Where can people in the UK sell used equipment, tools and household items online

Outside the dedicated vehicle marketplaces, UK sellers of equipment, tools and household goods mostly choose between free-to-list giants like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay, smaller niche sites like Preloved and Shpock, and neighbourhood-based Nextdoor. Costs, seller verification and review systems differ significantly between them. This comparison sets out the current pricing and trust features of each so a seller can weigh reach against cost and safety.

Last reviewed 13 September 2026

Declare an interest: GetBrent is one of the options below. Every other platform is described from its own published pages or dated independent sources, and each one is linked so you can check it.

GetBrent

This is us

Specialist marketplace for hiring and buying equipment, vehicles and services

Who it is for: UK businesses selling or hiring equipment; local customers
How to join: Free self-service listing in two minutes, or claim an existing one
Pricing: Free listing; paid plans add unlimited items and first placement - see our pricing page. No commission
Verification: Companies House verification shown as a badge on the listing, plus owner claim
Reviews: Yes - review requests go to real enquirers and every review is checked before it appears

Why GetBrent

+Built for equipment, vehicles, storage and trades rather than household goods
+Businesses only, with Companies House verification shown on the listing
+Hire and sale side by side, so buyers can compare renting against buying

Source

Gumtree

UK's largest general classifieds site for second-hand goods, tools and equipment

Who it is for: Private sellers and small trade sellers of household items, tools, machinery and equipment; local buyers
How to join: Create a free account and post a listing with photos, description and price in the relevant category
Pricing: Basic listing is free; optional promotion (Featured, Urgent or Spotlight adverts) costs from GBP 11.99 up to GBP 24.99 depending on the feature and duration
Verification: No mandatory identity checks for buyers or sellers; transactions and payment are arranged directly between the parties
Reviews: No seller review or star-rating system

Strengths

+Free basic listings with a very large existing UK audience
+Covers almost any category including tools, plant and machinery
+Simple to post and manage listings

Limitations

-No built-in seller verification or review system
-Cash and bank-transfer scams are a known risk, so buyers and sellers are advised to verify identity before handover
-No dedicated business or bulk-listing tools for trade sellers of equipment

Source

Facebook Marketplace

Free peer-to-peer marketplace built into Facebook for local buying and selling

Who it is for: Private sellers and local buyers of household goods, tools and equipment
How to join: List an item from an existing Facebook account under Marketplace, choosing a category, price and photos
Pricing: Free for local, in-person sales; a 2 percent selling fee applies only when a seller uses Facebook's own shipping/checkout for a shipped sale
Verification: Relies on the seller's existing Facebook account identity; no independent buyer or seller vetting
Reviews: Basic buyer/seller ratings exist on some categories, but coverage is inconsistent and not universally shown

Strengths

+No fee for the typical local, in-person sale
+Very large local audience via existing Facebook users
+Direct messaging makes contacting sellers fast

Limitations

-No dedicated seller verification or escrow system
-Limited recourse from Facebook if a deal goes wrong
-Listings can be removed or hidden without much seller control

Source

eBay UK

General online marketplace covering auction-style and fixed-price sales of almost any item

Who it is for: Private sellers and small businesses selling tools, equipment and general goods; nationwide buyers
How to join: Create a standard eBay account and list an item as a private or business seller
Pricing: UK-based private sellers get 300 free listings a month (400 with a GBP 19.99 a month eBay Shop) and pay no final value fee on sales; extra listings beyond the free allowance cost 35p each, plus optional paid upgrades
Verification: Standard eBay account verification and payment processing through eBay's own managed payments system
Reviews: Established eBay feedback and seller rating system, visible to buyers on every listing

Strengths

+No final value fee for UK private sellers under the current fee structure
+Strong buyer and seller protection through eBay's dispute process
+Long-standing feedback system builds seller trust over time

Limitations

-Postage and packaging is down to the seller for heavier tools or equipment
-International or shipped sales attract an extra 3 percent fee
-More setup and photo/description effort than a simple classified ad

Source

Preloved

Long-running UK and Ireland classifieds site for second-hand goods

Who it is for: Private sellers of household items and hobby or craft goods, plus small businesses
How to join: Register for a free account to browse and post basic ads, or upgrade to a paid membership for faster listing visibility
Pricing: Free account available; paid membership tiers are GBP 6 a year (Full), GBP 15 a year (Premium), and GBP 20 a month plus VAT or GBP 45 a month plus VAT for Business and Business Unlimited accounts
Verification: No mandatory identity verification; free-tier ads have a 12-day delay before other users can reply, which paid tiers remove
Reviews: No public seller review or rating system

Strengths

+Long-established niche among UK second-hand and craft or hobby sellers
+Clear tiered pricing for sellers who want more visibility
+Business tiers offer unlimited listings with no per-item commission

Limitations

-Free-tier ads cannot receive replies for 12 days, a real disadvantage versus instant-reply sites
-Much smaller audience than Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace or eBay
-No review or rating system to build buyer trust

Source

Shpock

Mobile-first classifieds app and marketplace for local buying and selling

Who it is for: Private sellers and local buyers, particularly in larger UK cities
How to join: Download the Shpock app or use the website, create a free account and post a listing with photos
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them
Verification: No independent identity or item verification described on the platform's own pages
Reviews: Buyer and seller ratings exist within the app based on past transactions

Strengths

+App-first design suited to quick, photo-led local listings
+Active user base in major UK cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham
+In-app messaging and ratings support buyer and seller trust

Limitations

-Smaller UK audience than Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace
-Current published fee structure is unclear from the platform's own pages
-Primarily local and collection-based, less suited to shipping heavier tools or equipment

Source

Nextdoor (For Sale and Free)

Neighbourhood social network with a built-in local buy, sell and give-away section

Who it is for: Private sellers and buyers within a verified local neighbourhood
How to join: Join Nextdoor with a home address, get verified into your local neighbourhood, then post in the For Sale and Free section
Pricing: Free - no listing fees
Verification: Users must verify a home address to join a neighbourhood, which grounds listings in a real local community rather than anonymous nationwide users
Reviews: No formal star-rating system, but community moderation and neighbour familiarity provide informal accountability

Strengths

+No listing fees at all
+Address-based verification gives more buyer and seller trust than fully anonymous sites
+Well suited to everyday household items, tools and garden equipment sold locally

Limitations

-Reach is limited to a single local neighbourhood rather than a national audience
-Community norms discourage bulk or business-style selling
-Smaller overall UK user base than Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace or eBay

Source

What the table actually says

•eBay UK private sellers currently get 300 free listings a month and pay no final value fee, a change from eBay's older fee structure, per eBay's own published fees page.
•Preloved's free membership tier delays other users from replying to a new ad for 12 days; removing that delay requires a paid membership starting at GBP 6 a year, according to Preloved's own membership page.
•Nextdoor requires address-based neighbourhood verification before a seller can post in its free For Sale and Free section, unlike the largely anonymous listings on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace.

Every figure here was taken from the named company's own published pages on the review date shown, and is linked. Pricing and features change - check the source before making a decision. Company names are the trademarks of their owners, used here to identify the services they refer to. If you run one of these and something is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will correct it.