The short version
- Typical range: £30 – £180 — see the full circular saw value guide
- What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
- Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
- Category: Tools & DIY
Before you photograph it
Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.
- Test the lower guard repeatedly. If it sticks open, the saw is unsafe and must not be sold as working.
- Check the cable for nicks along its whole length, and the plug for damage.
- Test the depth and bevel adjustments, and note the blade size and whether a blade is included.
The photographs that sell a circular saw
Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.
- The saw from the side, whole, on a bench
- The lower guard in the closed position
- The base plate and depth and bevel adjusters
- The cable and plug, plus the rating plate and any damage
Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.
Writing the title and description
Brand, blade size and power: “Makita 190mm Circular Saw, 1200W, Corded” or “DeWalt 18V Cordless Circular Saw, Body Only”. Blade diameter is the search. On cordless tools say body only or how many batteries, because it changes the price completely.
Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:
- Brand, model, blade diameter and maximum cut depth
- Corded wattage, or battery platform and voltage for cordless
- Whether a blade, guide rail, case or dust adapter is included
- Guard function, cable condition and any fault
What buyers will actually ask
You will receive the same three messages about a circular saw. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.
Test it several times and confirm. A guard that sticks open is a serious hazard, and this is the single most important thing to check on a used circular saw.
For cordless, say clearly and name the platform. Body-only tools are worth far less and buyers filter for the distinction.
Run it through your hands and inspect it. Nicked insulation on a power tool cable is a real risk and must be disclosed.
Pricing it so it actually sells
Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.
The circular saw value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.
What you keep, compared
On a £105 sale — roughly the middle of the range for a circular saw — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:
| Where you sell it | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| WishThrift | £0 | £105 |
| Poshmark | −£21 | £84 |
| eBay | −£14 | £91 |
| Mercari | −£10 | £95 |
| Etsy | −£7 | £98 |
Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.
Timing and getting it to the buyer
Lifts in spring as projects start and before Christmas. Trade brands sell within days; unbranded tools compete on price alone.
Heavy and awkward. Remove the blade or ensure the guard is secured for transport, and box it properly — an exposed blade in a parcel is dangerous to whoever handles it.
WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list it? It takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and there is no commission when it sells — create a free account or see how selling works.
Frequently asked questions
What is a used circular saw worth?
Typically £30 to £180, with trade brands and cordless kits well above. See the circular saw value guide for the bands.
Can I sell a saw with a faulty guard?
Not as usable. The retracting lower guard is the primary safety feature, and a saw whose guard sticks open should be repaired or sold clearly as spares and repair, never as working.
Should I include a blade?
It helps, and a sharp blade is a genuine selling point. Say what type it is — a fine-tooth finishing blade and a rip blade suit different buyers.
See also: what a used circular saw is worth · browse live tools & diy listings · condition grades explained.