rebuilding core functionality like that yourself, Tangram is your best bet.
Whichever no-code tools you end up choosing to launch your marketplace, if you have the time you should try building the app yourself (or at least get familiar with how to make changes on your own). Most no-code tools offer free trials and these can be a great time to explore their capabilities and understand if they are truly the right fit.
If you're still unsure what no-code marketplace software makes the most sense for your business, check out the comparison table below or take this no-code marketplace software quiz.
