eBay vs Vinted vs Depop: where to sell in the UK
The best selling platform is not the one with the lowest fees. It is the one where the buyers for your specific item already are.
That is the mistake behind most "which platform is cheapest" arguments. A zero-fee platform is worthless if nobody there wants what you sell, and a platform that takes a cut can still net you more because the item sells for more and sells faster. So the honest comparison is not fees first. It is audience first, then fees, then how much work each one is.
Here is how eBay, Vinted and Depop actually differ for a UK reseller in 2026, and how to pick per item rather than in the abstract.
What each one costs a seller now
All three have moved fees onto the buyer over the last two years, which is the single biggest change most guides have not caught up with.
eBay. Private sellers pay no selling fees on most categories. The buyer pays a Buyer Protection fee at checkout instead. If you register as a business seller you do pay final value fees, so the exact number depends on your account and category. How much eBay takes from a UK sale walks through both cases with the maths.
Vinted. No seller fees at all. You keep the full amount the item lists for, and the buyer pays a Buyer Protection fee on top. This is why a £20 item nets you £20, not £17.
Depop. No selling commission since 2024. The only seller-side cost is payment processing, a small percentage plus a fixed pence charge per sale, so it is close to free but not quite.
On fees alone Vinted wins, Depop is a whisker behind, and eBay depends on whether you are private or business. But fees are the smallest part of the decision.
What actually sells where
This is the column that decides it.
| Platform | Best for | Weak for |
|---|---|---|
| eBay | Sealed collectibles, graded cards, LEGO, electronics, anything niche or high value | Cheap fast fashion, impulse clothing |
| Vinted | Clothing, sealed Pokémon and LEGO bought as gifts, mid-value general items | Very high-value items, specialist electronics |
| Depop | Streetwear, vintage, trainers priced as fashion, items with a young buyer | Bulky items, family and gift buying, most sealed collectibles |
eBay has the widest audience and the deepest search, so it is where a specific, searched-for item finds its buyer, and where high value is safest because of the resolution process. Vinted has the volume for anything a gift buyer types in, which now includes a lot of sealed Pokémon and LEGO, not just clothes. Depop is fashion-led and skews young, so it pays best for trainers and streetwear sold on look rather than on a model number.
If you are still deciding what to buy in the first place, the best things to resell in the UK is the better starting point, because the item decides the platform far more than the platform decides your profit.
How much work each one is
Fees you can calculate. Effort you have to live with.
eBay rewards a good listing. Sold-listing research, honest condition notes and clear photos matter, and postage has to be weighed rather than guessed. It is the most work per listing and the most forgiving of a high price. Selling on eBay in the UK covers listings and postage properly.
Vinted is the fastest to list. Photograph, price, post, and the buyer pays shipping through the platform's label. The trade-off is more lowball offers and more "is this still available" with no follow-through.
Depop sits between the two, but it lives on presentation. A consistent shop look and active reposting do more here than anywhere else, which suits some sellers and drains others. How Vinted works for UK resellers covers the fashion-app side that Depop shares.
Which to pick
Run both of the platforms your stock fits, not one. Almost every experienced UK seller lists high-value and collectible items on eBay and clothing and gift items on Vinted, and adds Depop only if they sell fashion. There is no penalty for cross-listing the same item, as long as you pull it down promptly once it sells so you do not sell it twice.
A simple rule that holds up:
- High value, niche, searched-for, or a collectible with a model or set name: eBay.
- Clothing, or a sealed gift item under about fifty pounds: Vinted.
- Streetwear, vintage or trainers sold on look to a young buyer: Depop.
Whatever you net, the tax position is the same across all three. Since January 2024 the platforms report seller data to HMRC directly, so whether you pay tax on reselling in the UK is worth reading once you are selling regularly.
Common questions
Which is cheapest for sellers, eBay, Vinted or Depop?
Vinted is cheapest because it charges sellers nothing and moves the fee to the buyer. Depop is close behind, with only a small payment-processing charge per sale. eBay charges private sellers no selling fee on most categories but does charge business accounts final value fees, so its cost depends on your account type.
Is eBay or Vinted better for a UK reseller?
They suit different items rather than one being better. eBay is stronger for high-value, niche and searched-for items like graded cards, electronics and sealed collectibles. Vinted is stronger for clothing and for sealed Pokémon and LEGO bought as gifts. Running both is normal.
What sells best on Depop?
Streetwear, vintage clothing and trainers priced as fashion, sold to a younger audience that buys on look rather than on a model number. Depop is weaker for bulky items, family and gift buying, and most sealed collectibles, which do better on eBay or Vinted.
Can I list the same item on more than one platform?
Yes, and most experienced sellers do. There is no rule against cross-listing the same item on eBay, Vinted and Depop. The only discipline it needs is removing the listing quickly everywhere once it sells, so you never sell one item to two buyers.
Do I pay tax on what I sell across these platforms?
The platform does not change the tax position. Clearing your own belongings is not trading. Buying stock to resell is, and since January 2024 all three report seller data to HMRC. Keep records from your first sale and read a proper guide on the trading allowance.
Where we fit
Whichever platform you land on, the margin was decided when you bought, not when you sold. A perfect listing cannot rescue stock you paid too much for.
Paragn Network has run since 2012 and writes its own monitors across more than 1,000 UK retailers, sending roughly 50,000 restock alerts a month across Pokémon, TCG, collectibles and sneakers. Members also get an inventory tracker that works out profit after each platform takes its cut, so you can see what an item nets on eBay, Vinted or Depop before you list it. The free channel is open if you want to see the alerts before paying for anything.