We built Sealabid with ChatGPT as a co-builder (from zero to live)

A novice builder + ChatGPT shipped a sealed-bid marketplace using Next.js, Appwrite, and Stripe. Here’s what we built, what broke, and what we learned.

build chatgpt nextjs appwrite stripe startup

Sealabid started as a simple frustration: marketplaces train people to chase a moving number. That creates sniping, bidding wars, and deals that fall apart.

The idea was to build the opposite: one private offer (“envelope”), a clear deadline, and a seller decision based on price + profile.

What Sealabid does (no fluff)

Sellers list items (free).
Buyers submit one sealed offer.
At the deadline, envelopes open together.
Seller chooses a winner (or “no sale”).
Payment happens only when an offer is accepted.

The stack (chosen to ship, not to impress)

Next.js for pages + routes.
Appwrite for auth + database.
Stripe for secure payment when needed.
Vercel for deployment.

Where ChatGPT actually helped (the honest version)

ChatGPT wasn’t “magic code generation”. The value was turning messy ideas into steps, then helping fix what broke.

Designing state transitions (draft → live → ended → deal).
Hardening auth states (guest vs authed vs unverified) so no dead-end screens.
Debugging build failures fast and learning the cause.
Keeping fees/commission logic consistent (single source of truth).

What broke (and what we learned)

Build errors are normal. The trick is isolating the root cause fast.
Auth edge cases are where most “MVPs” die.
Trust beats features: confirmations, clear rules, safe payments.

Try the envelope model

The fastest way to understand it is to use it once.

Browse listings List an item (free)How it works