Best Apps for Selling Used Items: Xianyu vs Facebook Marketplace vs eBay
Choose Facebook Marketplace for quick local sales, eBay for higher-value items that can ship, and Xianyu only if you are selling inside China or to Chinese buyers. That is the practical answer for most people. Facebook Marketplace has huge reach, with Meta saying more than 1 billion people use it each month [source: Meta]. But reach is not the same as safety, speed, or profit.
TLDR: Facebook Marketplace is best for bulky items like sofas, bikes, and baby gear because buyers can collect locally and pay fast. eBay is better for electronics, collectibles, branded clothes, and parts because buyers search by exact model and often accept shipping costs. Xianyu is powerful in China, but it is not the easiest choice for sellers outside that market. For example, a used $250 camera may sell for more on eBay, while a $40 office chair will usually move faster on Facebook Marketplace with no shipping hassle.
Best Overall Choice: Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is the easiest app for most casual sellers. If you want to clear out a garage, sell a desk, or move an old stroller, it is hard to beat. Listings are free. Posting takes only a few minutes. Local buyers can message you right away.
The biggest strength is simple: people nearby already use Facebook. You do not need to build a seller profile from scratch. You can list a couch in the morning and have three people asking about pickup by lunch.
The catch is that Facebook Marketplace can feel messy. Expect low offers. Expect “Is this available?” messages from people who disappear. It drives me crazy that a serious buyer and a time-waster can look exactly the same in Messenger until you have wasted 20 minutes.
Best for:
- Furniture and home goods
- Baby items and toys
- Bicycles, tools, and fitness gear
- Items too large or cheap to ship
Not ideal for: rare collectibles, expensive electronics, or items that need buyer protection and verified shipping records.
Best for Shipping and Serious Buyers: eBay
eBay is still the strongest option for selling items beyond your local area. It works well when buyers know exactly what they want. A buyer searching for “Sony WH-1000XM4 used” or “Nintendo 3DS charger” is already close to purchase. That intent matters.
eBay also gives sellers tools that Facebook lacks. You can set auctions, fixed prices, shipping rules, promoted listings, and return policies. This helps if you sell more than once or twice a year.
Fees are the main drawback. In many categories, eBay takes a final value fee that can sit around the low double digits, plus payment and order-related charges. That can sting. If you sell a $300 item, the fee can feel very real after shipping materials and postage.
Still, eBay often earns its keep. You may get a better price than you would locally. This is common with branded tools, gaming gear, vintage items, watches, sneakers, and spare parts.
Best for:
- Electronics and accessories
- Collectibles and vintage items
- Branded clothing and shoes
- Small items with national or global demand
Not ideal for: cheap bulky goods, fragile furniture, or items where shipping costs would kill the deal.
Best for China: Xianyu
Xianyu, also known as Idle Fish, is the leading used-goods app in China. It is owned by Alibaba and connects closely with China’s payment and commerce systems. For sellers in China, it can be excellent. For sellers outside China, it is usually not the first app to choose.
Xianyu is strong because it feels built around real secondhand culture. People sell phones, fashion, books, appliances, hobby items, and even services. Prices can move fast. Buyers haggle often. Listings with clear photos and direct descriptions tend to perform better.
The weak point is access. If you do not read Chinese, use Chinese payment tools, or ship within China, the app can become frustrating very quickly. Account setup, buyer messages, trust signals, and dispute handling are not friendly to casual international sellers.
Best for:
- Sellers based in mainland China
- Chinese-language listings
- Fashion, phones, books, and daily-use goods
- Local resale within Chinese cities
Not ideal for: sellers in the U.S., Europe, or other regions who want a simple cross-border selling app.
Trust, Safety, and Payments
Safety should shape your choice. Facebook Marketplace works best with local pickup, but that means meeting strangers. Use public places. Bring another person if the item is valuable. Avoid weird payment stories, courier scams, and buyers who rush you.
eBay has more formal buyer and seller systems. That can help with disputes. It also means you must follow rules carefully. Late shipping, weak packaging, and vague item descriptions can hurt your account.
Xianyu relies heavily on Chinese platform norms, user ratings, chat records, and payment links. It can work well if you understand the system. If not, small mistakes can become a headache.
Which App Should You Pick?
- Use Facebook Marketplace if you want speed, local pickup, and no seller fees for basic listings.
- Use eBay if your item is searchable, shippable, and worth enough to absorb fees.
- Use Xianyu if you are selling in China or can comfortably handle Chinese-language resale.
If profit matters most, check sold prices on eBay before listing. If speed matters most, list on Facebook Marketplace first. If you are in China, Xianyu may beat both for local demand.
The plain answer: Facebook Marketplace is the best everyday app, eBay is the best serious resale platform, and Xianyu is the best China-focused option. Pick based on where your buyers are, how big the item is, and how much effort you are willing to spend.