Gumtree vs eBay vs Facebook Marketplace: which should you sell on?

Side by side

Fees and postage arrangements change; check each site's current terms before listing.

A simple rule for choosing

Ask two questions: would someone search for it by name, and can you post it?

• Searched by brand or model, and postable — eBay Australia.
• Bulky, heavy or collect-only — Facebook Marketplace first, Gumtree second.
• Whitegoods, tools, trailers, cars — Gumtree still has the buyers.
• Styled clothing and vintage — Depop rather than any of these three.

Staying safe on local sales

Local pick-up is where problems happen, and they are easy to avoid.

• Give a suburb, not your street address, until pick-up is arranged.
• Have someone else at home, and meet in the driveway or garage.
• Bank transfer cleared in your account, or cash counted before it leaves.
• Never post or ship an item for an overseas buyer offering to "send a courier" — that is the standard Marketplace scam.

Selling across more than one site

Cross-posting gets more eyes on an item, but you must take it down everywhere the moment it sells. Keep a simple list of what is live where — KindSort marks items as listed and sold so you can see it at a glance.

Common questions

Is Gumtree still worth using in Australia?

Yes for furniture, whitegoods, tools and vehicles, where its buyers still look first. For small branded goods, eBay reaches more people.

Which is cheapest for the seller?

Local pick-up on Facebook Marketplace usually costs nothing. eBay takes fees but often achieves a higher price on branded items.

Do I have to accept an offer?

No. On local sales, first to arrive with the agreed money is a perfectly reasonable rule, and worth stating in the ad.

Try it on one of your own items

Photograph a single item and KindSort suggests a rough price range, the best place to sell it and a title and description you can paste straight in. No account needed for one item.