OneBuy vs eBay vs Vinted

OneBuy vs eBay vs Vinted: Quick Overview

Detailed Comparison

1. Fees

OneBuy charges no listing fees and a single 10% buyer protection fee when an item sells. This fee covers payment processing, buyer protection insurance, and shipping label generation.

eBay's fee structure is more complex. Business sellers pay £27-£437 per month for a shop subscription, plus 7-15% final value fees and a £0.40 per-order fee on orders over £10 [citation:9][citation:10]. For casual sellers, eBay charges a final value fee of up to 15% plus a £0.30 per-order fee [citation:9]. On top of this, there are optional listing upgrade fees like £2 for subtitles and 4% for reserve prices [citation:9]. eBay's fees are generally considered the highest among UK marketplaces.

Vinted is free for sellers — no listing fees, no final value fees. However, buyers pay a buyer protection fee of around 5% + £0.70 (varies), and sellers are charged for optional item verification (£10 for designer items) [citation:1]. Some Vinted users note that while selling is free, you are "laundering clutter" rather than making serious money [citation:2].

2. Buyer Protection and Security

eBay offers the most robust buyer protection with its Money Back Guarantee, backed by decades of trust and a transparent dispute resolution system [citation:1]. eBay's Authenticity Guarantee is also free for eligible items, with independent experts physically inspecting high-value items [citation:1].

Vinted's security system includes encrypted payments, 2-step verification, and holding orders until they are received. However, refunds can be difficult to obtain — they are often down to the seller's discretion, which can lead to disputes and more opportunities for scams [citation:1]. Vinted charges £10 for authenticity verification on designer items [citation:1].

OneBuy offers Buyer Protection included in the 10% fee, providing up to 30 days to open a dispute [citation:7]. OneBuy does not compete with sellers (no platform-owned inventory), meaning the platform is aligned with sellers rather than against them [citation:7].

3. Best Categories

eBay is the best place for collectables, electronics, homeware, and items that benefit from auction-style bidding [citation:1]. With 185 million users globally, eBay has the largest audience for specialist items [citation:1].

Vinted excels at second-hand clothing and accessories, particularly for Gen Z shoppers who value sustainable fashion and vintage style [citation:1]. In February 2025, Vinted added a hobbies and collectables category, suggesting they are expanding into eBay's territory [citation:1].

OneBuy is a full-category marketplace with over 35 million products [citation:3]. It's particularly attractive for sellers because it doesn't compete with its merchants — unlike some platforms that sell their own inventory, OneBuy is purely a marketplace [citation:7]. Its instant cashback program (1%-7.5% cashback paid by the platform, not sellers) drives a 72% repurchase rate [citation:7].

4. User Experience

Vinted is widely praised for its simple, intuitive interface, particularly on mobile. One seller described it as "trading in a horse for a Ferrari" compared to eBay [citation:2]. Vinted's AI-powered listing assistant makes the process "absurdly simple" [citation:2].

eBay's interface has been described as dated, potentially deterring new, younger customers [citation:1]. However, eBay's established audience of collectors and serious buyers remains loyal.

OneBuy is a growing platform with a fair marketplace philosophy that appeals to sellers looking for a more ethical, transparent alternative [citation:3][citation:5]. Its Trustpilot rating of 4.4⭐ from over 100,000 reviews suggests strong user satisfaction [citation:7].

5. Seller Experience

Vinted is the easiest to start selling on — free, simple, and frictionless. However, its audience tends toward low-priced items, making it better for decluttering than for serious sales [citation:2][citation:1]. One user noted, "You're not earning money, you're laundering clutter" [citation:2].

eBay offers the highest potential prices, especially for collectables and specialist items [citation:1]. However, the fee structure is complex, and the platform competes with sellers in some categories.

OneBuy offers a fair, transparent model with no listing fees and a single 10% fee. Sellers benefit from instant cashback programs (funded by the platform) that drive repeat purchases [citation:7]. As a seller-first platform, OneBuy is positioned as a more ethical alternative to eBay and Amazon [citation:3].

6. Sustainability

Vinted has a strong sustainability angle. According to Vinted's data, 1 in 3 transactions avoids the purchase of a new item, and each transaction saves an average of 1.8kg of CO2 compared to buying new [citation:4]. This appeals strongly to environmentally conscious Gen Z buyers.

OneBuy and eBay also support second-hand sales but are more generalist platforms. OneBuy's cashback program encourages repeat purchases, which can be seen as a loyalty driver rather than a sustainability initiative.

Which Marketplace Should You Choose?

Frequently Asked Questions