If you’re searching to sell – or buy – stuff, OfferUp is a great place to start. I like to call OfferUp “Craigslist Plus.”
Like Craigslist, it’s a free site that helps you sell and buy. However, it’s got added features such as photos on the homepage, profiles and rating badges for users, and an in-app messaging system.
It’s a great site for buying and selling locally. But did you know there are other apps like OfferUp? Check our list to find other great apps like OfferUp that help you buy and sell your stuff.
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Apps Like OfferUp to Buy and Sell
OfferUp helps you buy and sell locally and for free. However, you can promote your sell listings with OfferUp’s Promote and Promote Plus features.
It does cost you money to use Promote and Promote Plus. These features advertise the items you’re selling so that they can get more exposure to OfferUp users.
This is important to know as you work to compare OfferUp to the other apps listed here. OfferUp apps are free. But even if you need a paid app there are ways to get paid apps for free.
Next, we’ll summarize local buy and sell apps like OfferUp that can help you find – and get rid of – things you need to in short order.
1. 5miles
5miles was founded in 2014 with the goal of helping people buy and sell within 5 miles of each other. The app offerings (Apple and Android) do extend beyond 5 miles of your designated location.
You have the option to search by city from the site’s list of popular cities, or you can type in a town of your choice and search that way.
However, the app still works to feature buying and selling close to home. Like OfferUp, 5miles employs user ratings and user identification via phone or Facebook.
These features can help users feel safer as they buy and sell. It is free to list your items for sale on 5miles. However, you will pay a 10% commission to 5miles when you sell.
There are no fees to buy on the site, however, you may pay a wallet fee to transfer funds when you buy or sell.
When listing to sell on the 5miles app, you have a choice to list for a set sale price or to do a bid/auction type of listing.
2. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is probably the premier competition site to OfferUp. Facebook has nearly 3 billion active users, which means the reach is far better than what you’ll find on most other sites.
As a personal user selling personal items, you won’t pay a fee to sell on Facebook Marketplace. However, if you are selling as a business or a side hustle there are fees you will pay.
One nice thing about selling or buying on Facebook Marketplace is that you can only be contacted by Facebook users.
This requirement may give you some peace that you’re working with who you think you are working with. Or, at the very least, give you more information to go on as you decide whether or not to work with someone.
Note also that Facebook has community buy and sell groups that you can join to buy and sell things directly from people in your community or surrounding communities.
The community group buy and sell pages may be a good option for you if you don’t want to buy or sell to the wide range of users on Facebook as a whole. Apple and Android apps are available.
3. Mercari
Mercari has been in the buy/sell business since 2013. The site offers apps for Android and for Apple.
You can buy and sell pretty much anything with Mercari, including items in categories such as:
- Apparel
- Electronics
- Toys
- Home
- Beauty
- Sporting goods
- Accessories
- and more!
As a seller, you can list for free on Mercari. However, you will pay a 10% commission when you sell an item and a 2.9% plus $0.30 processing fee for payments.
As a buyer, you may or may not pay shipping fees – that’s up to the individual seller like it is with most sites.
Buyers are able to leave ratings and reviews for sellers, which is nice. Badges are awarded by Mercari to sellers with good track records.
One nice feature with Mercari is the Offers feature. This feature allows buyers to make an offer below the list price for any item.
Sellers have 24 hours to accept, decline or counter offer the offer.
4. Poshmark
Poshmark is based in Canada and was founded in 2011 and offers Apple and Android apps. The company mostly offers name-brand items for sale, although they don’t specify which brands are offered.
You cannot sell replicas on the site. Along with clothing and accessories, you can sell home decor products and beauty products as well. There are men’s, women’s, and kids’ categories on the site.
As a seller, you’ll pay a 20% commission when you sell on Poshmark. If your item sells for under $15 you’ll pay a straight $2.95 commission. Listing is free.
Shipping is usually paid by the buyer, although sellers can offer free shipping by paying for it themselves. Poshmark will send you a free shipping label when your listed item sells.
Poshmark also hosts daily online Posh Parties where users can gather online to buy and sell items. The company promises to give you a full refund if your item does not ship or if the item arrives and is not as described.
5. eBay
eBay is an old standby for buying and selling but it allows you global reach whether you’re looking to sell or searching to buy.
You can find items in pretty much any category on eBay, although there are some prohibited items.
As a seller, you can choose a set sale price on items you sell or choose to have an auction for a preset amount of time.
Fees for sellers with eBay vary depending on several factors, including what you are selling.
Most sales will incur a 12.9% final value (selling price) fee along with a $0.30 fee. Anything selling for over $7,500 will incur a 2.35% fee.
Expect higher fees for specified items such as jewelry and clothing, and expect lower fees for items such as art, collectibles, and musical instruments.
The seller decides who pays for shipping on an item they sell, although eBay will suggest a shipping charge amount.
One thing to know about selling on eBay is that although your reach is global it can be easy to get lost in the sea of available items for sale.
For that reason, it might be better to buy on eBay than it is to sell on eBay. Apps are available on both Apple and Android.
6. Craigslist
You can’t go wrong with Craigslist when looking to buy or sell just about anything. It’s easy to use and for the most part, it’s free to sell on the site. The site offers Android and Apple apps.
Some categories in some states and countries will have fees for selling items such as real estate, cars, furniture, and services.
See the Craigslist website for details. One other thing to note about using Craigslist is that because of the lack of info about sellers (and buyers) it’s wise to meet in a public place and let others know where you’re going and when you’ll be expected back.
That’s a good rule of thumb anytime you’re buying and selling online. However, due to Craigslist’s lack of internal security measures such as what OfferUp has, taking security precautions is even more important.
7. Etsy
You might not think of Etsy as a top choice when it comes to buying and selling. But you might be surprised at the number of items that Etsy sellers offer.
I’ve purchased everything from drawer pulls to phone cases to towel racks on Etsy. You can find both great prices and a large selection of almost whatever you need on the site.
And because most of the sellers are small business owners, the customer service tends to be stellar and sellers are often more willing to work to bargain or accommodate other customer needs.
If you’re a seller, using Etsy can be a great way to reach a buyer audience you might not otherwise reach.
Fees to sell on Etsy are lower than on many other popular platforms. You’ll pay a listing fee of $0.20 for each item you list.
When you sell, you’ll pay 6.5% on the listing price, shipping charges, and packaging charges as well.
This is important to keep in mind because if you strike a discount deal with a buyer on an item, you’re still going to pay 6.5% on the listing price. Beware of that rule when you’re deviating from your listing price.
If you choose to opt-in to Etsy Plus, you’ll pay a subscription fee of $10 per month. Apps for both Android and Apple are available.
8. Amazon
Amazon is another great OfferUp alternative. You probably already know you can buy anything you want or need on Amazon.
That being said, selling on Amazon can be a great alternative if you’ve used other sites and are looking for a broader audience.
It’s important to note that selling fees on Amazon can be quite high. If you’re an individual seller you’ll pay 99 cents for every item you sell.
Business sellers pay a flat $39.99 per month.
However, there are additional fees based on the type of item you sell. As an example:
- Clothing and accessories: 17%
- Collectibles: 15%
- Electronics: 8%
- Gift cards: 20%
- Health and personal care: 8-15%
See the Amazon website for more information on fees. As you can see, they can get quite high when all is said and done.
OfferUp still has the most attractive setup with zero fees and great security features. But Amazon beats OfferUp in terms of audience size and overall popularity. And it offers both Android and Apple apps.
*Speaking of Amazon, go here for the latest Amazon Subscribe and Save Deals.
9. Swappa
Swappa has both Android and Apple apps and can be a great app to use if you’re interested in buying or selling electronics, such as your old used cell phones.
Along with cell phones, you can also buy or sell the following items on Swappa:
- Computers
- Macbooks and laptops
- Apple Watches
- iPads and tablets
- Gaming gear
- Home tech
- Cameras and lenses
The site charges a straight 6% fee which is split evenly between buyers and sellers. Swappa’s straightforward fee scale and high ratings around the internet make it a great place to buy and sell.
Hint: Check out the site’s Trusted Seller designation if you’re a buyer and want to buy from vetted sellers, or if you’re a seller and want to achieve this status.
You can ask to be considered for Trusted Seller status if you have over 50 positive feedback reviews on your Swappa account and if you’ve had your Swappa account for over six months.
10. Shpock
Shpock has both Android and Apple apps like OfferUp.
This website and app can help you sell a variety of items including:
- Cell phones and other electronic items
- Games and gaming systems/accessories
- Home appliances
- Clothing and accessories
- Home and garden items
- Baby and toddler items
- Movies, music, and books
- Toys and sporting goods
- and more!
Shpock is free to use unless you pay for a Premium membership. Buyers will pay shipping fees on any item they buy. You as a seller set the shipping cost.
As a Premium member, you’ll get a badge on your profiles, the option to post additional photos for each listing, free ad promotion for your listings, and more.
There are three subscription levels for the Premium membership with Shpock. Note that Shpock is geared toward UK users. See Terms and Conditions for more information on selling with Shpock if you live outside of the UK.
Summary
OfferUp is a great app for buying and selling anything from clothing to cars. However, there are many other apps like OfferUp that can help you expand your reach whether you’re buying or selling.
Check out the apps above and decide which user benefits are best for you. The answer will vary based on a lot of factors such as what you’re selling (or buying), where you live, who your target audience is, what you want to pay for fees, and more.
Either way, there are many choices to use when you buy and sell online!
