What Builtfirst does

Builtfirst operates a no-code B2B partner marketplace platform that enables companies to launch, manage, and scale partner programs without engineering resources. The platform serves as an embeddable marketplace layer connecting buyers with complementary software and service providers across fintech, SaaS, ecommerce, marketing, and professional services categories, with named customers spanning SaaS firms (HubSpot, Airtable, Zendesk, Segment, Monday.com, Slack), fintech (Globalfy, Novo Bank), and venture and accelerator organizations (Forum Ventures, Uncork Capital, Flybridge, GenZVC, StartOut).

The core product comprises three modules: a Marketplace for partner discovery, a Tools/Apps directory, and an Affiliate Marketplace introduced in 2024. A dedicated vertical product, Builtfirst for Coworking, launched in December 2024. The platform is white-labeled and embedded directly into customer websites and applications, allowing partners to be surfaced within the buyer's own digital properties. The company achieved SOC 2 Type 2 compliance in September 2023 and acquired Rep in October 2021 to extend its referral and affiliate capabilities. Co-founders Aaron Bailey and Michael Julve lead the company, which is headquartered in San Francisco with 11-50 employees.

Builtfirst monetizes through SaaS subscription fees, marketplace commissions, and affiliate/referral economics, with subscription pricing supported by a free trial model. The company raised approximately $5.1M in total funding across a February 2021 round and a December 2021 $3.75M Series A led by FUSE, and was acquired by AppDirect in May 2024, integrating Builtfirst into AppDirect's broader partner commerce platform with native transaction and billing capabilities.

Name

Builtfirst

Legal name

Builtfirst Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://builtfirst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Builtfirst operates a no-code B2B partner marketplace platform that enables companies to launch, manage, and monetize partner programs without engineering resources. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company was acquired by AppDirect in May 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Partner Marketplace Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Developer APIs & Node Access (RPC providers, node infrastructure APIs) (FSAPABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Payouts, Disbursements & Mass Payments Infrastructure (FSAGABAN)

Keywords

• Partner marketplace platform
• B2B marketplace software
• White-label marketplace builder
• Partner ecosystem software
• No-code marketplace platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription / paid platform plans: Builtfirst sells tiered SaaS subscriptions to partners (B2B) who run white-labeled marketplaces, with paid features such as auto sign-in/SSO, webhooks, Collections and additional storefronts that require a billing-plan upgrade. Billing is USD-based and processed via Stripe per the Terms of Service.
2. Marketplace transactions / monetization of partner storefronts: Beyond subscriptions, Builtfirst enables partners to monetize their marketplaces (e.g., Globalfy charges customers for marketplace access), and the post-acquisition roadmap adds native in-marketplace transactions — enabling Builtfirst to take a marketplace commission / transaction-fee cut as commerce flows through AppDirect's stack.
3. Affiliate / referral revenue from pre-negotiated deals: Builtfirst offers a NEW Affiliate Marketplace feature with pre-negotiated affiliate offers from top software and service providers, allowing partners to monetize audience influence via tracked conversions — i.e., a Builtfirst-driven affiliate/referral revenue stream on top of platform subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Builtfirst is a no-code SaaS platform that enables technology companies, banks, fintechs, venture capital and private equity firms, accelerators, and business communities to launch white-labeled, embedded B2B partner marketplaces. The platform unifies deal, partner directory, service, integration, and affiliate marketplace modules on top of a shared Builtfirst Catalog of pre-negotiated software and service offerings, and is distributed via a personalized subdomain, in-app iframe embed, or Open API.

Product overview

Builtfirst is a single, unified no-code B2B partner marketplace platform — not a separate set of stand-alone products — organized around a shared Builtfirst Catalog that feeds five interchangeable marketplace modules: Deal Marketplace, Partner Directory, Service Marketplace, Integration Marketplace, and the newly launched Affiliate Marketplace. The platform is sold under the master Builtfirst brand, with Builtfirst for Coworking as a verticalized solution built on top of the same core, and White Label Tools (personalized subdomains, APIs, plugins, browser extensions) offered as a customization layer. Front-end capabilities include In-app Embed, Templates & No-Code Editor, Custom Taxonomies, CSS & HTML Branding, Flexible Promotion, an Analytics Suite, an Open API, and a Library & Chat communication layer. The public Builtfirst Marketplace at marketplace.builtfirst.com is the live instantiation of the product and surfaces all modules in one place.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Builtfirst No-code B2B partner marketplace platform that lets technology companies, banks, fintechs, VCs/PEs, accelerators, and business communities launch white-labeled, embedded partner marketplaces powered by a shared Builtfirst Catalog and Library & Chat communication layer.
• Builtfirst Catalog Central repository of all sellers and pre-negotiated offerings that powers every Builtfirst marketplace module and serves as the inventory layer for storefront admins.
• Builtfirst Marketplace Public marketplace where 100+ sellers (Microsoft, Google, HubSpot, Xero, Notion, Stripe, Vanta, Zoom, ADP, AWS, Brex, Carta, Deel, etc.) list exclusive deals across categories such as AI, Productivity, Cloud Services, Accounting, CRM, HR, and Security.
• Builtfirst for Coworking Vertical solution built on top of the core Builtfirst platform and tailored for coworking space operators and their members, launched in partnership with Included.co.

Named customers1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship — corporate parent and strategic acquirer, core infrastructure partner and flagship partner/customer — featured on homepage and as a catalog seller.

• AppDirectflagship — corporate parent and strategic acquirerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2024AppDirect acquired Builtfirst on May 9, 2024. AppDirect is a global leader in subscription commerce; the partnership enables Builtfirst to offer native transactions inside its marketplaces (a previously unavailable, "game-changing" feature), and Builtfirst now operates as "An AD Company" in its logo/branding. PYMNTS coverage (Dec 10, 2025) describes AppDirect's broader B2B 'everything store' strategy, of which Builtfirst is a key piece.
• Stripecore infrastructure partnerTechnology or IntegrationStripe is Builtfirst's third-party payment processor (card acceptance, merchant settlement, related services). Builtfirst's Terms of Service bind customers to Stripe's Privacy Policy and Seller Terms, and authorize Builtfirst and Stripe to share data needed to complete transactions.
• HubSpotflagship partner/customer — featured on homepage and as a catalog sellerTechnology or Integration

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AppDirect: Acquirer and now parent of Builtfirst, operating a global B2B subscription commerce marketplace; the broader commerce platform overlaps with Builtfirst's marketplace vision and now hosts the Builtfirst product line.
• ZINFI: Established, broader PRM and channel management suite covering partner onboarding, deal registration, and MDF; competes with Builtfirst at the enterprise end of the PRM spectrum where Builtfirst's white-label embed is a lighter-weight alternative.

Direct peers

• PartnerStack: Partner ecosystem and PRM platform powering partner programs and co-sell for SaaS companies; the most direct competitive overlap with Builtfirst's Partner Directory and Deal marketplace modules serving the same B2B SaaS buyer communities.
• Crossbeam: Partner data platform for account overlap and co-selling between SaaS companies; overlaps with Builtfirst's Integration Marketplace and Partner Directory for SaaS partner ecosystems.
• Channeltivity: Channel/partner relationship management platform for vendor partner programs; comparable white-label, partner-facing use case to Builtfirst's Service and Partner Directory modules.
• Impact: Partnership automation and affiliate platform with partner discovery, tracking, and payouts; competes with Builtfirst's new Affiliate Marketplace and Deal Marketplace modules on the same affiliate/referral mechanics.
• Partnerize: Partnership and affiliate marketing platform for brands and agencies; overlaps with Builtfirst's Affiliate Marketplace on tracking, attribution, and global payout infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Tune (by Tune): Partner marketing platform (formerly HasOffers) for affiliate, influencer, and strategic partnerships; an emerging but established alternative to Builtfirst's affiliate and referral monetization.
• Rewardful: Affiliate and referral platform purpose-built for SaaS and subscription businesses; an emerging, SMB-focused alternative that overlaps with Builtfirst's newly launched Affiliate Marketplace for SaaS-like sellers.
• Kiflo: PRM and partner ecosystem platform with a marketplace-style partner directory; competes for the same SMB/mid-market PRM budget as Builtfirst, especially with SaaS and tech customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/builtfirst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/builtfirst

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Builtfirst