Are you running a farmers market and starting to wonder if there is a better way to manage vendor applications, payments, booth assignments, and communication?
That is where farmers market software comes in.
In this guide, we break down:
- What is farmers market software?
- Do you need farmers market software?
- How much does farmers market software cost?
- What features should you look for?
- What is the best way to manage a farmers market?
What Is Farmers Market Software?
Farmers market software is market management software designed to help organizers manage vendors, applications, payments, communication, booth assignments, and other administrative work throughout a market season.
Unlike a one-day event, many farmers markets operate weekly, biweekly, or throughout an entire season. That means organizers may need to manage dozens of vendors across multiple market dates.
Instead of keeping everything across Google Forms, spreadsheets, email threads, payment apps, and paper documents, farmers market software gives organizers one place to manage their market.
Depending on the platform, you may be able to:
- Create vendor application forms
- Review and approve applications
- Collect booth fees online
- Keep track of vendor information
- Communicate with vendors
- Create booth maps
- Add multiple market administrators
- Manage recurring markets throughout the season
For example, Marketlly allows organizers to create vendor applications, collect payments through Stripe, build booth maps, send SMS messages, create automated workflows, and manage the market with multiple admins.
Do You Need Farmers Market Software?
You do not necessarily need farmers market software to start a farmers market.
A small market with only a few vendors may be able to use Google Forms, Jotform, spreadsheets, email, or even paper applications.
The problem usually comes as the market grows.
You may start with one Google Form and a spreadsheet. Then you add another spreadsheet for payments, another document for booth assignments, email threads for vendor questions, and separate records for each market date.
Eventually, keeping everything organized becomes part of the job itself.
Farmers market software can make that process much easier by keeping your vendor information and market management tools together.
Instead of spending hours checking forms, searching through emails, and updating spreadsheets, organizers can spend more time working on the actual market.
What Features Should Farmers Market Software Have?
Not every farmers market needs the same tools, but there are a few features that can make managing a seasonal market much easier.
Vendor Applications
You should be able to create application forms for your vendors and collect the information you need before approving them.
This could include business information, vendor categories, product details, photos, permits, licenses, insurance information, and other documents required by your market.
Payment Processing
Collecting booth fees manually can quickly become difficult to track.
Farmers market software with built-in payment processing allows vendors to pay online while giving organizers a clearer record of who has paid.
Vendor Communication
Email works, but important messages can easily get buried.
Some farmers market platforms also provide SMS messaging, allowing organizers to send important information directly to vendors by text.
This can be especially useful for weather updates, setup instructions, reminders, or last-minute market changes.
Booth Mapping
If your market assigns booth spaces, having booth mapping inside the same platform can simplify setup.
Instead of designing one map and maintaining a separate vendor spreadsheet, organizers can manage booth assignments alongside their vendor information.
Multiple Administrators
Farmers markets are rarely managed by one person forever.
Software that supports multiple admins allows market managers, staff members, and other organizers to help review applications and manage the market.
Automations
As your market gets larger, repetitive work starts adding up.
Automations can help with application follow-ups, vendor status updates, and other recurring administrative tasks.
How Much Does Farmers Market Software Cost?
Marketlly offers a Free plan at $0 per month with a 3% transaction fee and a Growth plan at $30 per month with a 1% transaction fee.
The cost of farmers market software varies depending on the platform, number of features, payment processing fees, and size of the market.
Some platforms charge a monthly or annual subscription. Others charge transaction or processing fees when vendors make payments.
It is also possible to start with free tools such as Google Forms, although you may need several different tools to manage applications, payments, communication, and booth assignments.
When comparing software, look at both the subscription price and any fees charged when vendors make payments.
A cheaper monthly subscription is not always cheaper once transaction fees are included.
Can You Manage a Farmers Market With Google Forms?
Yes.
Google Forms can work well when you are first getting started.
You can create a vendor application, collect responses, and send the information into Google Sheets.
However, Google Forms is primarily a form builder, not farmers market management software.
As your market grows, you may still need separate tools for:
- Vendor payments
- Booth assignments
- Vendor communication
- Application statuses
- Market dates
- Vendor records
That is usually when organizers begin looking for software built specifically for managing markets.
What Is the Best Way to Manage a Farmers Market?
For a very small market, starting with Google Forms and spreadsheets can make sense.
As the number of vendors, market dates, and administrative tasks increases, dedicated farmers market software becomes much more useful.
The goal is to keep as much of your market management as possible in one place.
Your vendor application should connect with your vendor records. Payments should be easy to track. Booth assignments should be organized. Important vendor information should be accessible when you need it.
This reduces the number of spreadsheets, email threads, forms, and disconnected tools you need to manage throughout the season.
Farmers Market Software With Marketlly
Marketlly is an all-in-one market management platform built for organizers and vendors.
Market organizers can create vendor applications, accept payments through Stripe, build booth maps, communicate with vendors through SMS, create automated workflows, add multiple admins, and publish their market for vendors and attendees to find.
For organizers who are currently managing their farmers market with several different tools, Marketlly gives you one place to manage the market throughout the season.
You can get started with Marketlly for free and move your vendor applications, payments, communication, and market management into one platform.