Facebook Marketplace vs Gumtree vs Etsy: Where Should I Sell?

An honest, Australian comparison of Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Etsy, and Stuff Exchange. We've sold on all of them. Here's what actually matters when you're selling furniture and homewares.

The honest comparison nobody else is giving you

Every "Facebook Marketplace alternatives" article you'll find online is written by someone who's never actually sold a teak sideboard on any of these platforms. They list 22 options, half of which don't exist in Australia, and none of which account for the specific problem of selling furniture and homewares locally.

This is different. We've sold on all of them. Here's what actually matters.

Facebook Marketplace: the default, not the best

Facebook Marketplace became the default because everyone's already on Facebook. That's its biggest advantage and its biggest problem.

When it works: You've got a $50 bookshelf or a kids' bed frame and you want it gone by Saturday. Price it low, mark it as available, and someone will message you. The volume of buyers is unmatched.

When it doesn't: You're selling a $1,500 Parker dining setting. Your listing sits between a broken fan heater and someone selling "kids clothes lot $5." The buyers who can afford your piece and know what it is can't find it. The buyers who message you offer $200 and don't show up. There's no way to verify anyone, no protection if pickup goes wrong, and no recourse if a buyer damages the piece.

Facebook has every buyer in the country. It just can't get the right one to your listing.

The real issue: Facebook's algorithm decides who sees your listing. You can't target. You can't boost (not properly). Your beautiful vintage lamp might get shown to 50 people or 5,000 and you have no control over which.

Gumtree: the slow decline

Gumtree was once where Australians sold everything. It's not 2015 any more.

When it works: Big, heavy items that need local pickup. Gumtree's search is location-based, which is helpful. If someone nearby is looking for exactly what you have, they'll find it.

When it doesn't: The buyer pool has shrunk significantly. Scam messages are constant. You'll get more fake enquiries than real ones on some listings. The interface hasn't been meaningfully updated in years. There's no seller verification, no payment processing, and no protection for either party.

Gumtree still works. It just works a little less every year.

The real issue: Gumtree is in a death spiral. Fewer sellers means fewer buyers means fewer sellers. The people who still use it skew toward bargain hunters, not people looking for quality.

Etsy: great idea, wrong country, different problem now

Etsy was built for handmade and genuine vintage. That was its whole point. But in the last couple of years, the platform has been flooded with mass-produced items from Temu and AliExpress resellers, listed as "handmade" or "vintage" when they're neither. Thousands of Etsy sellers went on strike in 2022 over this, and a petition drew more than 80,000 signatures. Etsy says they're cracking down with AI detection, but anyone who's browsed recently knows the problem hasn't gone away.

On top of the trust issue, there's the cost. Etsy's fees for Australian sellers add up fast: US$0.20 per listing (about A$0.30), 6.5% transaction fee on the total sale (including shipping), 3-4% plus $0.25 payment processing, and offsite ads of 12-15% on any sale that came from an Etsy ad, which they opt you into by default. Plus GST on top of all those fees. The effective total cost is often 12-15% of your sale price before you've paid for shipping materials or your time.

Etsy was built for handmade and vintage. Then the Temu resellers moved in.

The real issue: Etsy used to be a trusted marketplace for handmade and vintage. The reseller flood has eroded that trust. It's also an international platform that doesn't understand the Australian market, local pickup, or large items. If your buyer is probably in Brisbane, Etsy doesn't help you find them.

Stuff Exchange: the Australian option for good stuff

Full disclosure: this is us. But here's why we built it, and you can judge for yourself.

When it works: You have quality pre-loved or vintage items and you want to sell them to people who'll actually appreciate them. You want verified buyers, seller protection, and a platform that makes your pieces look good rather than burying them in noise.

When it doesn't (yet): You need to sell something in the next two hours. We're a growing marketplace, which means the buyer pool is still building. Facebook Marketplace will always be faster for impulse sales. We're not trying to be that.

What's different: Listings are curated. Sellers are verified. Buyers and sellers are protected. The audience comes here specifically looking for good stuff, not scrolling past your listing on the way to something else. And it's Australian: AUD, local pickup built in, designed for how Australians actually buy and sell.

The decision framework

Forget the comparison table for a second. Ask yourself two questions.

Question 1: What am I selling? If it's everyday stuff you want gone, Facebook Marketplace. Done. If it's something with genuine quality, story, or value, keep reading.

Question 2: Who's my buyer? If your buyer is anyone with $50 and a ute, Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree. If your buyer is someone who knows the difference between veneer and solid timber, someone who'll appreciate the piece and look after it, Stuff Exchange.

That's really the whole decision. Match the platform to the piece and the buyer.

Is Gumtree still a good place to sell in 2026?

For big, heavy items that need local pickup, yes. The location search still works. For anything with real quality or value, the shrinking buyer pool and constant scam messages make it hard going. It works, but the experience just keeps sliding.

Is it free to sell on Gumtree?

Basic listings are free. Gumtree earns from paid bumps and featured ads you don't need for most furniture. There's no transaction fee, but no payment protection either, so cash on pickup is on you.

Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree for furniture?

Facebook has far more buyers, so everyday furniture moves faster there. Gumtree's location search edges ahead for big items nearby. Neither verifies buyers or protects the sale, so for quality pieces both leave you exposed.

What are the best Facebook Marketplace alternatives in Australia?

Gumtree for local pickup, eBay for postable collectibles, Etsy for small handmade or vintage, and Stuff Exchange (ahem) for quality pre-loved furniture and homewares sold to a curated Aussie audience.