The short version
- Craigslist: Free in most categories, with a short list of paid exceptions
- WishThrift: No listing fee, no selling commission, and no buyer-side fee
- Bottom line: WishThrift charges nothing on any sale
- Rates verified: 26 Jul 2026, direct from Craigslist’s own fee page
Fee comparison
| Platform | What it costs to sell |
|---|---|
| Craigslist | Free in most categories, with a short list of paid exceptions |
| WishThrift | No listing fee, no selling commission, and no buyer-side fee |
In full, as verified on 26 Jul 2026: Free in most categories. Paid exceptions: US jobs $10-75; cars, trucks, RVs and motorcycles by owner $5; by-dealer categories $5; services $5; gigs $3-10; apartment rentals in Boston, Chicago and New York $5.
Who actually pays
Neither side pays on either platform for ordinary second-hand goods. Craigslist’s paid categories are narrow and mostly commercial — jobs, services, vehicle sales by owner — and WishThrift has no paid categories at all. For selling a bike or a bookshelf, both are free.
What you keep on a sale
There is no gap to show here, and it would be dishonest to invent one. A standard listing is free on both platforms and neither takes a commission, so on a sale of any size you keep the full amount you agree with the buyer either way. The comparison below is therefore about reach and model, not price.
Where money does enter the picture is around the edges of that free listing, and that is worth reading carefully: Craigslist is free in most categories. The paid exceptions are specific: US jobs $10-75; cars, trucks, RVs and motorcycles by owner $5; by-dealer categories $5; services $5; gigs $3-10; and apartment rentals in Boston, Chicago and New York $5.
Where Craigslist is genuinely better
A comparison that finds nothing good to say about the other side is not worth reading. These are real advantages, and for some sellers they will settle the question:
- Enormous, entrenched US local reach. In many American cities Craigslist is still the default place people look, particularly for furniture and appliances.
- Genuine anonymity. Relay email addresses let you sell without exposing contact details or building any kind of profile.
- No account required to browse or, in many cases, to post, which removes every barrier to a quick sale.
- Free housing and jobs sections that WishThrift does not attempt to cover.
Where WishThrift is better
- Listings look like listings. Photo grids, structured categories and filters rather than plain-text lines, which matters a lot when a buyer is browsing rather than searching.
- Accounts with a visible history, so a buyer can see they are dealing with a real seller rather than an anonymous relay address.
- Filters that work, including condition, price and location — you can search for a Like New item under a set price rather than scrolling.
- Four live markets from one listing, rather than a separate board per city.
Who each one suits
Craigslist. Craigslist suits US sellers with something large, local and unglamorous, who value anonymity and want the widest possible local pool with no account and no fuss.
WishThrift. WishThrift suits sellers whose items benefit from being seen properly — clothing, electronics, collectables — and buyers who want to filter rather than trawl.
WishThrift is also the newer and considerably smaller of the two, and that is worth saying plainly: a larger audience finds buyers faster. Because listing here costs nothing, the question is rarely which one to choose — it is whether there is any reason not to use both.
Moving your listings across
Craigslist posts need real work to move across, because the format encourages terse plain text with one or two photographs. Take the time to add proper photos and split the description into what it is, what condition it is in and how collection works. Both are free, so run them together: Craigslist for local volume, WishThrift for anything where presentation affects the price.
Want to try it without paying anything? Listing on WishThrift is free, there is no commission, and you keep the full amount you agree with the buyer — see how selling works or create a free account.
Frequently asked questions
Is Craigslist free to sell on?
In most categories yes. The paid exceptions are US jobs at $10-75, cars, trucks, RVs and motorcycles by owner at $5, by-dealer categories at $5, services at $5, gigs at $3-10, and apartment rentals in Boston, Chicago and New York at $5. WishThrift is free in every category with no exceptions.
Is WishThrift safer than Craigslist?
Neither platform processes payments or verifies items, so the same care applies to both: meet in a public place, confirm payment before handing anything over, and be wary of anyone who will not answer direct questions. WishThrift accounts do carry a visible history, which Craigslist’s anonymous relay model does not, but that is a small difference rather than a guarantee.
Can I post in multiple cities?
On Craigslist each city is a separate board and cross-posting is restricted. A WishThrift listing is visible across the whole marketplace, with location shown so local buyers can still filter for it.
Sources and method. Craigslist’s rates were verified on 26 Jul 2026 via craigslist.org/about/help/posting_fees (official). WishThrift’s own position — no listing fee, no commission, no buyer fee — is checked against the live site. Fees change, sometimes without notice: this page is reviewed quarterly and the figures above should be confirmed against Craigslist’s own fee page before you rely on them for a large sale.
More comparisons: all marketplace fee comparisons · work out what your item is worth · read about condition grades.