One handy feature on Facebook is the Marketplace, but it’s far from the only site to buy and sell items locally. Many Facebook Marketplace alternatives offer the same features without the necessity of joining Facebook.
1. Craigslist
Craigslist may get a bad reputation sometimes, but it’s the most well-known local marketplace. Sell pretty much anything, including services. It launched with public classified back in 1996, so it’s been around far longer than Facebook Marketplace.
Sure, the site looks sparse, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s kept the same simple, classified-style look since it began. It can feel overwhelming at first, but you’ll be amazed at what you can find. Just input your area, and if it doesn’t come up by default, either list items or start browsing.
As with any of these Facebook Marketplace alternatives, please be careful, as scammers love these sites. Due to its popularity, you’ll run into more scams here than on most local online marketplaces.
2. OfferUp
OfferUp feels more like Facebook Marketplace in terms of looks than Craigslist. Browse by location and see images of items, along with their locations. Then, you’re free to message the seller to learn more, such as local pickup or shipping details. It’s free to use, and you can browse in different locations in addition to your own.
OfferUp took over the popular buying/selling app LetGo but stayed true to focusing on a pleasant app experience. One app-exclusive feature is OfferUp Premium, which gives you a 30-minute head start to check out newly listed items. Plus, you get an ad-free experience for $7.99/month.
3. 5miles
Nothing focuses on local more than 5miles. It’s one of the best Facebook Marketplace alternatives to buy and sell with your neighbors. As the name implies, the platform tries to find sellers within a five-mile radius of wherever you’re located, though you can expand this to reach more sellers. The idea is to keep things more local and reduce spammers.
5miles uses phone and Facebook verification to help reduce scams. One feature I really love is that you’re able to perform simple tasks in the app to earn coins, which convert to cash that can be used to buy items or get gift cards. It’s not as popular as some other alternatives yet, but well worth checking out.
4. Nextdoor
The entire purpose of Nextdoor is to bring neighbors closer together. It’s designed to get neighbors chatting, sharing news, helping to find lost pets, and even sending out alerts of potential dangers. But it’s also one of the better Facebook Marketplace alternatives to find and sell items. I live in a small area, but there are always numerous items up for sale.
Joining Nextdoor is free, but you have to provide your address to determine which neighborhoods you have access to. For the marketplace, you can set your range between 1 and 50 miles. Buyers and sellers then chat to finalize pricing and pickup details.
5. eBay Local
eBay is mainly known for helping people buy and sell items all over the world, but there’s also a local aspect. If you want to stick with items in your local area, filter your search results by Local Pickup under Shipping and Pickup. Set your search range, which can be from 10 to 1,000 miles, though I doubt most people would want to drive 1,000 miles for an item.
Once you find an item, you’ll need to arrange the pickup details with the seller. If you’re listing an item, add the local pickup option to your shipping methods. Some sellers only provide local pickup, especially for larger items.
6. VarageSale
VarageSale is your online garage sale marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. You have to join a local community on the platform to ensure that you only see items within your area. The platform tries to boost safety and security for buyers and sellers by manually approving everyone who wants to join. Depending on your device, you’re able to join via Apple, Google, or Facebook. Of course, there are dangers to signing up to apps using Google and Facebook.
VarageSale recommends using Facebook to verify your identity. However, if you choose another method, admins may still request a link to your Facebook profile before approving you. If you’re trying to get away from Facebook, this may not be one of the top Facebook Marketplace alternatives for you. Otherwise, it works much like Nextdoor, but only for buying and selling.
If you still want to use Facebook Marketplace alongside the above alternatives for local buying and selling, ensure you change your settings to local only. Also, check to see which payment methods sellers offer, especially if you prefer not to use PayPal.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
