Sell Pets Online
Disclosure. This site is published by the team behind the Pets Home app, which appears in the comparison below. We have tried to describe the alternatives fairly and to be explicit about what Pets Home costs and does not do. Judge it against the others rather than taking our word for it.
The options compared
| Platform type | Reach | Animal sales allowed | Details private | Scam exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated pet app | Moderate, targeted | Yes | Yes | Lower |
| Breed / species community | Small, expert | Depends on group | No | Lower |
| Vet or shop noticeboard | Very small, local | Yes | Yes | Very low |
| Facebook Marketplace | Largest | No — prohibited | No | High |
| Craigslist / classifieds | Large | Restricted | No | Highest |
Dedicated pet apps
Built for one job, so the audience is people who opened an app specifically to find an animal. Listings are searchable by species, breed and distance rather than sinking down a feed after a day, enquiries come from registered accounts, and messaging stays inside the app so your phone number and address are not sitting in a public advert.
The trade-off is reach. No pet app has Facebook's user numbers, so for a very common animal in a dense area you may get fewer enquiries — but a much higher proportion of them will be worth answering.
Business models differ and this is the thing to check first. Some are free to list and make money from the buyer side. Some charge the person listing a subscription. Some are free but take a commission on the sale. None of these is wrong, but they change who your listing reaches and what you net.
Pets Home, for transparency: free to download on iOS and Android; creating a listing requires an active 7-day free trial or a paid subscription; no commission is taken and no payment is processed, so whatever price you set is entirely between you and the buyer.
Facebook and social platforms
Worth being clear about, because it is the first place most people try. Facebook's commerce policies prohibit the sale of animals. Marketplace listings for pets are removed, frequently with a strike against the account, and repeated attempts can cost you the account entirely.
Local rehoming groups are a grey area — many tolerate posts at the moderators' discretion, particularly where no money changes hands. If you use them, understand what you are giving up: no account verification, your profile and often your location visible to everyone, no structure to enquiries, and no record of what was agreed. Groups can also be a genuinely good route when they are well moderated and local, so it is not a blanket no — just not something to rely on.
Craigslist and general classifieds
Craigslist permits rehoming with a small adoption fee but prohibits outright sales, and enforcement is inconsistent. Reach is very large and it costs nothing.
It is also the route most heavily targeted by the frauds described in the scams section of our dog guide: overpayment schemes, fake shipping agents and reversible payments. There is no account history to check, no way to tell a genuine enquiry from a scripted one, and posting means putting a contact method in public.
If you use general classifieds, use a throwaway email rather than your phone number, never accept a payment you did not initiate, and refuse every buyer who cannot collect in person.
Breed and species communities
For a pedigree dog, a parrot, a reptile or anything where husbandry knowledge matters, a species-specific forum or breed community will reach fewer people but far better ones. Buyers there can already tell a good animal from a badly kept one and will ask the questions you want asked.
Most have rules about sales posts — read them before posting, because being removed for breaking a rule you did not read tends to be permanent.
Try Pets Home
List by species and distance, keep your contact details private, and set your own price. No commission on whatever you agree.
Free to download. Creating a listing needs a 7-day free trial or a subscription. Cancel anytime.
Which to choose
- Common breed, populated area: a dedicated pet app. Enough reach, much better filtering.
- Pedigree or unusual species: a breed or species community first, an app as backup.
- Senior or hard-to-place animal: contact a breed-specific rescue as well. They often place faster than any listing because they have waiting homes.
- You need it done this week: list in one place, price at or below the local rate, and phone a rescue. Do not scatter the listing across five sites — that mostly multiplies timewasters.
- Whatever you choose: one good listing beats five thin ones, and no platform screens the buyer for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an app to sell dogs and puppies?
Yes, several dedicated pet apps let you list a dog with photos, breed, age and your own price, and show it to people searching by distance. They are generally a better fit than general classified apps because the audience is already looking for an animal and your contact details stay private.
Can I sell pets on Facebook Marketplace?
No. Facebook's commerce policies prohibit the sale of animals, and listings are removed, often with a strike against the account. Some local groups tolerate rehoming posts at the group's discretion, but this is not a reliable route and offers no protection.
Can I sell pets on Craigslist?
Craigslist permits rehoming with a small adoption fee but prohibits the outright sale of animals, and enforcement varies. It reaches a very large audience but has no account history worth speaking of and is the route most heavily targeted by scammers.
What is the best app to sell a pet?
It depends what you are listing. For a common breed in a populated area, a dedicated pet app gives the best balance of reach and safety. For a pedigree or unusual species, a breed or species-specific community reaches more knowledgeable buyers. For a hard-to-place animal, a rescue is often faster than any app.
Are pet selling apps free?
Models vary — free to list, subscription, or commission-based. Check which applies before investing time in a listing. Pets Home is free to download and needs an active 7-day trial or a subscription to create a listing; it takes no commission.
