Mobile shopping is becoming increasingly popular: By 2029, it will make up 63% of ecommerce sales. Whether you’re running an ecommerce store or looking to make extra cash from a closet cleanout—or anything in between—several apps can help you reach mobile customers and make money from your phone.
Ahead, learn about the nine best apps to sell stuff, how to choose the right one, and best practices for selling through them.
9 best apps to sell stuff
There are several apps you can use for selling stuff online. Here are some of the best options:
| App | Seller fees | Who it’s for |
| Shop | None | Ecommerce businesses of all sizes |
| eBay | 13.6% + 40¢ for most product categories | Antique and collectible dealers |
| Facebook Marketplace | None for in-person pickups; 10% (minimum of 80¢) for shipped products | Local sellers |
| Poshmark | $2.95 for sales < $15 cost; 20% order value for sales > $15 | Clothing resellers |
| Etsy | 20¢ per listing; 6.5% of each sale | Crafters |
| OfferUp | No in-person selling fees; 12.9% for shipped products; $75/month to post services | Local sellers |
| Mercari | 10% of sale price | Casual sellers |
| ThredUp | 20%–97% of sale price + $14.99 or $34.99 service fee per bag of clothing | Clothing consigners |
| Craigslist | No selling fees; listing fees for some categories | Local sellers |
1. Shop
The Shop app is an additional way to make money on Shopify for merchants with an online store. When customers buy your products on the Shop app, orders are seamlessly processed through your connected Shopify store. There are no seller fees besides standard payment processing fees, leaving more in your pocket.
The app includes several features to help you convert sales from new and existing customers, like personalized recommendations and AI shopping assistants. Customers can also create collections of products they’re interested in and share their collections with other users.
The Shop app also improves the customer experience with Shop Cash—a rewards program that lets buyers earn virtual cash when they use the Shop app—and detailed shipment tracking. In addition to paying with methods like credit cards, customers can also use Shop Pay Installments, a buy now, pay later option that lets qualified customers make interest-free installments on larger purchases.
Using the Shop app also gives you access to Shop Campaigns, a pay-per-conversion program that lets you target new customers with exclusive offers. As Andrius Baranauskas, director of product at Shopify, explains on an episode of Shopify Masters, “We have brands like Unilever brand Liquid I.V. that were using the product and they saw a 40% reduction in customer acquisition cost using Shop Campaigns.”
Who it’s for
Ecommerce businesses of all sizes
Pricing
Shop Pay is included with your Shopify subscription. There are no additional fees.
Features
- No seller fees
- Wide range of accepted payment methods through Shopify Payments
- Accelerated checkout with Shop Pay
- Reach more customers with Shop Campaigns
- Detailed delivery tracking
- Full customization available on your ecommerce site
2. eBay
eBay was founded in 1995 as an online auction website. Over the years, eBay has evolved to support Buy It Now listings and a mobile app with 2.7 million global monthly downloads.
Thanks to its history as an auction site, eBay attracts sellers in niche markets like antiques and collectibles, but you can sell almost any new or used item on the platform. If you want to sell stuff quickly, use the mobile app to create listings in minutes.
If you run a Shopify store, you can use the Marketplace Connect app to integrate your storefront with eBay. Marketplace Connect syncs inventory and pricing information and allows you to manage eBay sales from your Shopify admin, among other benefits.
Who it’s for
Antique and collectible dealers
Pricing
eBay charges several types of fees:
- Insertion fees: If you list more than 250 products per month, you’ll pay a 35¢ listing fee per product.
- Final value fees: The amount eBay takes from a sale depends on the product category. It ranges from 2.5% to 15.3%, but most sellers pay 13.6% for most categories. You’ll also pay a fixed dollar amount: 30¢ if your product is less than $10, and 40¢ if your product is more than $10.
- eBay store subscriptions: Although you can sell on eBay for free, creating an eBay store can reduce listing and selling fees and add branding to your storefront. Plans start at $4.95 per month.
Features
- Shopify integration available through Marketplace Connect app
- Customizable storefront available through paid subscription
3. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is an online marketplace available to anyone with a Facebook account who meets parent company Meta’s Commerce Policies. Note that Facebook Marketplace doesn’t have its own dedicated app, but you can access it through Facebook’s main app.
Marketplace is often used as a consumer-to-consumer selling tool, and it’s a good option if you’re looking to sell items locally and communicate through Facebook Messenger to organize pickups.
You can set boundaries for where you’re willing to sell, making Facebook Marketplace useful for selling furniture, fitness equipment, televisions, or other heavy, hard-to-ship items. That said, the platform also has some features geared toward small businesses, like in-platform checkout and shipping options.
Who it’s for
Local sellers
Pricing
For shipped products, you’ll pay a 10% selling fee (or a minimum charge of 80¢). You won’t pay a fee for in-person, local sales. No listing fees apply.
Features
- In-app messaging with Facebook Messenger
- Shipping and online checkout available
- In-app checkout accepts major credit and debit cards and PayPal
4. Poshmark
Poshmark is an app best known for its wide selection of secondhand clothing and accessories. Poshmark has several features that can help you sell, like live virtual shopping events and inventory management and analytics tools. Just keep in mind that Poshmark’s selling fees can be higher than those of comparable platforms.
To reach more customers, you can try out Poshmark Shows, livestreams that let you sell products in real time. You can also use Posh Bundle, which encourages buyers to purchase multiple items from your storefront in exchange for discounts and reduced shipping costs.
After you sell an item, Poshmark sends you printable shipping labels with the relevant shipping information. Buyers pay a flat-rate shipping charge of $8.27 on Poshmark.
Who it’s for
Clothing resellers
Pricing
Poshmark’s selling fees depend on the value of your product:
- Products under $15: flat fee of $2.95.
- Products over $15: 20% of the order value.
Features
- Live selling through Posh Shows
- Posh Bundle encourages cross-selling
- In-app payment gateway accepts popular payment methods
5. Etsy
Founded in 2005, Etsy is one of the most popular platforms for selling handmade, vintage, and bespoke items. In addition to a desktop site, Etsy offers a mobile app for customers shopping on their phones.
Etsy has an ad platform that lets you buy advertisements both on and off Etsy to drive more traffic to your shop. If you’re on Shopify, you can sync inventory and manage sales from your Shopify admin using the Marketplace Connect app.
Who it’s for
Crafters
Pricing
Etsy’s fees include:
- Set-up fee: $15 one-time charge to start selling.
- Listing fees: 20¢ per item sold.
- Transaction fee: 6.5% of each sale.
Features
- Shopify integration through Marketplace Connect app
- Customize your storefront with a banner image
- Built-in payment processor Etsy Payments accepts popular payment methods
6. OfferUp
OfferUp is a mobile app that lets you buy and sell locally. It’s been downloaded more than 150 million times and facilitates more than 30 million transactions each year. The platform lets you sell more than physical products, too: You can also post jobs, services, and housing rentals.
Who it’s for
Local sellers
Pricing
OfferUp doesn’t charge selling fees for in-person product sales. If you opt for the platform’s shipping option, OfferUp takes 12.9% of the order total. You’ll need to purchase a subscription ($75 per month) to post services, or pay $25 per job listing.
7. Mercari
Mercari is a Japanese online marketplace with an app that lets shoppers browse everything from second-hand clothing and beauty products to electronics and office supplies.
Mercari is similar to eBay in that it has a wide variety of shippable products for sale. Depending on the product category, you might secure a lower selling fee with Mercari than with eBay. For women’s clothing and accessories under $2,000, for example, you’ll pay 10% with Mercari versus 15% on eBay.
Mercari also offers Instant Pay, which lets you make money fast. You can withdraw up to $600 to a debit card once per day, with a $3 fee per withdrawal.
Who it’s for
Casual sellers
Pricing
Mercari charges a 10% seller’s fee. There are no listing fees.
Features
- Wide array of product categories
- International customer base
- Instant Pay for a fee
8. ThredUp
ThredUp is a consignment platform that helps you sell your used clothing. Instead of creating your own listings, you’ll send your products to ThredUp, and the company will photograph, list, and ship your products for you. The company says it normally takes four to six weeks for products to start selling.
ThredUp sets product prices (although you can make small changes once they’re listed), and the amount you earn depends on the product’s selling price. In order to earn money on your product’s sale, the product must sell within its listing window (between 30 and 90 days). After your product has been live on the site for a while, ThredUp will discount it to encourage sales.
Who it’s for
Clothing consigners
Pricing
ThredUp charges a $14.99 service fee for each 30-pound bag of clothing it processes ($34.99 for premium bags). This means it’s possible to lose money on ThredUp.
ThredUp selling fees depend on the selling price of the item:
- $5–$19.99: ThredUp takes 85%–97% of the product price
- $20–$49.99: ThredUp takes 70%–85%
- $50–$99.99: ThredUp takes 40%–70%
- $100–$199.99: ThredUp takes 20%–40%
- $200+: ThredUp takes 20%
Features
- Platform photographs, lists, and ships your product
- Wide range of accepted brands
9. Craigslist
Craiglist, launched in 1995, is one of the internet’s original marketplaces. Across categories such as résumés, community, for sale, housing, services, jobs, and gigs, it hosts everything from sublets to cars to personal classifieds—even lost keys.
While Craigslist has retained its retro interface, it does have an app that lets buyers and sellers use the platform from their phones. Note that Craiglist doesn’t have shipping functionality, so it’s best used for local pickups. You’ll arrange payment directly with buyers.
Who it’s for
Local sellers
Pricing
Craigslist doesn’t have selling fees, and you won’t pay to post on the platform in most cases. There are a few exceptions, mostly for landlords, car dealers, and job postings.
Features
- No selling fees
- Wide range of accepted posts
How to choose the right app for selling
Here are the main factors to consider when choosing an app for selling items online:
1. Consider your audience
Identify your product’s target audience, then research which selling apps align with your market. For example, Poshmark is a good option if you want to reach fashion lovers shopping for vintage clothes, whereas eBay might be better for collectors looking for baseball cards.
You’ll also want to decide whether your items are better suited for local buyers or customers outside your location. If you plan to sell furniture, for example, you may choose a platform like Facebook Marketplace, which facilitates local pickups. If you’re selling a unique pair of shoes, on the other hand, you might want to expand your audience beyond your local area.
2. Research the fee structure
Compare selling fees, listing fees, shipping fees, and subscription costs across different apps. Each app has its own fee structure. Some platforms charge different fees depending on the product category, so be sure to consider what you’ll be selling as you compare costs.
You might also consider the convenience factor: A platform like ThredUp charges higher fees than other platforms, but it photographs, lists, and ships your products. This makes ThredUp a good choice to make money online for beginners, since you don’t need to take photos, write product descriptions, or price items yourself.
3. Explore features
Different apps offer different features, like multiple payment methods, accelerated checkout, quick cash deposits, and in-app messaging.
For example, eBay has auction features that let you set your lowest price and have customers bid against each other. Poshmark includes social features like Posh Stories, which lets you showcase your products in short videos similar to Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat. Platforms like Craigslist are more barebones.
As you compare platforms, think about which features you’ll need both now and in the future.
4. Think about customization
If you’re looking to make money online by cleaning out your closet or selling your old electronics, you might not care about building a brand. But if you’re considering turning a side hustle into a business, brand-building is essential.
You’ll want to choose a selling app that lets you build a storefront that showcases essential brand identity elements like your brand colors. This can help consumers recognize your company.
Platforms like the Shop app direct customers to your ecommerce site, where they’ll see your brand identity on full display. Other platforms, like eBay, let you pay to add personalized elements to your storefront, like banner images. On a platform like ThredUp, buyers won’t see who they’re purchasing from at all.
Tips for selling on apps
Here are some best practices for selling items on apps:
Take high-quality product images
High-quality product photography can make the difference between someone clicking on your product and scrolling past it. Although you can use your smartphone, consider investing in a higher-quality camera that gives you more control over depth of field and exposure.
You can take professional photos with simple colored backdrops, or feature your products in a more natural setting. South Van Der Lee, who runs the Calgary-based company GOGO Sweaters, features her products being worn outdoors.
“It’s really important that we have photos—especially when you’re trying to sell online—that the shoppers can put themselves into,” South says on an episode of Shopify Masters.
Write strong product descriptions
Successfully selling online involves writing product descriptions that are both compelling and accurate.
If you’re selling used items like furniture or secondhand clothing, give detailed information about wear and tear. Transparency about the condition of your items can help prevent returns and maintain your reputation on the platform, attracting more customers in the long run. Even one bad review from a customer who feels misled by your product descriptions can negatively impact sales.
Set appropriate prices
Choosing a competitive selling price is essential to making sales. Research similar products and evaluate how their asking price is justified.
If you’re selling new items, price your products in relation to variable costs like raw materials and production and fixed costs like overhead. Then, add a markup to ensure a healthy profit margin. You can use Shopify’s profit margin calculator to find an appropriate price.
If you’re selling used products, setting a price isn’t as straightforward. You’ll need to consider the initial selling price of your product, its condition, and its rarity. Check prices across platforms to see how similar products are valued.
Be safe
Don’t give buyers any personal information, and avoid inviting buyers into your home. If you sell stuff locally, choose a safe, visible meeting spot in a public place, like outside of a police station. Check out potential buyers’ profiles before meeting with them to see if they are who they claim to be. Use secure payment methods like PayPal, Stripe, or Shopify Payments.
Best apps to sell stuff FAQ
What is the best app to sell my stuff on?
The best apps to sell stuff on are:
- Shop
- eBay
- Facebook Marketplace
- Poshmark
- Etsy
- OfferUp
- Mercari
- ThredUp
- Craigslist
What selling app has the lowest fees?
Shop, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace have the lowest fees. The Shop app is included with every Shopify plan at no extra cost. Craigslist does not charge transaction fees (although it charges fees for some types of listings), and Facebook Marketplace does not charge fees for in-person sales (shipped sales include fees).
What is the most profitable site to sell on?
The most profitable app to sell on is the Shop app, which connects directly to your ecommerce site without platform fees. Other profitable sites to sell on include Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, and Mercari.
