eBay vs Kleinanzeigen

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

eBay

Global online marketplace for auctions and fixed-price sales of new and used goods.

Free plan + paid

Visit eBay eBay profile

Kleinanzeigen

Germany's biggest classifieds site for buying and selling used goods, cars, flats and jobs locally.

Free plan + paid

Visit Kleinanzeigen Kleinanzeigen profile

The short answer

eBay is a national and global marketplace with auctions, shipping and seller fees on every sale; Kleinanzeigen is Germany's classifieds site where private listings are free and most deals are local. In Germany, Kleinanzeigen suits everyday second-hand items, furniture, cars and flats. eBay suits collectibles, parts and electronics where auctions and a wider audience get a better price. The two are separate companies.

eBay or Kleinanzeigen: our take

Despite the shared history, these are now separate businesses. Kleinanzeigen was called eBay Kleinanzeigen until May 2023, after eBay sold it to Adevinta in 2021. It works like classifieds: a fixed price or open to offers (VB), with buyer and seller agreeing the deal in chat and often meeting to hand over the item. eBay is built around shipped sales, either at auction or at a fixed price, with buyers in 200+ countries, built-in shipping labels and its own buyer and seller protection rules.

Fees are the biggest practical difference. On eBay, listing is free up to 250 listings a month, then $0.35 each, and a final value fee of 13.6% applies in most categories, plus a per-order fee of $0.30 for orders $10 or less or $0.40 above that (US figures). Kleinanzeigen listing stays free for private users within limits, with paid options to push an ad higher and PRO subscriptions for businesses that want a company page and better placement. It offers optional secure payment with buyer protection and DHL and Hermes labels, but many sales are cash on collection.

The audiences differ too. Kleinanzeigen is Germany only and in German, with a huge local audience that includes property, jobs and cars, but scam messages are common and there are no auctions to help price rare items. eBay brings auctions, authentication in some categories, eBay Stores, live selling through eBay Live and AI listing help, at the cost of a busier interface and more packing work.

In Germany, use Kleinanzeigen for bulky or everyday used goods you'd rather sell locally without fees. Use eBay for collectibles, trading cards, car parts and electronics where a national or international audience, or an auction, is worth paying commission for.

Choose eBay if…

Sellers of collectibles, parts and electronics who want a national or global audience
Huge audience, with international selling to 200+ countries
Auctions help price rare and collectible items

Choose Kleinanzeigen if…

People in Germany selling or buying second-hand items, cars or flats locally without auction fees
Free listings for private sellers within generous limits
Huge local audience across Germany, including property and cars

What is eBay?

eBay is one of the oldest online marketplaces, founded in 1995, where individuals and businesses sell new, used, refurbished and collectible items through auctions or fixed-price listings. Unlike local classifieds, most eBay sales are shipped, with discounted labels from the major carriers, and buyers and sellers are covered by eBay's own protection and returns rules. It is strong for collectibles, trading cards, car parts, electronics and luxury goods, with authentication programmes in some categories. Sellers can open an eBay Store for lower fees and marketing tools, use AI help to write listings, sell live on video through eBay Live, and reach buyers internationally. Listing is free up to a monthly allowance; eBay mainly earns from final value fees on sales, plus advertising and store subscriptions. It runs in the browser and on iOS and Android, with country sites in many markets.

What is Kleinanzeigen?

Kleinanzeigen is the German classifieds marketplace that most people still know by its old name, eBay Kleinanzeigen. Private sellers post ads for almost anything, from sofas and bikes to cars, rental flats, jobs and local services, and buyers either collect in person or have the item shipped. There are no auctions: items go up at a fixed price or as open to offers (VB), and the two sides agree the deal in the app's chat. An optional secure-payment service adds buyer protection, and shipping labels for DHL and Hermes can be bought inside the platform. Listing is free for private users within limits, with paid options to push an ad higher; businesses pay per ad or subscribe to Kleinanzeigen PRO for a company page and better placement. It runs on the web and in iOS and Android apps, and is aimed at Germany. eBay sold it to Adevinta in 2021 and the eBay name was dropped in 2023, so it is now a separate company from eBay.

Side by side

Attribute	eBay	Kleinanzeigen
Pricing	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Best for	Sellers of collectibles, parts and electronics who want a national or global audience	People in Germany selling or buying second-hand items, cars or flats locally without auction fees
Status	Active	Active