Craigslist Alternatives

Looking for a better way to buy and sell than Craigslist? Here are 22 best online sites and apps for pets, cars, furniture, and more.

Craigslist is easy-to-use for buying and selling items locally. But other platforms can be a busier option for your local community as shopping habits change.

If it feels like your local Craigslist board is dead, you might give these Craigslist alternatives a try. Many platforms are free, although sellers pay a fee in some instances.

1. LetGo - Best Overall

LetGo makes selling secondhand items fun and stress-free. Their beautiful and intuitive app is fee-free and you just need to snap a photo of your item to start selling. The app has been downloaded 100 million times and features hundreds of million of listings. It also tends to be safer and less spammy than Craigslist - a big plus.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

2. Facebook Marketplace - for Most Customers

Facebook Marketplace is a good alternative to Craigslist in most places as it's the largest social media platform. Sellers can list large and small items for free and accept fee-free debit card payments as well.

You can also find local buy and sell groups for more focused results.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

3. OfferUp - for Long distance buyers

OfferUp is another leading Craigslist alternative with a national presence. There are no fees for local sales for either party.

Items that require shipping incur fees. Buyers pay shipping costs and the seller pays a service fee.

• Buyer fees: Shipping fees
  
• Seller fees: $1.99 or 12.9% (whichever is higher)

4. Bookoo - for Families

Bookoo is entirely free and operates in multiple cities across the United States and near military bases. They put an emphasize on selling to neighbors in your community. You can clean up your house and sell for cash or save on the stuff you need.

Users love being able to clothe kids on a dime. Members can create a social media profile that can establish trust between the buyer and seller.

Buyers can also follow sellers for future product listings and see other items they are selling.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

5. Blinker - for Vehicles

Did you know that Craigslist charges sellers $5 to list a car for sale? Blinker is free and sellers can effortlessly list their car by taking a picture of the license plate.

The app uploads the vehicle details and shows the current estimated value when selling to a private party on AutoNation. Next, Blinker verifies the potential buyer's email address and driver's license information to prevent scams.

Blinker can also coordinate payment between the buyer and seller. The first portion of the payment goes directly to the auto loan servicer if the seller is still making car payments.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

6. Trovit- for Housing, Used Vehicles, and Jobs

You can use Trovit for these offers:

• Housing
  
• Used vehicles
  
• Jobs

Buyers and real estate investors can use the search engine to search for current listings by location or a specific keyword.

Sellers may pay a fee to list homes for rent through Trovit's listing partner, Zumper. Otherwise, Trovit retrieves qualifying listings from other online outlets.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: Varies by listing type ($0 to $30)

7. Recycler - for Furniture

You can get small items, furniture and used vehicles. Recycler is a competitive option in big cities across the nation, including Atlanta, Austin, and Los Angeles. Most listings are for electronics, furniture, and used cars.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

8. Nextdoor - for Connecting with Local Community

Nextdoor is one of the easiest ways to connect with residents and businesses in your local neighborhood. This social media app displays listings that are closest to your home address.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

9. 5miles - for Reward Points

5miles lets you buy or sell most small and large items. It's possible to pay for purchases in-app and leave user ratings for the other party.

Members can also earn rewards points by completing tasks that can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: First five auto listing are free, then $5.99/month

10. VarageSale - for Clothing

VarageSale is free and can be best for clothing and small items like DVDs or jewelry. You will need to connect your Facebook account to verify your identity to buy and sell.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

11. Swappa - for Electronics

You can get phones, laptops, tablets and wearables. Swappa has a local pickup option in select cities for phones, laptops, and wearables. Sellers can also ship items to buyers. All gadgets must be fully functional and without cracks and water damage.

• Buyer fees: Market fee between $0 and $250 (depends on the sales price)
  
• Seller fees: None

12. PennySaver - for Real Estate

PennySaver offers free online classifieds to sell merchandise, cars, and real estate. This service can be better in bustling cities.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

13. Oodle - for Pet Stuff

Oodle is primarily for listing furniture and pets, but electronics and sports equipment can also be popular. An active Facebook account is necessary to post new ads.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

14. Locanto - for Baby Items

Locanto has a similar appearance to Craigslist and operates in most major cities. Some of the best spots can be Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and San Diego.

Baby items, books, electronics, and used cars have the most listings.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

15. Geebo - for Sports Equipment

Most Geebo listings are for electronics, sports equipment, and household furniture. This service has stricter standards than most classified sites to prevent scams.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

16. Shpock - for Collectibles

Shpock shows buyers the listings nearest their current listings. Most listings are for:

• Clothing
  
• Collectibles
  
• Electronics

Buyers and sellers can leave user ratings to help prevent scams.

• Buyer fees: Up to 10% for buyer protection
  
• Seller fees: None

17. Free Classifieds USA - for Art

Free Classifieds USA offers some local sales of art and fashion items. This website can be better for finding small items that require shipping. Sellers can list items for free.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

18. Hoobly - for Pet Adoption

Hoobly is best for adopting your next pet. There are also some listings for jewelry, home furniture, and used vehicles.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

19. Mercari - for Small Items with Shipping

All Mercari sales require shipping, making this platform better for smaller items. Same-day delivery is available for "Mercari Now" listings using Postmates.

• Buyer fees: Shipping fees
  
• Seller fees: 10% seller fee plus payment processing fee (2.9% plus $0.30)

20. Poshmark - for Shoes

Poshmark can be a better option for finding designer clothing that may be available locally. You may also make more money selling designer clothes on this app, but you'll pay more fees.

• Buyer fees: $7.45 shipping fee
  
• Seller fees: $2.95 (orders under $15) or 20% (orders above $15)

21. eBay - for Item Lots

eBay can reach more potential buyers than Craigslist and other selling apps. Local pickup is available to waive shipping fees.

This site can also be an excellent way to sell (or buy) item lots that are too time-consuming to list individual items yet have low shipping costs.

• Buyer fees: Shipping costs
  
• Seller fees: Approximate 10% seller fee

22. Freecycle - for 100% Free Items

All Freecycle posts are free. "Buyers" can post items they need or want and see if someone is willing to give away an item they no longer need.

People can also post bulky and small items they are willing to give away for free instead of sending them to the landfill.

• Buyer fees: None
  
• Seller fees: None

Final Thoughts

Craigslist can still be an effective way to buy or sell items locally, but other apps may receive more traffic or have better product selections. Some smaller platforms are better for a specific item type. Trying a few apps can help you find the best option for your city.