How MakerNear works
MakerNear is a directory of real workshops in Australia and New Zealand, not a marketplace. We introduce you to a maker and then get out of the way — they quote you, you deal with them, and we take no commission.
How do I find a maker?
Search by postcode and process. Results are sorted by distance from you, never by who paid — nobody can buy a higher position, because there is nothing to buy. Every listing shows the maker's actual machines, materials, turnaround and delivery options so you can tell before you write to them whether they can do your job.
What happens when I send a brief?
Your brief and file go to the one maker you chose, and to nobody else. They reply to you directly with a price and a turnaround. We are not in the middle of that conversation and we take no fee from it.
Do you keep a copy of my file?
No. The brief text, your contact details and the download link are not copied to us and we do not read them. Our own record is metadata only — a reference, the maker, the process, the quantity, the time, and whether a file was attached. Uploads are deleted after 30 days. The one exception is the automatic safety check below.
How do you check the makers are real?
Every application is checked before it is published. A maker has to prove they exist — either a working website that names the business or describes what they make, or a valid ABN/NZBN. We check the equipment they list matches a process we cover, that the suburb and postcode agree, and that the business is not already listed. Anything that fails goes to a person to look at rather than being published or silently rejected.
What are the automatic safety checks?
Every uploaded image — a maker's logo or a buyer's sketch — is scored automatically for illegal and unsafe content before anyone sees it. Briefs are screened for weapons and firearm parts. Anything flagged is held for a person to review and is never forwarded or published on its own. This is the only case where a human reads an enquiry, and it exists so we are not hosting something we shouldn't.
What does it cost?
Searching MakerNear and sending a brief are free, and there is no account to create. What the job costs depends on size, material, finish and quantity — which is exactly why makers quote you directly rather than us publishing a price that would be wrong for your part. Send your file and you will usually have a real price within a business day.
What do makers get?
A free listing and the enquiries that come with it. The first 20 makers to join in each state are founding makers and keep the best rate for life, whatever we charge when the beta ends. Listings are edited by the maker themselves with a one-time email link — no password to remember.
Who runs it?
MakerNear is operated from Melbourne, Australia (ABN 20 147 316 802). It is a beta and the directory is still small — example listings are always labelled as examples, and we would rather say that plainly than pretend to be bigger than we are.
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