backpage

About a year ago, Backpage was one of the biggest websites for classified ads. Individuals and businesses relied on it to advertise their different products. You could place ads about anything including properties, automobiles, electronics, events, jobs, and much more. It was shut down on April 2018 by the US Department of Justice due to claims of promoting adult content, child prostitution, and human trafficking. This was a big blow to the website and all its affiliates. Typing its URL displays a message from the Federal Bureau of Investigation stating that Backpage and its affiliated websites have been seized.

Its closure was a setback for those with legit businesses who depended on it to advertise their products. This prompted them to look for Backpage alternatives offering the same catalog of vast legal ads to salvage their investments. If you are one of them and you haven’t found one yet, here are some of the best Backpage legal alternatives this year.

Facebook Marketplace  

Facebook is one of the biggest social media networks in the world today with a vast audience from all corners of the world. It is for this reason that many are also using as a platform to place their ads. If you already have a Facebook account, – who doesn’t – go to the “Buy and Sell Groups” button in the Explore menu. If you find a group that falls in your niche, go ahead and start posting your ads. The classified list on Facebook is more intense than Backpage making it the best alternative to it.

Facebook also provides a search bar to make easier to find products by typing keywords. Although there is no proper structure to contact buyers and sellers, the comments area allows you to give your thoughts about the product or service so that the buyer or seller can reach you if you are interested. Besides the marketplace, there is also the job section but it’s not as popular as other job portals.

Craiglist

Craiglist is the perfect alternative to Backpage for its extensive user base and an option poll carried out placed it second to Backpage. This platform was once popular for personal ads including adult ads. However, the personal ads were pulled down in 2010 after the US state attorneys general accused it of promoting prostitution. They decided to completely remove personal ads in March 2018 because it was doing them more harm than good. Craigslist isn’t a dating site anymore but publishes all other kinds of classified ads. On the homepage, you will find several categories to choose from. On the left side of the homepage, you’ll also find helpful links like and “personal safety tips” and “avoid scams and fraud.”

Gumtree.com

Gumtree is a UK-based advertising network popularly known for its classified ads. This is a perfect replacement for Backpage for people who are looking for automobiles and properties. To place free classified ads on this platform, you need to create an account. However, you don’t need an account to view thousands of listed products on the site. There is no personal ads segment but does its best to give you a great experience in classified ads. Gumtree presence in social media is vast, having about 35,000 followers on Twitter and 480,000 followers on Facebook. Social media handles are used by Gumtree to launch promos and competitions as well as passing out new information. Although it’s a free classified ads site, there is a paid promotional option to increase ad visibility. Users can also pay for their ads to be pushed up their ads listings. It has recently extended its services to business owners, selling classified ads packages to companies.

OkCupid

Unlike years back, matchmaking is easy and fast thanks to digital technology. OkCupid is similar to Tinder, a popular matchmaking app available for desktop and smartphones. The difference is that OkCupid is much bigger and better, making it a greater alternative to Backpage. Getting chatty with this platform is pretty easy. All you have to do is create a profile, put up a bio, upload your lovely photos and you are done. You will get access to thousands of profiles in your locality. Once you’ve made contact, you can start chatting and see how it turns out. OkCupid allows people to find friendship and love just like its fallen counterpart Backpage.

LetGo.com

If you are planning to sell products, this is the first classified ads website you should try. It was founded by the former CEO of Olx in 2015 and has seen rapid growth on its user base and it almost reached Backpage magnitude. What makes this classified ads platform great is its intuitive user interface, with a couple of major ad categories displayed on the homepage. Scrawling further down the page you can check out a listing from people and different products. It’s smooth and clear interface makes it easy for buyers and sellers to transact. Saving a listing is also possible, once you’ve logged in. There are several social media buttons available for buyers and sellers to farther share their ads for greater chances of selling. LetGo.com offers extensive services from it’s Android and iOS apps, making a great alternative to Backpage.

Classified Ads

Are you looking for a Backpage alternative that allows you to post both personal ads and other classified categories? What you need is Classified Ads. It is one of the top five online classified ads with over 3 million unique visitors every month. Casual dating among other services is what the “Personals” section is offering. This is found on the homepage. To post ads on this website you have to follow a list of steps which can be overwhelming sometimes if you are pressed for time. Fortunately, there are video tutorials to guide you through. What spoils for this Backpage alternative is that regular post ads are mixed with obtrusive ads.

Locanto.com

Locanto was founded in Germany and is another classified ad site that can make a great Backpage replacement. It has rapidly grown to spread its classified ads services to 60+ countries. What makes it awesome is its numerous categories of classifieds. You’ll get furniture, automobiles, jobs, personal ads, and real estate. Users can also benefit from it’s Android and iOS apps. Locanto makes it seamless to post ads on its page. Its massive user base assures you a huge response. There is also an Indian version perfect for matrimonial.

Oodle

Oodle was launched back in 2004 and immediately started showcasing thousands of products from individuals and different websites. It was until 2006 that it started offering personal ads section. The website strongly advocates for Facebook profiles to be included in the posts with listings. They believe that users want to transact with real names and faces to make things transparent. The site also powers other companies with classified websites including, The Washington Express, The Sun, and New York Post. Besides classified ads websites, it also powers huge companies like Military.com. Local.com Lycos and AOL.

Oodle also hosts non-traditional classifieds like Wal-Mart. Among its common searches are cars real estates, jobs, rents, ticket personal merchandise pets, and other services. It aggregates listings from local and international sources, all totaling up to 1000 in the UK, Canada, India, US, and Ireland. Compared to other Backpage alternatives, Oodle’s classified ads are aggregates from other websites. With it, you can establish which site has the most categories of ad listing. You can find a particular item you are looking for, fast and easy from different classified ads platforms and also compare prices.

Pernals Website

Pernals is an alternative to both Backpage and Craigslist personals, which were all for online sex trafficking. It was created for people who were looking for online dates and hook-ups. It is quite similar to Craigslist Personnel with a few distinctions. All you are required to do to open an account is to provide an email address, username, and a password. You can create personal ads to be approved before publishing. Your ads won’t get posted unless they are approved by the site. In case it is approved it will be posted for other users to see. Unlike Tinder and other similar dating sites that let you upload selfies to get a match, Pernals Website entitles you to some privacy. It also has a vast user base and you can count on it to get your perfect match.

Chatville Website

This website is just like the other three dating sites: Backpage, Craigslist, and Pernals Website. The only difference is that it is only for adults. The only people allowed to chat on this website are above 18. If you are of legal age, you can easily connect and interact with other people across the globe. The chat is done on webcams so that you can see the person you are interacting with. This is a great way of interacting, you don’t want to meet face to face with someone you chatted with and get a shock of a lifetime! You can decide if you want to continue with the conversation on not based on looks and personality. You have four users conversing at the same time, making it easier to bond and create friendship based on your interests. Unlike many dating sites that rely on dating apps, Chatville Website allows users to post personal classified ads without using modern apps.

Final Thoughts 

These are some of the best alternatives to Backpage that can help you make quick and easy sales. The beauty of these sites is their vast user base that allows people from all corners and walks of life to interact and transact or just bond. Check them out to see which one works for you.

Author : Naman Modi is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at NamanModi.com, He is an Award Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.