Overview
Connect distinct groups that need each other. It's about becoming the essential intermediary.
Examples
Airbnb
eBay
DoorDash
Facebook (Meta)
Goldman Sachs
Google (Alphabet)
SpaceX
Stripe
Visa
Alibaba
American Express
Blackstone
Booking.com
Craigslist
Formula One
Mastercard
NBA
NFL
PayPal
Renaissance Technologies
Roblox
Shopify
Spotify
TikTok
Virgin
WeWork
WhatsApp
Afterpay
AppLovin
Benchmark Capital
Block
CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
Charles Schwab
Chess.com
Convoy
Copart
Deel
Epic Games
Faire
Fanatics
FC Bayern Munich
GitHubGoogle Maps
Interactive Brokers
IPL (Indian Premier League)
Kaspi.kz
Lyft
Match Group
Meituan
Mercado Libre
Mitsubishi Corporation
Olympic Games (IOC)
PGA Tour
Pinduoduo
Pinterest
Qualtrics
Rakuten
Robinhood
Sequoia Capital
Shutterstock
Slack
Universal Music Group
Vitol
WeChat (Tencent)
Y Combinator
Zoom
Adyen
Amadeus IT
Anchorage Digital
CME Group
Compass
Doximity
London Stock Exchange GroupLSEG
Mineral Resources
MTN Group
Rec Room
Roku
Toast
Wise
Informa
Shiprocket
Uber- Uber connecting drivers and riders
- Airbnb connecting hosts and guests
- eBay connecting buyers and sellers
- Upwork connecting freelancers and clients
- Etsy connecting artisans and buyers
How to cite
Faster Than Normal. “Two-sided platform / Marketplace Business Model.” fasterthannormal.co/business-models/marketplace. Accessed 2026.
Continue exploring
Company
Airbnb
Online marketplace for short-term lodging and experiences.
Company
eBay
Online auction and shopping platform.
Company
DoorDash
Food delivery platform and largest delivery service in the US.
Company
Facebook (Meta)
Social media conglomerate: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and the metaverse (Quest VR).