Gumtree vs Facebook Marketplace: which is better for a local sale?

What does a local seller pay on Gumtree and on Facebook?

Gumtree's fees page says there is no seller fee when you use Gumtree payments. The buyer pays Gumtree’s Buyer Protection fee at checkout: £0.70 plus 5% to 10%, and the buyer also pays delivery. One highlight on Gumtree's delivery article says £0.70 + 5% as well, so read the checkout, not only the highlight.

Facebook's UK help page does not state a fee for a local pick-up. Do not fill that gap with a guess. Look at whether the listing has checkout or only a message button.

Gumtree's fees page, dated 30 October 2025, says there are no seller fees or costs when you use payments on Gumtree. Source

Gumtree's fees page, dated 30 October 2025, says Gumtree’s Buyer Protection fee at checkout is £0.70 plus 5% to 10% of the item price, depending on value and category, and that the buyer pays delivery. The Buyer Protection policy, dated 30 July 2026, states the same £0.70 plus 5% to 10%. A delivery article dated 20 November 2025 repeats 5% to 10% in the checkout steps, and a highlight on that article also says £0.70 + 5%. Use the figure at checkout. Source

Facebook's UK help page, “How Purchase Protection works on Facebook Marketplace”, says: Purchase Protection isn't available in your location right now. Source

What is covered if you use Buy Now, delivery, or a doorstep handover?

Gumtree's policy covers eligible Buy Now orders paid through Mangopay: non-arrival, significant misdescription, and transit damage, reported in My Orders within 48 hours of confirmed delivery. Online payment for delivery is for eligible items up to £250. Collection with online payment uses a 6-digit Collection Code, and entering it releases the funds. That step cannot be reversed.

Facebook's UK help page says: Purchase Protection isn't available in your location right now. "Is this still available" is only the start of the conversation. Agree the price before anyone travels.

1. Gumtree's fees page, dated 30 October 2025, says there are no seller fees or costs when you use payments on Gumtree. https://www.gumtree.com/info/safety/p/payments/how-fees-and-selling-costs-are-charged/
2. Gumtree's fees page, dated 30 October 2025, says Gumtree’s Buyer Protection fee at checkout is £0.70 plus 5% to 10% of the item price, depending on value and category, and that the buyer pays delivery. The Buyer Protection policy, dated 30 July 2026, states the same £0.70 plus 5% to 10%. A delivery article dated 20 November 2025 repeats 5% to 10% in the checkout steps, and a highlight on that article also says £0.70 + 5%. Use the figure at checkout. https://www.gumtree.com/info/safety/p/trust-safety/buying/buyer-protection-policy/
3. Gumtree's delivery article, dated 20 November 2025, says eligible ads can be sent with an Evri label, delivery can be switched off for collection only, and the seller should ship within 7 days. It says funds are released 48 hours after delivery if no dispute is raised, or when the buyer confirms they are satisfied. Mangopay holds the payment until then. https://www.gumtree.com/info/life/p/gumtree/delivery-on-gumtree/delivery-on-gumtree-everything-you-need-to-know/
4. Gumtree's Buyer Protection policy, dated 30 July 2026, says Buy Now paid through Mangopay can cover an item that does not arrive, is significantly not as described, or is damaged in transit. It does not cover a change of mind. https://www.gumtree.com/info/safety/p/trust-safety/buying/buyer-protection-policy/
5. Gumtree's Buyer Protection policy, dated 30 July 2026, says that if nobody reports a problem within 48 hours of confirmed delivery, the order is treated as accepted and payment is released to the seller. https://www.gumtree.com/info/safety/p/trust-safety/buying/buyer-protection-policy/
6. Gumtree's online-payments page, dated 16 September 2026, says that for collection with online payment the seller enters the buyer's 6-digit Collection Code, the funds release then, and that step cannot be reversed. https://www.gumtree.com/info/safety/p/payments/how-payments-work-for-items-eligible-for-delivery-on-gumtree/
7. Facebook's UK help page, “How Purchase Protection works on Facebook Marketplace”, says: Purchase Protection isn't available in your location right now. https://mbasic.facebook.com/help/228307904608701?locale=en_GB
8. Facebook's Marketplace safety help recommends meeting in a public, well-lit place, and sharing the meeting plan with a trusted friend or family member. https://mbasic.facebook.com/help/1156544111079919?locale=en_GB

How do you get paid, and what if nobody collects?

On a Gumtree delivery order, the delivery article says funds are released 48 hours after delivery if nobody raises a dispute, or sooner if the buyer confirms they are satisfied. On collection with online payment, the code releases the funds when you enter it.

If nobody collects, do not hand the item over. A missed visit is not, by itself, proof of fraud. Read fake payment emails if the message claims you have already been paid.

Which local sale suits Gumtree, Facebook, or another app?

Match the app to the item in front of you. Look at the fee on that order, how the item will travel, and what the help page says if it is not as described. A large wardrobe audience and a doorstep collection are different jobs.

SilentSale® is a UK marketplace for private individuals, and it is one option beside the apps in the table. Buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price to SilentCover® (£0.60 each on a £10 item), a discretionary protection service. Stripe processes the payment and holds the funds until the order is completed. Tracked Shipping has 72 hours after delivery to report an issue. PIN Pickup means the buyer pays in the app, inspects in person, then shares a 6-digit PIN. There is no cash, and there is no dispute step after that PIN.

Use Gumtree payments when the item is within the £250 delivery limit, or when the advert offers the collection code and you are content with that buyer charge. Use Facebook Marketplace when the buyer is nearby. Facebook's UK help page says: Purchase Protection isn't available in your location right now. For a posted sale with a published private-seller fee, read eBay vs Facebook Marketplace.

There are no listing costs. The standard seller contribution to SilentCover® is deducted after a successful sale; review your earnings preview.

Stripe processes payments and holds funds until the order completes.

For Shipping, report problems within 72 hours after confirmed delivery, or the collection scan for a locker or parcel-shop order. Confirming receipt closes the window early, so inspect first.

PIN Pickup is an in-person handover. The buyer inspects the item before sharing their six-digit PIN; the seller enters it in the app to complete the order. The PIN is acceptance. There is no shipping, tracking or post-handover dispute window.

What should you read before you agree to meet?

Write the measurements, the faults and who will carry a heavy item before you set a time. Then read collection-only items, sell locally without cash, SilentSale® vs Gumtree and SilentSale® vs Facebook Marketplace.

Furniture has its own notes in best app to sell furniture UK. Chargeback patterns are in how to avoid chargeback scams when selling.

Check the live order in the app you opened yourself before you post a parcel or hand an item over. A chat message, a screenshot or an email is not the order.