Craig Newmark established Craigslist in 1995. It has been an online hub for many to buy, sell, or trade their items. It started as just a list of links to potential business opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area. The platform has tried to maintain this simplicity throughout its existence.
Craigslist has expanded into the global market over time and links you to local buyers and sellers of goods and services. However, there are newer platforms in the market that have more to offer. You may have a look at these either as Craigslist alternatives or platforms you could use to expand your business.
Craigslist Pros
- Selling and listing your items is free
- You can easily sell valuable or large items
- Identity protection. This is possible through anonymous posting.
Cons
- There is no strong payment enforcement for buyers
- You have a small customer base
- Spam filters can block your account if you list too many products
This guide will cover the 17 best alternatives to Craigslist and its features. These alternatives include:
1. eBay
eBay is one of the most popular alternatives to Craigslist. You can list almost anything on eBay. The platform delivers sales and auctions through the mail. Alternatively, you can choose to sell locally, especially for bulky, large, and costly items. eBay has put in various measures to protect its buyers and sellers. For example, the platform uses PayPal to protect the funds and a rating system to evaluate the users.
Pros
- eBay provides a global reach for your products
- It is easy to use. You can easily list your products and list your inventory
- Use of PayPal integrations to secure payments and to make real-time payments
Cons
- eBay’s fees tend to be unstable. This depends on how you sell your products and the addons you include.
- eBay will charge listing and selling fees. Platforms like Craigslist offer free listing and selling.
- Payment issues. You can easily come across non-paying customers.
2. Facebook
Facebook launched the Facebook Marketplace in May 2017. There are more than 500 million people who view products on Facebook. You can list just about anything on the Facebook Marketplace, for example, electronics, furniture, cars, or rentals.
Pros
- It is free to buy or sell on Facebook Marketplace
- The platform lets you easily list, buy, and sell without tech expertise
- It has an effective filter system to help you narrow to location, type of product, or even price.
Cons
- Your Facebook details will display on the seller profile. There is no anonymous feature like on Craigslist.
- Facebook Marketplace does not have buyer protection
- It does not have a bidding system like eBay
3. Swappa
Swappa is a platform that deals specifically with buying and selling electronics. They could be new or refurbished. Examples of devices you can sell include cameras, cellphones, watches, tablets, and video games. Moreover, the platform lets you list and source for smart home equipment like streaming devices, thermostats, voice assistants, and more.
Pros
- There are returns and refunds if a seller fails to advertise a product
- PayPal is integrated to help secure and provide payments
- It is easy to navigate the platform and list your products
Cons
- Payments can only be made via PayPal
- Listings have an expiration date
- The buyer pays for shipping
4. Letgo
Letgo is a top eCommerce platform that offers easy navigation. Letgo is a little safer than Craigslist as you need to verify your Letgo profile with a Facebook or Google account. Sellers can enhance the details of their products with the help of images and videos. You can list almost anything, including products and jobs.
Pros
- The platform does not charge any fees
- You get to sell your items locally
- Sellers get to set their own price
Cons
- The platform is prone to scammers as it does not list any fees
- You may get non-functional products if you purchase used goods
- Fewer potential customers because you sell locally
5. OfferUp
OfferUp is a small yet popular platform with more than 33 million downloads. Geekwire has recognized it as an app of the year. It is called OfferUp because you can settle for the seller’s price or bid with an offer.
Pros
- OfferUp does not charge a listing fee
- It has high local traffic with more than 17 million users every month
- The platform is easy and convenient to use, for example, with the help of the app.
Cons
- Sellers may need to pay $2 for the ‘bump and promote’ for their products to feature on top lists for longer
- The platform will charge 7.9% of the sale as shipping fees. However, this is optional
- There may be some frustrations like people asking for discounts even when you list your item for a low price.
6. Vinted
Vinted is an online clothing marketplace. It has more than 25 million users and is available in the USA and numerous countries in Europe, including France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania.
Pros
- Listing and Shipping is free
- It does not limit the number of your listings
- There are free payouts, and the minimum payout requirement is low
Cons
- You can only sell or buy second-hand fashion items and clothing
- Users will need a PayPal account to complete PayPal transactions
- Seller Protection does not cover in-person transactions
7. Geebo
Geebo is a platform that lets you list jobs, cars, homes, apartments, and more. It is available in major and non-major cities across the United States and has more than 160 communities of buyers and sellers.
Pros
- It has the SafeTrade transaction feature. Buyers and sellers will meet at the local police station to complete their transactions
- You can list your items for free
- The platform has buyer and seller screening
Cons
- Their system has to approve your listing before you post it
- It takes some time for your item to feature on the list as it goes through approval
8. Oodle
Oodle is another platform that lets you buy and sell locally. However, the products on the list are not for Oodle members. You may come across an item from eBay or Cars.com. It offers various product categories, such as furniture, mobile phones, baby products, and more. Buyers can also create a list of items they are looking for.
Pros
- Your ads will feature in USA Today as well
- The platform is easy to use
- You will access listings of products from other platforms like eBay
Cons
- It is not possible to attach a backlink to your website
- Your account can easily get flagged when you do not link with social media
9. Bookoo
Bookoo is a platform that offers trading options to buyer and seller communities in many parts of the world. It was established in 2004. You can trade almost anything on this platform, and the item will feature for 60 days. The buyer and seller will agree on a meeting point and meet to complete the transaction.
Pros
- Product listing is free
- The platform does not have any transaction charges or fees
- Free membership has enough perks for starters
Cons
- The platform is usually closed on Sundays
- They charge for advertisements
- There is poor accountability, and this makes it prone to scammers.
10. Hoobly
Hoobly is a platform that offers product listings to the USA, Europe, and Canada. Individuals can trade in just about anything on this platform. You may find it favorable to trade in pets as they have the largest lists. Like Craigslist, it is free to list your items or shop for products on this platform.
Pros
- It is easy to use and navigate
- Ads are free to post
- There are numerous categories for your ads
Cons
- It does not have customer service
- The platform is prone to fraudulent dealers
- The interface is not highly interactive
11. Instagram
Instagram has more than 500 million daily users and over 25 million businesses. Every month, more than 130 million users click on a shopping post. These statistics show you the potential of Instagram’s supplier and customer base. It may not be easy to sell on Instagram, but the results are worth it.
Pros
- Small and upcoming brands and businesses can challenge the large and established one for customers.
- Checkout is quick and easy. Users do not have to leave the app to check out products.
- A seller can integrate various logistics plugins like BigSommerce, Shopify, CommerceHub, and more to optimize their sales.
Cons
- Sellers have less customer data on Instagram as compared to their website
- Buyers do not have much opportunity to explore other products unless they visit the seller’s website
- Small businesses may have a lower profit margin due to the selling fee
12. Mercari
Mercari is a platform that promotes the sale and purchase of shippable products. This means that sellers and buyers cannot hold in-person meetings or drop-offs. The platform also seeks to evaluate transactions through buyer and seller ratings. Users can use these ratings to decide who they can transact with.
Pros
- Buyers and sellers rate each other after the transaction
- Low maintenance listings
- A wide product selection
- Low seller’s fee
Cons
- Sellers pay a 10% fee on sales
- The sales are slower
- Its dashboard is not entirely user friendly
13. Trovit
Trovit is a platform that operates as a search engine. It is accessible to any country in the world. You can start by selecting your country then the category you wish to research. Examples of categories include jobs, cars, homes, and more. These criteria will help narrow your search.
Pros
- Search for products using specific categories.
- The platform is available worldwide.
- Search will bring results from the platform and other places on the internet.
Cons
- This platform depends heavily on third-party sites to get information updates.
- Some listings lack details on properties and jobs.
- Not all areas have listings.
14. ClassifiedAds.com
ClassifiesAds.com, as the name states, provides users access to classified ads listings. It is free to list your ads and very easy to use. You get to post your ad first and then fill in your details. This site has well-defined categories and generates a lot of traffic.
Pros
- It is easy and fast to set up and account and post an ad.
- The platform has enabled HTML links to the ad posts. This means that you can link your ad to your website.
- It is free to list your ad on this platform.
Cons
- It has a poor search engine. For example, it will display results from various cities on top of the one you search for. In some cases, you may not get the city you search for.
- The platform is suitable for use in large cities.
15. Locanto
Locanto features online classifieds in more than 60 countries. It offers both local and national listings. This platform has a board in major cities in the United States and the countries it is available in. It is free to post your ad on your city’s board. However, your ads can feature in other cities at an additional fee.
Your ad can also feature at the top of a buyer’s results for an extra fee. The platform can also remove third-party ads from your listings at an extra cost. It features various categories from beauty, real estate, services, vehicles, and more.
Pros
- Mini-analytics are available on the platform.
- They have a good search engine that uses criteria like keywords, or even mile radius.
- The platform features social media share buttons to help you generate more leads and traffic.
Con
The platform is more popular in some areas and unknown or less used in others.
16. VarageSale
VarageSale is a platform that lets users hold a local and virtual garage sale. You can sell anything just as you would in a garage sale. Examples include clothing, baby items, refurbished items, vehicles, handmade items, and more. It is accessible to numerous countries including, U.S, Canada, U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, and Australia.
Pros
- You need verification to register on VarageSale.
- It connects you to buyers and sellers in the local area.
- Feedback exchange between buyers and sellers is possible.
- Sell to people in your neighborhood.
Cons
- There is little activity in some areas.
- They may take longer to approve your application.
- You may not join an area's VarageSale if you do not reside there.
17. PoshMark
PoshMark is a platform that lets you buy and sell used clothes. However, there are standards to the items you can list or buy on this platform. They may be used, but there should be no signs of wear, rips, or stains. Furthermore, the brand of cloth is very important on this platform. Some of the most successful brands on this platform include Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor.
Pros
- The platform does not charge listing fees.
- You have access to a large and active market.
- It offers easy and flat rate shipping. This is both a pro and a con. The rate may be high when purchasing low price products, for example, a $10-$15 pair of pants.
Cons
- The 20% seller’s fee is pretty high.
- It limits you to purchase or sale of designer products.
Summary
Craigslist is a platform that lets you list or buy various goods and services. The above platforms are great alternatives for Craigslist. Some of them focus on multiple product categories, and others like PoshMark are niche-specific. There are various factors you need to consider before you settle on any of the above alternatives. They include:
- Cost of buying or selling on the platform
- The location limitations. This will influence the shipping policy
- Ease of use
- Products or services you can list or purchase on the platform
- Payment integrations like PayPal
- Customer service
- Security
- Scalability. Do you have the potential to grow your sales on the platform?
Each of the platforms on this list stands out in some way. However, the list below is a summary of some of the outstanding platforms and the areas they stand out in.
- Best for social media transactions: Instagram and Facebook.
- Platform with a lot of features: Letgo
- Best for Purchase and sale of electronics: Swappa
- Best garage sale app. VarageSale.
- Get and List products from within the platform and other platforms: Oodle
- Best for Local sales: Classified Ads and Locanto
- Best for international sales and purchases: Trovit, Locanto, and Bookoo.
- Best platforms for sale and purchase of clothes: PoshMark, Vinted
- Platforms with free listings: Hoobly, Vinted, Geebo, and Bookoo.
- Best for making offers: OfferUp and eBay
- Platforms with buyer-seller ratings: Mercari and eBay
Note:
Online transactions have some level of risk to both the buyers and the sellers. You can get scammed even on the best platforms. Thus you should consider factors like the availability of a social media profile for both the buyers and sellers. Alternatively, you could use the ratings of other transactions to determine the level of trustworthiness of the other party.