Top 20 Classified Sites We Like as a Craigslist Alternative to Buy or Sell Items

Top 20 Classified Sites We Like as a Craigslist Alternative to Buy or Sell Items

If you like to buy or sell used items locally, the initial place to look is probably going to be Craigslist. But, many Craigslist alternatives allow you to buy, sell, or trade online if you do not feel comfortable with Craigslist or just want a change of scenery.

The Top 20 Craigslist Alternatives
If you are looking for sites like Craigslist, these are twenty Craigslist alternatives that you should consider.

1. Facebook

You might think of Facebook as a place to read the latest status updates on your friends or watch viral videos. What you might not realize is that Facebook’s Buy and Sell Groups allow you to buy or sell locally.

Since nearly everyone has a Facebook account, you might be surprised at the number of listings. If you are having a hard time selling something on Craigslist quickly, consider listing your item on Facebook.

Simply type in the name of your local city and online yard sale to find your local selling group or click on the “Buy and Sell Groups” button in the Explore menu.

You can search for specific keywords within the group if you are looking for a particular product to buy. If you do not submit any search criteria, the results will look like your regular Facebook news feed and display results in chronological order of posting.

Be sure to read the group guidelines before listing a product to sell as some groups are more restrictive than others. Similar to Craigslist, you cannot sell firearms with any of the Facebook Yard Sale groups. Selling on Facebook is free.

2. Letgo

You may have seen the literal “cliffhanger” TV commercials for Letgo (the actual site’s spelling) a year or two ago. In addition to Facebook,  Letgo is probably the most popular Craigslist alternative.

Letgo does a little better job than Facebook at categorizing product listings as you can search for particular keywords or general categories like Fashion and Accessories or Home and Garden.

You can also easily view additional items for sale from the same seller when you click on a product listing.

Letgo can also be a little safer than Craigslist because you have to verify your Google or Facebook account to create a Letgo profile. While Craigslist has a very simple and clean platform, you can also post videos with Letgo in addition to pictures.

Finally, Letgo is also convenient as you communicate through their app when interacting with a potential buyer or seller. As a result, you don’t need to list your phone number or e-mail address.

3. Recycler

If you live in a large U.S. city, Recycler is another good option. What started as a local classified newspaper in Southern California became a national marketplace in 2010 and now boasts 18 million monthly users.

Report this ad
You can use Recycler to buy or sell pets, houses to rent, sell used cars and just about anything else that Craigslist also offers.

When you sell on Recycler, you can quickly post your listings to Facebook and Twitter. To boost your exposure on Recycler, it’s also possible to use paid ads to target specific buyers or markets.

4. Offerup

As far as Craigslist alternatives go, Offerup is relatively small. But, it still has a lot of product listings and has grown in popularity recently with 23 million app downloads. It was also awarded App of the Year by Geekwire. Sellers and visitors can broadcast their listing on Facebook as well.

Both buyers and sellers can receive ratings which 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 immediately.

5. Oodle

Oodle has a slightly different take on helping you buy or sell locally. With other sites, you only see listings that sellers physically posted on that marketplace. With Oodle, some listings are posted directly to Oodle, but they also comb other Craigslist alternatives 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 will also list products from eBay for local pickup.

Oodle also allows sellers to advertise listings via Facebook as well.

6. Close5

Formerly known as Ebayclassifieds, Close5 is a good option to buy or sell locally in San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles. Although, there are plenty of listings for the rest of the country as well.

You can find just about anything on Close5. When browsing the product listings, the setup looks like a classic Polaroid picture where underneath each picture is the price and product name in a white rectangle.

You can text message with the buyer or seller within the Close5 app. You can also make an offer through the app as well.

7. 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 individually to sell or advertise a yard sale.

There are Bookoo locations located all across the country. Many are in towns with military bases, making it easier for military members to buy or sell belongings with the 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.

While this site is a little smaller than the others at 2,355,912 current members, it has an easy to use platform for buying or selling. They have live chat support, and a social media feel that is also family-friendly.

8. Trove Market

Trove Market exclusively sells secondhand furniture for any room in your house. You can browse online or with the mobile app. Trove will automatically use your location to display the most proximate listings, or you can browse across the country.

Whether you are looking for a restored piece from the mid-century, an antique, or something modern, Trove Market probably has what you are looking for. Since furniture is so bulky, you will probably need to pick it up yourself. But some shippers will deliver locally or ship small pieces across the country.

9. Geebo

Founded in 1999, Geebo allows you to buy or sell merchandise, heavy equipment, vehicles, real estate, and services in 160 communities. You might want to give Geebo a try if you live in one of the major metropolitan areas like L.A., Chicago, Denver, or in a mid-major metropolitan area such as Virginia Beach, Cincinnati, or Tulsa. 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.

10. Hoobly

In comparison to the other Craigslist 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.

11. Backpage

Backpage has local pages for nearly every major city in the world with a very basic site layout. Listings are free, and you can buy or sell almost anything. All you need to do to browse the listings or create your own listing is choose your appropriate city.

12. PeerHub

PeerHub claims to be a combination of Craigslist, eBay, and Etsy. It allows you to buy or sell locally or across the country with cash, credit card, or Steem currency. It’s free to sell or buy, and using Steem will eliminate PayPal or credit card transaction fees.

They also have a social media platform where your ratings and product placement improve as your following increases.

You can find a little bit of everything on PeerHub. So, it can be a good marketplace if you are looking to buy or sell both traditional and eclectic items.

13. 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 online, and you can find local deals by simply entering your zip code. They still publish a printed edition as well.

You can also publish paid ads on PennySaver as well. It is very much like the classified section you would find in your local newspaper.

Report this ad

14. Ads Globe

Ads Globe is an online newspaper classified ad service. With Ads Globe, you can post unlimited ads for nearly any category including merchandise, autos, real estate, rentals, pets, and travel. It’s also possible to advertise your business services or events as well with this Craigslist alternative.

15. 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 of the other Craigslist alternatives, 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.

16. US Free Ads

US Free Ads has been around since 1999. It still has a very basic layout reminiscent of circa-2000 websites. Unlike some of the other sites that allow unlimited postings for sellers, a free membership with US Free Ads will enable you to only list two products at once.

If you are a frequent seller or want additional selling features, you will need to upgrade. The Gold membership is $10 per year for 25 ads at once, or the Premium membership is $9.99 per month for unlimited ads. To buy on US Free Ads, you only need a free membership. According to US Free Ads, their most popular listings are dogs, horses, and houses.

17. 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 opportunities 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, remove third-party ads from your listing, or send your ad to the top of a buyer’s search results.

18. USA Today Classifieds

The 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 edition.

This option is probably only best if you have a big-ticket item since it will cost to publish your listings if you sell. However, you can get wide exposure to prospective buyers.

19. Trovit

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 with this site.

20. 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 locally 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 snowshoes will probably sell for a higher price in Alaska than the Louisana bayou.

Summary
Depending on where you live, some Craigslist alternatives will be a better option than the others. The next time you are ready to buy or sell locally online, give one of these a try. You might be surprised.