Base
BASE is a Japanese self-serve e-commerce platform that lets individuals and small businesses create online shops for free, monetizing via transaction fees and a subscription Growth Plan, with 2.6 million shops on the platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMinato, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Base does
BASE (BASE株式会社, ticker tyo:4477) is a Japanese e-commerce platform company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company's core product is a free, self-serve storefront builder that allows individuals and small businesses to open an online shop in under 30 seconds without programming knowledge. The platform has scaled to 2.6 million shops and provides a horizontally integrated stack that includes payment processing (BASEかんたん決済, supporting credit cards, PayPay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, convenience store payment, bank transfer, and COD), shipping logistics (direct integrations with Yamato Transport, Japan Post, and Sagawa Express via かんたん発送), and a catalog of add-on modules including lottery sales, reservation sales, subscriptions, and CSV product management through the BASE Apps marketplace.
The business model is a freemium, take-rate structure. The Standard Plan charges no monthly fee but applies a 3.6% + ¥40 transaction fee plus a 3% service fee; the Growth Plan charges ¥16,580/month (annual) and reduces the transaction fee to 2.9% (claimed as industry-low) with no service fee. Revenue is therefore driven primarily by GMV flowing through the platform rather than per-seat subscription. Beyond the core platform, BASE operates several sub-brands that extend the offering: PAY ID (a consumer shopping app with a points system, providing free listing for BASE shops), YELL BANK (sales-based financing for shop owners), invoice factoring (請求書買い取り), BASE Community (peer networking), BASE U (educational content), BASE Partners (agency channel program), moreBASE (pop-up store support), BASE Card (a credit card for shop owners), and the BASE Design Market (premium template marketplace).
The company serves a long-tail of individual entrepreneurs, creators, and small/medium businesses in Japan, with no named enterprise customers or B2B channel. Go-to-market is self-serve product-led growth through the website, supplemented by content marketing via BASE U, community engagement, and a referral partner program. The company is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (tyo:4477), was founded by Yuta Tsuruoka, and per management data has demonstrated accelerating revenue and an EBITDA inflection through 2025.
Base firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Base
- Legal name
- BASE株式会社
- Website
- https://thebase.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- BASE is a Japanese self-serve e-commerce platform that lets individuals and small businesses create online shops for free, monetizing via transaction fees and a subscription Growth Plan, with 2.6 million shops on the platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Base is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minato
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
Base business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction Fees (Standard Plan): 3.6% + 40 yen per transaction. Applied when shops sell products. No monthly fee.
- Transaction Fees (Growth Plan): 2.9% per transaction (industry-low). No service fee. Monthly subscription of ¥16,580 required.
- Service Fee (Standard Plan): 3% service fee on transactions under Standard Plan. Growth Plan has 0 yen service fee.
- Monthly Subscription (Growth Plan): ¥16,580 per month (or ¥19,980 monthly if not annually). Annual billing reduces effective monthly cost.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Plan - Free tier for new sellers |
| Subscription | Annual | Growth Plan - Fee reduction for growing businesses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Base product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BASE operates a cloud-based e-commerce platform that enables individuals and small businesses in Japan to create online shops in under 30 seconds without technical knowledge. The core offering includes free shop setup with integrated payment processing (BASE Easy Payment), shipping label generation, design templates, and marketing tools, monetized via per-transaction fees and an optional paid Growth Plan subscription.
Product overview
BASE is a Japanese e-commerce platform that operates as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the BASE e-commerce platform providing free online shop creation with built-in payment processing (BASEかんたん決済). Key sub-products and modules include PAY ID (shopping app with points system), YELL BANK (sales-based funding), 請求書買い取り (factoring), BASE U (education), BASE Community (networking), BASE Partners (partner program), moreBASE (popup stores), and BASEデザイン マーケット (design marketplace). Additional functionality is extended through BASE Apps including order management, lottery sales, subscription services, and integrated shipping solutions with major Japanese logistics providers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PAY ID: Shopping app that allows users to browse and purchase from BASE shops
- YELL BANK
- BASE U
- BASE Community
- BASE Partners
- moreBASE
- BASEカード
- BASE design market
Products and services
- BASE (ベイス) Cloud-based e-commerce platform that allows anyone to open an online shop in under 30 seconds with no programming required. Includes built-in payment processing (BASE Easy Payment), design templates, shipping tools, and marketing features. Sold to individual creators and small businesses in Japan on a freemium basis.
- PAY ID
Companies that use Base
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Base technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature5 records
Base partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ヤマト運輸 (Yamato Transport)coreIntegration for easy shipping label generation and package delivery through Kuroneko Ta-Q-BIN, Nekopos, Yamato Express, and cool delivery services. Shop owners can generate shipping labels directly from BASE and drop off at convenience stores or Yamato locations.
- 日本郵便 (Japan Post)coreIntegration for Yu-Pack and Yuu Packet shipping label generation through Web Yu-Pack Print service.
- 佐川急便 (Sagawa Express)coreIntegration for shipping label generation through e-Hiden II and e-Hiden III systems for Hikyaku Takkyubin delivery.
- BASE PartnersminorOfficial partner program for agencies and developers who support BASE shop owners with design, development, and运营 assistance.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Base competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Etsy: Global marketplace for handmade and vintage goods that also offers shop tools for sellers. Comparable to BASE in serving individual creators and SMBs, though operates as a marketplace aggregator rather than standalone shop software.
Direct peers
- BigCommerce: Headless e-commerce platform for SMB and mid-market merchants offering storefront, checkout, and B2B features. Comparable in providing a SaaS commerce platform with apps marketplace and multi-channel integrations.
- Squarespace: Subscription-based platform providing website and online store building for creators and SMBs. Comparable in self-serve PLG motion and template-driven design, though international-focused rather than Japan-specific.
- STORES: Japanese e-commerce platform offering online shop creation with integrated payments and shipping. The most direct domestic competitor to BASE, targeting the same SMB and individual seller segment in Japan.
- Color Me Shop: Long-standing Japanese e-commerce platform operated by paperboy&co., used by tens of thousands of SMBs and creators. Comparable in target audience (small/independent merchants) and freemium-like entry tier.
- makeshop (by GMO): Japanese e-commerce platform operated by GMO Internet Group providing online shop creation with payment and shipping integrations. Backed by a major Japanese internet conglomerate and a clear domestic rival.
- Welcart: Japanese WordPress-based e-commerce plugin widely used by SMBs to add shops to existing websites. Comparable in functionality but emphasizes plugin/extension model rather than hosted standalone shops.
- Shopify: Global e-commerce platform enabling merchants to create and operate online stores with integrated payments, shipping, and apps. Closest direct product comparable to BASE, with functionally similar self-serve shop creation and an app marketplace.
- creema: Japanese marketplace for handmade and craft goods, with a side offering of shop tools for sellers. Overlaps with BASE on the creator/handmade seller segment in Japan.
Broad incumbents
- Wix: Broad website builder with e-commerce capabilities as part of a wider portfolio. Comparable to BASE in shop-creation functionality but operates in adjacent web presence/website category rather than commerce-pure-play.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Base social profiles
Digital presenceBase financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Base leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Base funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Base M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Base
What does Base do?
BASE operates a cloud-based e-commerce platform that enables individuals and small businesses in Japan to create online shops in under 30 seconds without technical knowledge. The core offering includes free shop setup with integrated payment processing (BASE Easy Payment), shipping label generation, design templates, and marketing tools, monetized via per-transaction fees and an optional paid Growth Plan subscription.
Is Base a public or private company?
Base is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Base founded?
Base was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Base based?
Base is headquartered in Minato, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Base make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Transaction Fees (Standard Plan) is the primary driver. The others are transaction Fees (Growth Plan), service Fee (Standard Plan) and monthly Subscription (Growth Plan).
Who are Base's main competitors?
Etsy is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are BigCommerce, Squarespace, STORES, Color Me Shop, makeshop (by GMO), Welcart, Shopify and creema. Wix is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Base have an API?
Yes. BASE provides a developer API for third-party integrations and extensions. The API allows developers to build applications and integrations with the BASE e-commerce platform. Developer documentation is at developers.thebase.com.