Since its launch in 1995, Craigslist has been the go-to website for finding affordable and, sometimes, even free items. Here, you’ll find classified ads for just about anything—real estate, clothing, second-hand vehicles, furniture, and many more. But despite its popularity, many have found a few significant faults on the platform, causing them to look for other classifieds sites like Craigslist.
One of the top complaints of sellers is that their listings often don’t get seen by potential buyers. Because of the sheer number of users who post on the site, listings can get lost in the sea of ads in just a matter of minutes. Then there’s also the matter of security. The site attracts a lot of scammers since it’s pretty much open to anyone. Because of that, it can be hard to distinguish legitimate listings from fraudulent ones.
If you’ve been looking to sell your phone at the best price or earn from emptying your closet, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’re giving you a rundown of the best sites like Craigslist you can use to find the best deals.
Also read: How to Sell or Trade in Your Old iPhone for Maximum Profit
The Best Sites Like Craigslist
Here are our top picks for the best Craigslist alternatives, including both websites and app-based alternatives.
1. Facebook
Facebook is arguably the most popular social media platform. However, did you know that it’s also one of the best sites like Craigslist you can use? With almost a quarter of the world’s population using the platform, selling stuff you no longer need on it will be a breeze. Facebook has two dedicated features for buying and selling items: Facebook Marketplace and the app’s buy-and-sell groups.
You’ll find all sorts of stuff in Facebook Marketplace, including clothes, used furniture, gadgets, cars, and even houses. The app lets you filter results by the date that the listing was made and the distance from your location. In addition, you can follow a user if you want to get notified when they make a new listing.
If you want listings for a specific type of item (pre-owned books, for example), you can join buy-and-sell groups on Facebook instead. A lot of these groups have their own rules and regulations as well as criteria of who is allowed in. If a member violates any of these rules, they can get kicked out or banned from the group.
Besides Facebook Marketplace and buy-and-sell groups, you can also just post what you’re selling on your wall. This is the better option if you prefer to sell your stuff to friends or to friends of friends.
The great thing about using Facebook as a Craigslist alternative is that there are no fees to pay for just to buy and sell which is common on e-commerce websites. There are a few limitations to what you can sell on the app, though. For instance, Facebook doesn’t allow the sale of services (e.g., house cleaning), animals, and healthcare-related items.
2. eBay Classifieds
eBay is best known for its auctions. However, it also has a section for classified ads, making it one of the best sites like Craigslist to try out. eBay Classifieds works the same way as the rest of eBay does, except it’s for locals. Unlike Facebook Marketplace and the app’s buy-and-sell groups, you can also sell services on eBay Classifieds. The categories of things you can buy and sell on the app range from music to heavy equipment and even to funeral products.
Buying stuff on eBay Classifieds is easy. You just have to search for what you want to buy as you normally would. Then, select “classified ads” from the buying format options. To further filter the search results, you can specify the price range, ZIP code radius, and the date the ad was created. If you see something you like, simply contact the buyer, and then you can finalize the transaction off of eBay.
To sell items on eBay Classifieds, you’ll first have to set up an eBay account and make an advanced listing. Note that simply creating a listing costs a non-refundable fee. The amount depends on what you’re selling and how long your listing will be up on the site; note that ads can stay live for up to 90 days. Normally, you’d include the price of the item you’re selling in the ad. However, if you want to auction it off to the buyer that has the best offer, simply click on “Best Offer” when creating your listing.
3. OfferUp
If you’re looking for sites like Craigslist that have handy reputation features for added security, then consider using OfferUp. Using the app, buyers and sellers rate each other so that other users are warned against potential scammers. You can also visit the profile of another user to see who you’re dealing with. On top of that, you can easily contact a buyer or a seller from within the app so that transactions can go smoothly.
OfferUp allows you to buy and/or sell stuff you’d normally find in garage sales, such as pre-loved clothes, vinyl records, mobile devices, sports equipment, home appliances, and the like. So if you’re looking to purchase specialty services, this isn’t the platform for you. To easily search for items, you can filter results by price, distance from your location, and the date the listing was created. Sellers on the app list their own price for each item, but you can also make your own offer and haggle— hence the name. The app has a watch list feature as well, so you can save items that you’re interested in but aren’t ready to buy just yet.
What’s great about OfferUp is that, unlike eBay, you don’t have to pay just to list an item. However, you will have to pay a fee if you want to have your listing bumped or featured so that more people can see it.
4. Hoobly
Hoobly is the best website like Craigslist if you want to sell your stuff without paying an extra fee. Established in 2002, the site is mostly known for its pet listings, which populate a bulk of its search results. Here, you’ll find all sorts of pets for sale. There are the usual ones, like dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. And then there are the more uncommon ones, like goats, horses, pigs, bearded dragons, and even snakes.
That said, pets aren’t the only products you’ll find on Hoobly. The site also has listings for real estate, home and gardening tools, tools for crafts and hobbies, as well as construction equipment. You can also look for specialty services and job listings on the website.
Hoobly has an advantage over other sites like Craigslist because it doesn’t just let you view classified ads in your area; you can also access listings from other cities and countries. Its filter system is also handy. With the location filter, you get to choose how general or specific the search results will be. For instance, you can make it so that you’ll see results from anywhere in the US or in just a specific county or municipality. The same goes for the items themselves. Each category has several subcategories, and each subcategory can be sorted into further subcategories.
5. Locanto
Next on our list of the best sites like Craigslist is Locanto. Just like Hoobly, Locanto offers products from a wide range of categories. On this site, you can buy and sell pre-owned clothes, gadgets, home appliances, real estate, and cars, among other things. Besides those things, you’ll also find events, job openings, specialty services, and even classes on the site. All of these categories have their own set of subcategories, which helps if you’re looking for something more specific.
Locanto has both a website and a mobile app, and both platforms’ interfaces are clean and easy to navigate. This Craigslist alternative has its very own live chat feature, so if you see something you’re interested in, you can easily contact the seller to ask for more details or begin the transaction. It lets you build your profile as well so that other users have an idea of who they’re transacting with. If you’re a seller on the site, you can use your profile to display your logo and tell users about what your business is. There’s also an option to share your Locanto listings on social media to attract more potential buyers.
For the most part, Locanto is free to download and use, but it does offer a premium version if you want to remove third-party ads. You’ll also have to pay extra if you want your listings to be advertised on other city boards or if you want your ads to appear at the top of search results.
6. Recycler
Recycler is a website like Craigslist that started out as a local publication for classified ads in Southern California. It then evolved into a national marketplace in the US, and in 2010, the Recycler website was launched. Around 30 million people use the platform and post over a million ads every month. Thus, you can be sure that it’s trusted by many. Moreover, with that sheer number of active users, you can be sure that many people will get to view your listings.
Recycler lets you buy and sell a wide range of products, including real estate, pets, music equipment, used cars, furniture, and sports equipment. You can also find jobs, tickets to events, and all sorts of services on the website. With its advanced filter system, you can be as general or as specific as you want to be with your searches.
Selling on the website is absolutely free. However, if you want more people to see your ads on the website, you can pay extra to have them shown to target buyers. When you post your listings on the website, you can also share them on other social media platforms to increase your chances of finding a buyer.
7. Etsy
Etsy is one of the most popular sites like Craigslist that’s great for artists and hobbyists. The platform has both a website and a mobile app where you can find all sorts of artsy stuff. On Etsy, you can buy and sell handmade clothes, toys, home goods, bags, furniture, and original artwork. The site is also home to antiques, heirlooms, vintage items, as well as materials for your projects.
Looking for a product to buy on Etsy is fairly simple, thanks to its user-friendly interface. On the homepage, you’ll find items that Etsy recommends for you based on what you view and buy on the platform. If you have a certain product in mind, you can use the search bar to look for it or choose one of eight categories from the menu. Then, you can filter the search results by price, material, color, location, and much more.
Etsy also makes it easy for users to sell their products on the platform. Sellers can download a separate app (called Sell on Etsy) where they can track their listings and stats, manage orders, reply to buyers with pre-written responses, and customize notifications. Take note, though, that selling on the platform isn’t free. Creating a single listing costs 20 cents. Plus, when you make a sale, you’ll have to pay a transaction fee that amounts to 5% of the revenue.
8. Trovit
Unlike most of the apps and websites on this list, Trovit doesn’t have listings in a wide range of categories. As of writing, the platform only advertises products in three broad categories: cars, homes, and jobs. That said, it’s still among the best sites like Craigslist you should check out.
The site has a very clean and easy-to-navigate interface, so you can get to what you’re looking for with just a few clicks. For example, if you choose the category “Homes” on the homepage, you can choose whether you want to see results that are for sale or for rent only. You can also easily look for foreclosed properties, office spaces for rent, retail spaces, and spaces that are good for shared living. With all three broad categories, you can filter results based on state, city, and county or municipality. You can also adjust the filters so that the site will only show you results that are within your budget.
What’s great about Trovit is that it’s totally free to use. Plus, it doesn’t just give you listings that people post on the platform; it shows you listings from similar sites as well so that you have more to choose from.
9. Mercari
Mercari is a lot like Craigslist in that it lets you buy and sell a vast array of products and has a wide user base. However, unlike with the popular classified ads site, you can’t do meetups when you buy or sell through Mercari. Instead, all items are directly shipped out to the buyer.
Most of the items you see on Mercari are all curated. Thus, you can be sure that it doesn’t have listings for disturbing or strange products, like decrepit travel trailers and animal skeletons — stuff you’d normally find on Craigslist. On Mercari, you’ll find listings for gadgets, clothing, authenticated luxury items, home appliances, collectibles, and the like. You can also search for products by brand.
Thanks to its partnership with Zip payment, you have the choice to pay for items in installment. If you select the option to pay through Zip, the app automatically splits your payment into four installments, which should be paid for every two weeks. Plus, you can easily track when your next payment will be. Take note, though, that not all items can be paid for by installment; only luxury and other high-priced items are eligible for this payment system. If you don’t see the Zip logo on a listing, that means you have to pay for it in full when you checkout.
Creating listings on Mercari is completely free. However, making a sale isn’t. You’ll have to pay a 10% seller fee and a 2.9% plus $0.30 payment processing fee for each item sold. Mercari provides you with a printable shipping label, and then you’ll just have to drop the item off or schedule a pickup to have it shipped to the buyer.
10. Poshmark
Poshmark is a great option if you’re looking for sites like Craigslist that offer fashion, home décor, and beauty items. The platform has both a website and a mobile app where you’ll find clothes, shoes, jewelry, bags, makeup, kitchen supplies, and other similar items. Just like Mercari, Poshmark also makes it easy to shop for items by brand. If you purchase a luxury product that’s at least $500 on Poshmark, you can have it authenticated for free.
Poshmark also has a feature called Stylist Match where you can get personalized styling recommendations in real-time. All you have to do is go to your feed, select “Request styling,” and pick a look you’re going for (like date night or fall trends). From there, the app will connect you to a Poshmark stylist who will then help you choose which pieces to purchase.
If you’re a seller, Poshmark will only charge you once you make a sale. For an item that costs less than $15, the app will charge you a flat commission rate of $2.95. If the price of the item you sold exceeds that, Poshmark gets a 20% commission fee.
11. Swappa
Swappa is a great site like Craigslist for those who are looking to buy electronics for much cheaper prices. On the site, you’ll find pre-owned computers, cameras, smartphones, video game consoles, and smart home devices, among others.
Swappa stands out from other sites like Craigslist by staying true to its “No Junk, No Jerks” policy. The company prides itself on being human-powered, so all listings are manually reviewed to fight scammers and fraudsters. On top of that, the company requires sellers to run devices through the IMEI checker, so you can be sure that you’re not buying a stolen or lost device.
It’s totally free to list items on Swappa, but the app takes a small commission for every item sold. However, unlike other sites like Craigslist, the buyer is the one who shoulders this fee. This is good news to sellers since it means they don’t need to adjust their prices to account for the commission fee. For items that cost $50 or less, you don’t need to pay extra. But if the price exceeds this, you’ll need to pay at least $5. The biggest commission fee that Swappa imposes is $250, but this is only for items that cost $6000 to $6999. These rates may seem like a lot, but they’re actually much lower than eBay’s added fees, which can exceed $600.
12. Oodle
Oodle is more like a classic Craigslist alternative in that it has listings for almost any category. Just like Craigslist, it lets you buy and sell cars, real estate, pets, and the usual stuff—pre-owned clothes, appliances, record players, books, and the like. It also has categories for rentals (including apartments, mobile homes, office spaces, and garages), job listings, event tickets, and specialty services.
The site is free to use. That said, you need to create an Oodle account first and link it to your Facebook profile before you can start buying or selling on the platform. Similar to Trovit, Oodle doesn’t just show you listings on their website; it also combs through other sites like Craigslist to help you find the item you’re looking for. For instance, if you search for apartments for rent on the platform, you might also find results from sites like RentLingo or Americanlisted.
Once you see an item you want to buy, simply click on the item and on the “I’m interested button” to message the seller. From there, you can agree on where to meet up to get and pay for the item. You can have it shipped if you like, but Oodle warns against this, especially if you don’t know the seller.
13. Carvana
Carvana is a great Craigslist alternative for those looking to buy second-hand cars. The site has listings for a wide variety of car models and styles. Here, you can find sedans, coupes, minivans, SUVs, convertibles, and even electric cars. They have sellers from everywhere in the US, so it’s easy to find a second-hand car near you. On top of that, the site lets you filter results by price, fuel efficiency, make and model, and other features.
Carvana’s team carefully reviews each listing, so you can be sure that all the cars on the site are accident-free and in good condition. The site gives you a 360-degree view of all of the cars as well. If you find a car that you’re interested in buying, Carvana allows you seven days to test it first before deciding to buy it. And if you do decide that it’s the vehicle for you, you can pay for it in cash, through financing, or by trading in your car (but only as a downpayment). Carvana can deliver the car you purchased right to your home. But if you prefer, you can also pick it up at one of their Vending Machines.
If you want to sell your car on Carvana, simply select the “Sell/Trade” option on the app. After that, you’ll need to provide your vehicle’s VIN or plate number. You’ll then need to answer a series of questions about the car you’re looking to sell. That way, Carvana’s appraisers can accurately assess the value of your vehicle. Once that’s done, expect a cash offer in your email in about 15 minutes. From there, you’re free to either accept or decline the offer.
14. Bookoo
Bookoo is the family-friendly equivalent of Craigslist. The website is essentially an online yard sale where you can buy and sell anything—from clothes to pets to antique items. Plus, it even has a section where you can find yard sales in your area. If you want, you can also advertise your own yard sale, free of charge.
Besides the usual yard sale stuff, Bookoo also has listings for construction equipment, tickets to events, job openings, and specialty services. Unlike the other sites like Craigslist in this guide, Bookoo doesn’t really have a lot of filter options; you can only set the minimum and maximum price of the item you’re looking for, and that’s it.
If you want to create a listing, you can easily do so by selecting the “Sell Stuff” button on the app or on the website. Make sure to provide the price and as much detail about the item as possible. Then, upload photos of the product, enter your email and ZIP code, and post the item for sale. Listing a product on Bookoo is completely free. However, the site doesn’t offer a paid way to boost your ad’s exposure.
15. Care.com
If you’re looking for Craigslist alternatives particularly for hiring caregivers, then Care.com is perfect for you. Care.com connects you to people in your area who can provide all sorts of care, whether it be child care, senior care, housekeeping, pet care, and even tutoring.
To hire a caregiver, you’ll need to create an account on their platform. Once you have that sorted, simply select the type of care you need, enter your ZIP code, and filter the results by choosing the sort of help you need from a caregiver. Then, Care.com will ask for specifics about the job. In this section, you can tell them how long you’ll need a caregiver and how much you can pay per hour. After that, the site will give you a list of caregivers who match your needs. Then, you can shortlist the ones you like best.
If you’re on premium, you can directly message a caregiver and ask them if they’re willing to take the job. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for someone to accept your job offer.
You can also look for caregiving jobs on Care.com. Simply select “Apply to jobs” and provide the details needed. Once you’ve been approved, you can immediately start browsing through listings and applying to jobs.
Buy (or Sell) Your Stuff on Sites Like Craigslist
The Internet is rife with hundreds of sites like Craigslist. However, it can be hard to choose from among them since there’s always the issue of security. But hopefully, with our list, you’ve found a Craigslist alternative that’s right for you. All of these sites are completely safe to use. However, remember to still take caution whenever you’re selling or buying on these platforms.
