If you like to buy or sell used items locally, the initial place to look is probably going to be sites like Craigslist. Craigslist has a lot to offer sellers. It’s free to list and sell on Craigslist.
And because most transactions are local, you can get your money and get rid of stuff quickly.
However, you may not be comfortable with Craigslist for whatever reason. Or, maybe you just want more classified sites to choose from.
These Craigslist alternatives allow you to buy, sell, or trade online if you’re looking for something different.
Top Craigslist Alternatives
If you are looking for sites like Craigslist, here are several Craigslist alternatives you can consider. Check out the details of these sites. You might find them a better way to sell your stuff online.
1. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a popular platform where you can buy and sell items.
Since nearly everyone has a Facebook account, there is a huge marketplace of people buying and selling stuff. If you are having a hard time selling something on Craigslist, consider listing it on Facebook.
Simply type in the name of your local city and online yard sale to find local selling groups. Or use the “Buy and Sell Groups” button in the Explore menu. Or, click the Marketplace tab on the left sidebar of your Facebook page. You can search for specific keywords within the group if you are looking for a certain product to buy.
2. Offerup
Offerup has a lot of product listings and has become more popular recently with 23 million app downloads. It was also awarded App of the Year by Geekwire.
Sellers and visitors can broadcast their listings on Facebook as well. Both buyers and sellers can receive ratings too. This can help make the sales process feel more secure and keep scammers to a minimum.
To live up to its namesake, Offerup allows you to accept the seller’s listed price or make your own offer. You can also add listings to your watch list if you are not ready to buy at once.
3. Swappa
Swappa helps you buy and sell a wide variety of electronic items, such as:
- cell phones
- cameras
- watches
- video games
- tablets
And more. They even help you buy and sell smart home equipment such as voice assistants, streaming devices and thermostats. As a seller, you won’t pay any fees to sell on Swappa.
Buyers pay a small fee when buying on Swappa, as Swappa helps assist with the sale to ensure all goes smoothly.
4. Recycler
If you live in a large U.S. city, Recycler is another good option. Recycler started as a local classified newspaper in Southern California. It became a national marketplace in 2010 and now boasts 18 million monthly users.
You can use Recycler to buy or sell pets, find houses to rent, and even sell used cars.
When you sell on Recycler, you can quickly post your listings on Facebook and Twitter. To boost your exposure on Recycler, it’s also possible to use paid ads to target specific buyers or markets.
5. Oodle
Oodle has a slightly different take on helping you buy or sell locally.
With other sites, you only see listings that sellers posted on that marketplace. On Oodle, some listings are posted directly to Oodle, but they also comb other sites like Craigslist to expand their listings.
As an example, you might see vehicles listed from Cars.com in addition to vehicles sold by actual Oodle members.
Oodle can also be a good way to buy or sell antiques as they also list products from eBay for local pickup.
6. Bookoo
Bookoo (as in I saved a bookoo amount of money by using Bookoo) is geared as a family-friendly Craigslist alternative. You can list items to sell one at a time or advertise a yard sale.
There are Bookoo locations located all across the country. Many locations are in towns with military bases. This makes it easier for military members to buy or sell belongings with their most recent move.
To help become more personal, Bookoo has sellers create a profile that includes a short bio and picture. The profile also lists the types of items you have listed in the past.
7. Geebo
Geebo allows you to buy or sell merchandise, heavy equipment, vehicles, real estate, and services in 160 communities.
You might want to try Geebo if you live in a major city like L.A. or Chicago. Geebo could also be a good choice if you live in a mid-major city such as Virginia Beach, Tulsa or Cincinnati.
As a way to make buying and selling safer than other online classified sites, Geebo offers “SafeTrade” transactions. A “SafeTrade” occurs when buyers and sellers agree to meet at a local police department.
If you are hesitant to try Craigslist because you don’t feel safe meeting in just any public parking lot, Geebo can be a good Craigslist alternative.
8. Hoobly
In comparison to the other alternatives listed in this article, Hoobly probably has the almost identical look and feel of Craigslist. You can search for just about anything on this site.
In addition, there are product listings in Canada and Europe.
You might have the most success with Hoobly by selling or buying pet animals as there are arguably more listings for this category than any of the other merchandise categories listed. It is free to post or shop on Hoobly.
9. PennySaver USA
Maybe, back in the day, you picked up a free PennySaver newspaper from the newspaper stands at the street corner or grocery store. Now, they have moved to online classified ads, and you can find local deals by entering your zip code.
They still publish a printed edition as well.
You can publish paid ads on PennySaver as well. It is very much like the classified section you would find in your local newspaper.
10. ClassifiedAds.com
This site is entirely free to use, and you can buy or sell just about anything.
ClassifiedAds.com has a very simple layout and is reminiscent of the classified ads you would see in a newspaper except with pictures uploaded.
As with many sites like Craigslist, you will have the most success using ClassifiedAds.com if you live in a large city. Although, they do have boards for many smaller regions across each state as well.
11. Locanto
This site offers online classifieds in over 60 countries. Most large U.S. cities have a Locanto board. This site does accept paid ads from national retailers so not every listing will be local.
You will probably have the best chances with Locanto if you live in Los Angeles, Miami, or New York. Those cities are their featured boards.
Posting your ad on a city board is free. But, you can pay extra to extend the advertisement to additional cities. You can also pay to remove third-party ads from your listing. For an additional fee, you can pay to send your ad to the top of a buyer’s search results.
12. USA Today Classifieds
USA Today is one of the most widely circulated newspapers. It does a great job of presenting the latest news in a digestible format. They also have a classified section for the print and online editions.
This option is probably only best if you have a big-ticket item to sell since it will cost you to publish your listing. However, you can get wide exposure to prospective buyers.
13. Trovi
Trovit is a classified search engine and is ideal for buying. With Trovit, you can search multiple online classified databases for homes, cars, or jobs. The site is fairly well-organized and easy to use.
Just choose your country first (Trovit operates around the world) and then choose your subject. You can choose to view Homes, Cars or Jobs at the top of the page. After that, you’ll be directed to narrow your search to find listings for your item near you.
Note that not all areas have listings on Trovit at this time. This fact could impact whether or not you find cars, homes or jobs close by your area of residence.
14. eBay
The vast majority of eBay auctions and sales are delivered via mail. But, there are local pickup options for items that are too large or bulky to ship at a reasonable cost.
You might consider this option when looking for or selling antiques, flat screen tv’s, and automobiles (eBay motors).
eBay can also be a good option if your products don’t sell on Craigslist or one of these other sites. While it’s possible to sell almost anything on a local classified site, there might be weak demand in your market.
For example, a winter parka or snow shoes will probably sell for a higher price in Alaska than the Louisana Bayou. One downside to eBay is that they charge listing and selling fees in most instances.
15. Mercari
Mercari is a selling app that makes it really easy to sell just about anything online. When you sell through Mercari, you only sell shippable items, so there are no in-person meetups.
Listings on Mercari are free, but you’ll pay a 10 percent flat fee when your item sells.
Also, Mercari allows you to print out a prepaid shipping label for when your item sells. That means you’ll want to take into account shipping costs when pricing your items on Mercari.
One interesting thing about Mercari is that when someone buys your item, you need to rate them using the Mercari rating system. The buyer also has to rate you once they receive your item.
Learn more: Mercari Review: Is It A Legit Way To Buy And Sell?
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to finding places to buy or sell your goods, you may still have questions. Here’s a look at common questions.
Is Craigslist a good site to sell and buy?
Yes, Craigslist has been around since 1995.
Just like other sites, you still need to do your due diligence and make sure to watch for scams. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
What is the best alternative to Craigslist?
There are so many options these days. From Mercari, Facebook and more. If you like to buy and sell clothes, Poshmark is a great option.
If you are looking for sites that have local options, then Nextdoor and Facebook may be your best bet.
How to sell stuff locally online?
If you live in a large neighborhood, they typically have a Facebook Marketplace group specific to your neighborhood. Many neighbors sell via porch pick up (ppu) where you can leave items for sale on your porch and get paid using Venmo.
If you have larger items to sell, many buyers and sellers meet at local public places and bring a friend or loved one with you to be safe. Always listen to your gut if you are not comfortable with a sale. And watch for pay-ahead scams for things like puppies and antiques.
Summary
Craigslist is a longstanding site that’s helped millions of people sell items they no longer need or want. The simplicity of the site makes it attractive to use. The fact that it’s free to list and sell also helps to make Craigslist popular.
Craigslist’s long buying and selling history and easy-to-use site make it popular among many buyers and sellers. And, you can find just about anything you could want on the site.
I’ve used the site dozens of times. I’ve sold (and given away) items I just needed to be gone. And I’ve purchased items for my home.
For example, I once bought a large extension ladder for $75. The guy was downsizing from a single-family home into a townhome. The ladder was in great shape, and a new one would have cost me about $300.
If you’re willing to sort through the not-so-good deals, you can find some gems on the site. And possibly just when you need them.
