Need some extra cash? When you’re low on funds, selling your stuff is one way to make money fast. We’re not saying you need to sell family heirlooms, but some items around your home might be worth a few...
Need some extra cash? When you’re low on funds, selling your stuff is one way to make money fast. We’re not saying you need to sell family heirlooms, but some items around your home might be worth a few bucks to the right buyer.
We’ve rounded up the best apps to sell your stuff right from your iOS or Android device — you don’t even need to leave the house. We have the best apps to sell stuff, from general online marketplaces to those with more specific focuses, such as fashion.
What Are the Best Apps to Sell Your Stuff?
Rather than providing you with an endless list of selling apps that may have low virtual foot traffic, we’ve rounded up the top five apps for you to sell your stuff. After testing each platform, we found the following selling apps to be the best options:
You cannot understate the power and scale of Facebook. Whether you love the big blue social app or not, it provides many free services, including a marketplace. Over recent years, Facebook Marketplace has grown, proving to be one of the most powerful apps for everyday individuals looking to sell unwanted items lying around their homes.
If you already have a Facebook account, selling on the website is as easy as launching the app on your smartphone. Head to the “Marketplace” tab at the bottom of the screen. From there, tap the “Sell” button in the upper-left corner and choose “Create Listing.”
You can sell nearly anything on Facebook Marketplace, from items to entire homes; however, some things, such as drugs, weapons and animals, are not allowed. Keep it legal and non-dangerous, and you can likely list it.
Our favorite features of Facebook Marketplace include your ability to set your item’s price and the lack of fees when dealing with local buyers. If desired, you can also use Facebook Marketplace to sell things over long distances with minimal additional costs.
Poshmark
Fashion fans are likely already familiar with the selling app Poshmark, but if you are not, let us make the introduction. Poshmark is an online marketplace that allows members to sell clothing and accessories or, as Poshmark puts it, “new and secondhand style for women, men, kids, home, and more.” It might be an excellent way to clean out your dresser drawers.
Signing up for Poshmark is free, and you can immediately begin browsing the marketplace, but we aren’t here for shopping — we are here for selling. Begin your journey by heading to the “Sell” tab at the bottom of the screen and start taking photos of the item you wish to list.
You’ll need to fill in information such as the item’s size, original price and the price you are asking, although Poshmark can suggest pricing to start. Additional details, such as the item category, brand, color and style, can help shoppers discover your item.
Once your item sells, you’ll need to carefully package it up and ship it out using the provided shipping label. You can withdraw your sales funds anytime via direct deposit to your bank account, a physical check or an instant money transfer.
For sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat fee of $2.95. If you sell anything above $15, Poshmark will take a 20% commission, leaving you with 80%. Not a bad deal compared to most selling apps.
Decluttr
If you want to sell your electronics fast and don’t want to deal with the hassle of other people, then Decluttr might be your solution. This online company is ready to buy whatever electronics you have, from smartphones to tablets.
You can likely obtain more money selling your items on your own either locally or using an online sales platform, such as eBay, but Decluttr is the easiest of all selling apps. Selling an item on Decluttr is as easy as accessing its website and clicking “Start Selling.”
Decluttr will ask you questions about your device to help determine its value, including the item’s model and serial number. You may also need to answer additional questions about your item’s overall condition and, in the case of smartphones, which cellular provider it utilizes.
Decluttr will then provide you with a sales price. If the price appeals to you, you can mail in the item using the free shipping label. Once Decluttr receives your device and can confirm its condition, you will receive payment via direct deposit or PayPal.
In addition to electronics, Decluttr also accepts specific forms of media, including books, video games, Blu-rays, CDs and DVDs.
eBay
The king of the selling apps remains eBay, a go-to when most individuals think it’s time to sell stuff online. But is eBay as good as it once was, and should you use it to sell your items? Maybe.
eBay remains a popular platform for sales, allowing sellers to offer up their goods in either an auction or flat-fee (Buy It Now) format. If you want to sell your stuff, eBay will provide you with a large audience of individuals ready to whip out their credit cards.
But where is the hesitation? As eBay has grown, so have its listing and selling fees. Nearly every item category on eBay has a different fee, so you’ll need to check it out by visiting eBay’s Seller Fees page; it’s less than user-friendly.
We also found that in most sales-related disputes, eBay tends to settle with the buyer. So you’ll need to be prepared for a situation in which your buyer needs to return your item and you may be liable for the return shipping costs.
We recommend going with eBay if you have some sales experience and are looking to maximize exposure (there are tons of potential buyers). This can be particularly important when selling niche or expensive items.
Other options are available if you plan to sell locally rather than online.
OfferUp
OfferUp provides an excellent local marketplace for selling stuff that might otherwise collect dust. Posting an item for sale is as easy as launching the app and tapping the “Post” tab at the bottom of the screen. Then, follow along to snap a few photos and list your item. We recommend filling out as many details as possible for the best exposure.
Once an item is listed, OfferUp works similarly to Facebook Marketplace in that prospective buyers will reach out to you if interested. There are no fees if you choose to sell your item locally in person. However, if you wish to ship your item to someone, OfferUp will charge a fee as part of the transaction.
One unique aspect of OfferUp is that it offers (no pun intended) a paid subscription plan. The OfferUp plan is called Promote Plus and promotes your item so that more potential buyers are likely to view it. Promote Plus costs $2.99 a day, $7.99 for three days or $19.99 a month. We recommend it only for those clearing out a large inventory.
In our testing, we found OfferUp to be quite responsive, and we received a healthy number of replies for the items listed. We recommend OfferUp as one of the best selling apps to anyone looking to buy or sell items in their local area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
For most individuals, the best way to sell their belongings is locally using an online marketplace, such as Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp, the best selling apps for local transactions and sales. Otherwise, a service such as Decluttr is desirable if you wish to sell electronics and want money fast.
To start selling your stuff, you’ll need to select an online sales platform. We’ve chosen Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, Decluttr, eBay and OfferUp as our best selling apps. Once selected, complete your listing with quality photos and thorough descriptions of your item.
If you’re new to selling items online, we recommend getting started with an option that offers local buyers, such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. By dealing with local sales only, not only can you avoid excess fees, but there is no worry about shipping items to buyers.
Michael Archambault is a senior writer with The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.