Top 20+ Best Free Websites to Sell Stuff Online Anywhere in The World

Laelia Yang April 21, 2022 | 06:25

It is much easier for you to make a living from your online ventures now. To help you start selling straight away, we’ve created this list of the top 20 websites for selling products online free.

Before you sell stuff online to make extra money, determine the ideal venue for your goods. Selling Grandma’s vintage tea cozies is a different endeavor from offloading your old stereo system. We’ve rounded up some of the major online marketplaces along with tips about their audience, style and fees.

There's a handful of major online auction and sales sites, and as you'll see, some charge much lower fees than others. The major players, Amazon and eBay, have higher fees, but they're also some of the most highly trafficked sites on the internet. If the speed of sale is your goal, these sites are the way to go. If you're trying to maximize your profit, you might take some more time to find a buyer on a smaller site.

Can you really sell items online for free?

There is a bit of a catch though. I’m sure you know that running a website (or app) isn’t free so most aren’t 100% fee free to sell online, but I’ll go over the best options for you below.

I researched over 50 different websites and apps to sell online and when it comes to the places you can sell with no upfront fees there seem to be two categories so I’ll split them up that way:

Websites you can list items for free, but a commission fee will come out at the end of the transaction (100% online sales, but no upfront fees)
On the website you can list and sell items for free, but are local so you have to meet in person (totally free, but not 100% online)

Either way, below are several options where you can sell online without having to pay any fees upfront! That means if you already have stuff to sell you can start listing them without any money out of your pocket.

How to Succeed When Selling Items Online

Whichever of the above platforms you opt for, a few basic rules of thumb can help maximize your success when selling items online. The first step is choosing the right platform. For example, if you're selling a musical instrument, opt for a music-specific platform to increase your odds of connecting with potential buyers.

Beyond that, keep these guidelines in mind as you list and sell items:

Take good quality photos of the products you sell. Make sure the photos are well-lit. For clothing, it can help to take photos of you wearing the item (you can crop your face out).
Write an honest, clear description of the product's state. It can help to explain why you're getting rid of the item in question. Otherwise, people may assume it's defective.
Clarify logistical details, such as whether the item will be shipped or delivered — or if it's available only for pick-up. Also, be clear regarding selling price and added costs (e.g., if the buyer pays for shipping).
Decide on pricing and payment. Some platforms offer their own payment systems or allow for transactions via credit cards, PayPal, etc. Others don't have any set system, leaving you to figure it out yourself. Avoid scams and don't provide personal financial details.
Never meet up with buyers alone. If an item is available for local pickup, have a friend or family member with you when the buyer comes by. If you're delivering, likewise, bring another person with you.
Finally, follow any guidelines stipulated by the seller platform you are using. You don't want to get kicked off because you didn't follow basic rules.

Top 20+ Websites to Sell Items Online for Free (No upfront fees)

1. Vinted

2. Facebook Marketplace

3. Poshmark

4. Handshake

5. Gazelle

6. Mercari

7. Bonanza

8. VarageSale

9. Swappa

10. Nextdoor

11. 5Miles

12. Listia

13. Offer Up

14. Letgo

15. Craigslist

16. Redbubble

17. YardSales

18. Trove

19. BuyBack Boss

20. ThredUp

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1. Vinted

Photo: ft

Vinted is a fashion platform and meets the criteria of selling online for free more than the rest. It is a website and an app and sellers pay ZERO fees. That’s right. No listing fee. No commission fee. You get what you sell the item for. The way Vinted works is they actually charge the buyer $.70 + 5% of the sale. So you get all your money, it’s the buyer who pays the fee.

As a fashion platform you can sell clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women and children.

Link: https//www.vinted.com/

2. Facebook Marketplace

Most of us are already on Facebook so listing and selling items on the Facebook marketplace is kind of a given. There are so many people on there anyway so if they wander into the Marketplace it’s a great way to get a lot of eyes on your item. This is the number one reason I like Facebook Marketplace for selling items for free: popularity. Everyone is on there. And yes, it’s free to sell on there. No fees at all and people can even pay you via Facebook messenger if you like.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/

3. Poshmark

Poshmark is my favorite fashion platform. It’s one of the places I cross post many of my items to from ebay because as they have a great customer base there and many items sell for a little bit more than on ebay. Poshmark does have fees, but the fees are taken once the item is sold an then the balance after fees is put into your balance for withdrawal. The fees for poshmark are 20% (or $2.95 for items that sell for less than $15) and they take sales tax out for you if applicable.

I know what you’re thinking, 20% is a lot right? I honestly think it’s worth it! Poshmark is a pretty low hassle platform if you want something easy. The buyer pays for shipping (as long as it’s under 5lbs no weighing involved!), Poshmark takes care of the sales tax for you (trust me, this is amazing because it’s a pain to do on your own!) and once an item is sold you simply package it up and attach the shipping label Poshmark provides you with. Plus if there is an issue with an item or someone requests a return, Poshmark intervenes.

Link: https://poshmark.com/

4. Handshake

Photo: Handshake

If you are searching for a way to grow your wholesale business, be sure to check out Handshake. It is a handpicked wholesale marketplace where you can sell unique products under your own brand (no reselling of third-party products is allowed).

Though, in order to be able to sell here, you must meet their list of minimum eligibility criteria before you can apply. These criteria include having an active Shopify store with an order history. It is also available only to customer-focused brands that were established in the United States.

While the application process might be a bit of a schlep, their pricing makes it worthwhile. It is completely free. They also charge no fees or commissions on your sales.

Link: https://www.handshake.com/

5. Gazelle

Gazelle is one of the best websites to sell stuff online, and the platform specializes in electronics. It offers competitive pricing, especially if you intend to sell a phone.

You may get less money than selling directly to the end customer via Facebook Marketplace or eBay, but the experience is much more hassle free. The company will also provide you with a shipping label so you will not incur any shipping costs when sending them your item.

Link: https://www.gazelle.com/

6. Mercari

Mercari is an eCommerce company that provides an online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of pre-owned goods. The platform operates in a similar manner to eBay but specializes in consumer-to-consumer transactions and not auctions. This means that you are selling directly to another user instead of a dealer or business.

To list an item on the platform, simply take some photos to showcase your item and write a short description. You can then set a price for your item, plus any shipping fees you want to charge.

They don’t charge any upfront fees and you can list almost anything. Unlike the two fashion platforms above, you can also sell home goods, toys, electronics, beauty items, etc. While they do charge a 10% fee, there are no upfront fees to list and the fee will be taken out once an item is sold.

Link: https://merc.li/

7. Bonanza

Photo: cedcommerce

Based in Seattle, Bonanza is an online marketplace that enables entrepreneurs to create sustainable businesses by growing their network of returning customers. From digital goods to dolls and bears, they virtually sell everything (but the ordinary).

They launched in 2008 and during the past decade and a bit that they have been in business they have received quite a few impressive recognitions. Most recently, they have been ranked as number one for “Customer Service”, “Communication”, and “Most Recommended Marketplace” by the EcommerceBytes Sellers Choice Awards.

Link: https://www.bonanza.com/

8. VarageSale

VarageSale is one of the best websites to sell stuff locally in a virtual garage sale, which is where it gets its name from. The platform has an app for both iPhone and Android devices.

Unlike some of the other platforms on this list, all users on VarageSale are manually verified with real ID checks. This provides greater reassurance compared to some other platforms such as Craigslist. You can also view the member’s rating and average buyer response times. This can help you to choose a buyer if you have multiple offers.

Another advantage of VarageSale is that it is free to list your items for sale and there are no commissions. You can also bump your listing to the top of the results with no charge.

Link: https://www.varagesale.com/

9. Swappa

If you have electronics you want to sell then you can try Swappa. I haven’t personally used Swappa to sell anything, but there is no fee to list and the fees are built into the price. Their fee structure varies from $0 on items that sell for $50 or less to $250 on items that sell for $6000+.

The idea is to cut out the middle man, so both seller and buyer get a better deal. However, this does involve a little more work to sell your item. You will need to verify that you own the item and that phone or mobile devices are not locked by carriers. You will also need to communicate with the buyer.

Link: https://swappa.com/

10. Nextdoor

Nextdoor is currently available only in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Australia. It is similar to Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. However, it offers more than simply a forum where sellers can sell items online. It also serves as a platform where people can share details about what is happening in their local neighborhoods.

While you do not have to pay any membership or listing fees, you do need to create an account. As people have to sign up, it is generally a safer avenue for online selling than a forum like Craigslist.

Link: https://nextdoor.com/

11. 5Miles

Photo: downzen

5Miles is one of the best websites to sell stuff locally. It was set up to help both parties avoid fraud, spamming or costly fees. The 5Miles team verifies all platform users with an ID check. So, you don’t need to worry about meeting up with an unverified buyer, as you would with some other platforms.

The platform has a social feel and it allows you to “like” listings or follow other sellers. Additionally, the support team actively reviews all postings. Despite this service, 5Miles is free to use for both sellers and buyers.

5miles is available around the world, although there may be fewer buyers and sellers in your local area if you don’t live in a big city.

Link: https://www.5miles.com/

12. Listia

Listia is an online marketplace designed to help people trade their stuff with one another. Unlike most of the other platforms on this list, you cannot get cash in return for any items you put up for sale. Instead, you will get points for every item you put up for sale on Listia.

You can then use your points to buy items listed by other users. Thus, the platform works similarly to other websites to sell stuff locally, with the main difference that it uses its own currency that has no cash value.

Plus, new users get 250 points just for signing up that they can spend right away. This makes Listia a great place to get free stuff as well.

Link: https://www.listia.com/

13. Offer Up

OfferUp is one of the best websites to sell stuff locally, direct to other consumers. The platform also uses a rating system that gives each buyer and seller on the site has a profile featuring photos, transaction history, and ratings. This enables you to choose who you sell your products to avoid getting scammed.

If you’ve ever used Offer Up before you probably know it as a local sales app and that’s how it started out. But recently they’ve transitioned to letting people ship items as well. There is no fee to list on Offer up, however if you do choose to list an item as something you’re willing to ship there is a 9.9% fee.

You can sign up on their website or download their App.

Link: http://www.offerup.com/

14. Letgo

If you have any unwanted secondhand items taking up space, Letgo will help you to let go of your baggage (at least in the literal sense of the word). It is free to sell on Letgo and you will only be charged a fee if you opt to promote your listing. All in all, it is easy to use and a quick way to sell to a local audience.

Link: https://we.letgo.com/

15. Craigslist

Photo: startupguys

If you’re younger you might not be as familiar with Craigslist, but if you’re over say 30 years old this was originally the place everyone did local sales before all the other websites and apps popped up. It’s still going pretty strong and I love to list higher priced items on here. As with the others it’s free. You simply find the category you want to list in and post it on there.

Similar to Facebook Marketplace, it is better suited if you want to sell to locals. That being said, Facebook Marketplace is less risky as the buyers are linked to Facebook accounts. While it does not mean that you won’t get buyers on Facebook who are trying to swindle you, you can at least refer to the profile of the buyer and his/her previous activity to double-check that they are who they claim to be.

Link: https://www.craigslist.org/

16. Redbubble

Founded in 2006 in Australia, Redbubble is an online marketplace and print-on-demand service aimed at independent artists who are searching for an avenue where they can sell their work. They have helped more than 700,000 designers and artists from all over the world already to sell their high-quality, original clothing and accessories.

All you have to do is open a Redbubble shop and upload your designs. Your designs will then be printed on high-quality products by third-party producers and shipped to your customers. They offer their service free of charge, but all the products have a base fee. Sellers can then decide for themselves how much profit they want to make per product.

Link: https://www.redbubble.com/

17. YardSales

YardSales.net is one of the best websites to sell stuff locally. The platform is not an online listing marketplace. Instead, the platform allows you to advertise a garage sale that you are hosting to buyers who might be interested in checking out what you have on sale.

In addition, buyers who may be interested in visiting garage sales in their neighborhood can also use the search tool on the platform to find yard sales near them.

There are no listing fees involved in advertising your garage sale. You can list your yard sale in any of all 50 states, and you can sell anything as long as it is legal to sell the stuff in your state.

Link: https://yardsales.net/

18. Trove

Trove is another website that sells furniture. It’s free to list an item, and there are no hidden costs to it.

Trove came up with this app to solve the problem of selling furniture which is always big, bulky, and costly to transport.

The app is applicable in major countries like Atlanta; Austin; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Philadelphia; Phoenix; San Francisco; Seattle, and Washington D.C.

Link: https://www.usetrove.com/

19. BuyBack Boss

Photo: thepayathomeparent

Buyback Boss is one of the leading websites to get cash for your used phones and mobile devices. You can get an instant online quote for your used device in under 30 seconds, simply by filling in the online form on the company’s website with the details of your device.

If you choose to accept the online quote, you’ll then need to send the device to the company. The company also provides a free shipping label, so you won’t incur any shipping costs. Once your device has been received, processed, and verified, you will receive payment on the same-day via either check or PayPal.

Link: https://buybackboss.com/

20. ThredUp

thredUP is on the world’s largest online clothing store where you can buy and sell high quality second-hand clothes.

This app is just like any other online clothing shops, except all the items are second handed.

When you sign up, you will get thredUP’s ‘free closet cleanout kit, where you will put the clothes you that you want to sell.

Once they process your order, you’ll receive your money.

thredUP is one of the best because you don’t necessarily wait for your cloth to be sold to get your pay.

However, the con here, is that you won’t know how much to expect until you’ve sent your clothes to them.

Link: https://www.thredup.com/cleanout

Considerations Before Selling Goods via E-commerce Platforms

There are many online platforms that allow you to sell goods online, both to people within your immediate geographic vicinity and globally. Before you start pursuing the below list of options, it can help get a better idea of what type of platform suits your needs. Ask yourself these questions:

What types of goods do you want to sell? Some platforms are more diverse and cater to anything and everything, while others are more niche. For example, Amazon sells it all, while Etsy is focused more on hand-crafted and artistic items. Note that you can't sell everything online. For example, there are legal restrictions on firearms, alcohol, fresh fruits and vegetables, and tobacco products, to name a few limitations. Most seller platforms provide guidelines for what you can and can't sell (e.g., Amazon's restricted products).
Do you want to sell locally or long-distance? If you're simply looking to unload a few things (like furniture) to someone in your area, you may opt for more localized platforms. For example, Craigslist sorts marketplaces according to city, state, etc. Many people prefer local selling because it eliminates the need for mailing items. However, it also limits your marketplace, which can mean less demand — and, possibly, less money.
How will you hand over goods? If you decide to sell unwanted items to people far away, make sure you're prepared. You will need tape, packaging, and postal supplies like stamps. You also have to account for shipping costs. If you're selling goods locally, decide whether you will deliver or whether the buyer needs to pick the items up themselves. While it's convenient to skip delivery and demand pick-up, it can limit your market.