LushDollar.com
Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

30+ Best Craigslist Alternatives (Researched & Verified)

Some of the links may be from a sponsor. Advertising Disclosure

Ah, Craigslist.

A common household name that almost everyone knows about.  After all, it was one of the first classified websites that really took off on the internet.

It’s still great today, however, as time progressed, there are so many more options aside from the free Craigslist option that is just as good.

Whether you have something to sell, buy or you’re looking for a job, I wanted to include the many awesome Craigslist alternatives that are almost as good.  Most are free, but many works in the same ways, maybe with some slight differences.

30+ Alternatives to Craigslist

Facebook Marketplace

In the past, so many people flocked to Craigslist for almost anything, and while it’s still quite popular to this day, let it be known that there are some fantastic alternatives, with the Facebook Marketplace one of them.

If you have a Facebook account, which I’m sure you do, all you need to do is log into your account, either via your desktop or on the app, and click on the “Marketplace” link.

From there, you can use it just like Craigslist, wherein you can search using the categories on the side.

Unlike Craigslist where you’re dealing with a stranger, you can click on any listing and check out the seller’s Facebook profile to at least see who you’re dealing with ahead of time.

Most of it deals with selling things, but they do have a classified section where you could find services/jobs if need be.



Facebook Marketplace

I want to include this strategy as it’s almost like the Facebook Marketplace, but you will have to join a local group in order to make it work.  Simply put, it will involve a few extra steps, but it could work wonders.

Again, in order for this to work, you will need a Facebook account, which I’m sure you have.

Log into your account, and search for “(your city) buy and sell.”  Replace (your city) with your city with parentheses and it should look like something in the screenshot below.

Click on this listing and make sure you’re only looking at the “Groups” tab as seen below.

What you’re going to want to do is then find groups that have a lot of activity, usually 10+ posts a day with more than 5,000 members.  You should be able to find a few in your city, but in some, it could be hard, but as you can see in that screenshot, there are a few that stick out in my area.  In the end, it really depends on your population, so as you can imagine, New York City will have hundreds more than some farm town with 500 people in Iowa.

In order to join most of these groups, you will need to be approved and most of them have rules, which you can view before you join.  If you can sell or buy, then it’s one to consider joining.  Many also let you ask for job prospects as well.

Once you get approved, you can then use the search feature to see if any active ads are up or you can create a post if you have something to sell.

This option is one of my favorites as it’s a very powerful tool to connect with your neighbors, most of which only live a few miles from you.

  • Website:  Facebook

Nextdoor

In short, Nextdoor works just like Facebook, only that you’re communicating with neighbors who live a few miles away, usually in your neighborhood.

While the website is designed to ask questions and chat with others in your neighborhood, they do have a great Neighborhood classified section that focuses on the following topics, and it’s quite busy!  Here were some of the few categories you could browse…

The thing I liked about this was that in order to become a member, you must verify your address, usually by a credit card.  This can help assure you that you’re dealing with someone legitimate who lives nearby.  It’s free to use, but the company does this to cut back on spam, and it works!  I have been using the app/website for a few years now and am quite happy with it.

Now, some neighborhoods are much more active than others, so if you create an account and don’t see much activity, then it probably means people don’t know about it and/or simply aren’t using it due to the inactivity from others.

Amazon Marketplace

The Amazon Marketplace could work only if you need to sell/buy an item that can be mailed to you.  You don’t need to be a business in order to sell as you can use it to get rid of junk if need be.  There are no restrictions as to how many things you need to sell to stay active.

So, no, you won’t find housing, a job or a companion, but it could be a great option to make money or even shop as you already know.

As of this posting, Amazon charges $0.99 per item plus fees, but a professional option is available at $39.99 a month.   Which option you choose really depends on how much you plan on selling.  To see if you can succeed, I would just recommend you search for your item and see if you can add to a listing.  Keep in mind that some buyers will have restrictions as to what they can and can’t sell.

To learn more about the selling platform and how you can reach millions, refer to the individual seller account link below.

Letgo

Letgo is one of my favorite Craigslist alternatives, but the only downfall is that you will need to download the app in order for it to work properly.  However, you can view some of the most recent listings on the desktop version.  You just won’t be able to interact with the seller.

If you don’t mind using your phone, then you can find just about anything for sale, from cars to even homes for rent and sale.

While you won’t find services, personal ads or jobs, it’s one to put on your list if you’re looking for almost anything to buy.

eBay

Aside from selling items that you can ship out to others worldwide, eBay also has a classified section in which you can state a price and have a buyer contact you if interested.  Just like the local newspaper classified ads, if you agree to a sale, then like most of these options, you will have to meet in person.

Right now, the Classified Ad format is only available in select categories, and you must pay $10+ in order for your post to go live.  Nonetheless, that small fee may be worth it as eBay gets millions of views daily.

To learn how you can create a classified ad as well as which categories are acceptable, refer to the official link below.

OfferUp

OfferUp is well known for its app, but the website functions just as well if you don’t want to use your phone.  Just use the search function at the top browse by category to find what you’re looking for.

If you want to sell or buy, you can only find items for sale, so if you’re looking for a job or some sort of service, it may not be your cup of tea.

The nice thing about OfferUp is that they recently offered a shipping feature so that you can items shipped to you.  This makes for a great option if you don’t like the idea of meeting someone in person like many of these websites force you to do.



5miles

5miles is another top-rated app that works just like OfferUp and Letgo, only that the listings you see will be within five miles, hence the name.  You can search outside of your radius if you so choose, though.

Whether you want to use your phone or even the desktop version, it’s available on both.  Just message the seller, make an offer and arrange a meetup point (somewhere safe, of course!) to complete your transaction.

Aside from the many items for sale, they also offer a different feature known as the 5miles Dash, which allows you to bid on brand new items every 90 seconds.  Bids start at a $1 and all items won are shipped directly to your door.

VarageSale

As the name almost implies, VarageSale is a virtual garage sale app that allows you to buy and sell just about anything.  You can also browse listings via their website as well.

The great thing that I like about this app is that all sellers are based on a 100% real identity, which means they have to go through a manual process before their listing even goes live.  You can also view the seller’s ratings and response time

So, if you’re the type that may feel at ease when dealing with the public, this could make it a smidge better.

Mercari

Mercari has been mentioned before, particularly in this selling used baby clothes and selling used furniture posts.  It’s another great option if you’re looking to buy or sell almost anything.

This app works a pinch differently as you’re expected to take a few pictures, add a description and then ship out your items once it sells.  There are no meetings, only shipping.

Once your item sells, Mercari will send you a printable shipping label at no cost, but they do take a 10% selling fee when your sale does complete.

BooKoo

BooKoo is said to be a “family-friendly” alternative that’s free and local.  The website even says it’s similar to that of Craigslist, only that it’s more local.  Picture it as your community.

You will find almost everything you can on Craigslist, however, there aren’t as many ads as you would expect, but seeing it’s free to post, it doesn’t hurt to at least add a listing to test the waters.

To date, the company has added more than 2.5 million members and continue to grow as of this day.

Oodle

Oodle could quite possibly be one of the largest Craigslist alternatives out there, only if you’re looking for a desktop version as they don’t really focus on their mobile app.

This website offers quite a few category options much like Craigslist, but a few that stick out to me is that they have a lot more pet classified options, something Craigslist now forbids.

Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or find a job, the website could have a lot of action dependent upon where you live.

Hoobly

Hoobly reminds me a bit of Oodle in a way that it’s not that up-to-date design/functionality-wise and they don’t have a very good app.

Nonetheless, it’s another option if you want to post just about anything, from items to real estate.

Most of the categories I looked at were very similar to that of Craigslist, but the biggest exception here is that the number of visitors is far less than what you would expect in comparison to Craigslist.

USA Today

One of the world’s largest newspaper, USA Today, offers a classified ad option.

The biggest difference in this option compared to the rest is that you need to pay and your ad will be inserted into the newspaper copy which millions are said to see.

It’s quite a bit to invest in these ads, so it may not be an option for everyone.

The Freecycle Network

If you have something you want to get rid of and simply want it out of your hair at no cost, then you may want to consider the Freecycle Network.  Again, only consider this option if the item will be free.

This network has been around almost as long as Craigslist and has more than 9.2 million members around the world.

It isn’t as active as Craigslist, but you should get some bites if what you’re getting rid of is something worth picking up.

Other Craigslist Alternatives (Not Too Much Traffic)

I found a lot of other Craigslist alternatives, but I didn’t want to write about them in-depth as I felt they just didn’t receive enough traffic to justify.  However, as with all of my posts, I try to include as much information as possible.

So, with that out of the way, here are some you may want to consider as well:

  1. 10 Day Ads
  2. Ad Land Pro
  3. Ad To Ad
  4. Ads Global
  5. City News
  6. Classified Ads
  7. Epage
  8. Free Ads Time
  9. Geebo
  10. GumTree (UK only)
  11. Locanto
  12. Recycler
  13. Trovit

Again, I didn’t find them as good, but I do consider them as an okay alternative.

Alternatives to Craigslist for Housing

And lastly, I wanted to quickly include some great alternatives to Craigslist for housing.  As many of you may use Craigslist to find a rental or even a house to buy, you may have luck with the following…

Beyond these, the alternatives mentioned above, such as the Facebook Marketplace and even NextDoor, can work well, too.

Final Thoughts

I think Craigslist will always be a popular free classified ad service to consider.  Even though they really haven’t kept up with the times, there’s no question millions of people still use the service.

If you’re looking for any Craigslist alternatives, I hope the above at least point you in the right direction.  Just remember that the number of inquiries you receive will always depend on your location and what you’re selling.  Everyone will have their own luck!

While many of these are great Craigslist alternatives, remember that you can always post on as many as possible, seeing that many of the options I mentioned are free or very low in cost.  In doing so, you can really get your ads in front of millions of people.  Even if you’re buying, it doesn’t hurt to browse a few to see who’s offering the best price.  Every site will have its own buyers.

For now, these are the many I could research.  If you know of any I’m missing or you want to comment on the ones I did mention, then, by all means, feel free to do so in the comments below.

Want $5 free?



Try out Swagbucks, the most popular reward program I make the most money with. Simply answer survey questions and get paid!

Join Now to Get $5!

Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

Add comment