How to Make an App Like Craigslist?

By Snigdha | Last Updated on September 7th, 2023 11:07 am | 4-min read

Millennials, even boomers, are picking up the habit of going online for every purchase, query, review, and more. Online marketplaces are a popular choice among people of all ages, especially when you plan to buy or sell used goods. Classified ad apps similar to Craigslist have gained tremendous popularity in this arena.

The total ad spending in the classifieds segment is estimated to go over $20 billion in 2022. It is also projected that in 2027, 49% of total ad spending in the classifieds segment will be generated through mobile devices.

The numbers are indicative of the massive scope for mobile apps in the field of classified ads. If you already have a classified ads publication, it is natural to consider making an app for it. Traditional app development requires generous financial and time investments. However, not everyone has the resources to go for traditional app development. Hence, Appy Pie has the perfect solution for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Make an app like Craigslist

What is Craigslist?

Craigslist is a US-based classified advertisements app where people can list furniture, household products, electronics, computers, clothing, art, or any other kind of used items to sell. There are other types of ads listed here as well, like activity partners, artists and musicians, local events, and more.

Craigslist receives more than 250 million monthly visits and more than 80 million classified ad postings.

Craigslist is a peer-to-peer platform where anyone can post an ad for buying or selling items, partners for activity, rehoming pets, and so much more. The platform hosts almost every category you can imagine and can have some really strange items listed on the platform.

Top Features You Must Add to Make an App Like Craigslist

Though there are multiple apps similar to Craigslist available in the market, today, Craigslist itself has become synonymous with online classified ads on websites or apps. The popularity, of course, is due to the fact that almost every category under the sun is listed on the platform. However, the features play an equally important role in the wild popularity of the app.

Registration and Login
Add the registration functionality so that your app users need to register on your app before they can start accessing the app content, including the listings. After registration, the users can log into the app using their credentials for every subsequent app use. Make the registration process by enabling registration through the email address and social media logins.

User Profile
Allow your app users to make their own user profiles and add the required details. The users can add their contact details and their address. The user profile can show all the products they have ever listed on the platform and the reviews they left for other sellers. The user profile will also help you, as an app owner, make more accurate product recommendations to the users.

Product Listing
Let users create product listings for the items they want to sell. Let them add photos, videos, product descriptions, and other details to make the listings more attractive and offer all the relevant information so that the buyers can make the decisions in a better way.

Search & Filters
Let the users search for products, services, activities, or even a date by typing in a few keywords. Additionally, add filters so the users can narrow their search and the results are more accurate.

Chat
Since you are planning to build a peer-to-peer marketplace app like Craigslist, communication is essential. Allow the users to communicate with other platform users or customer support through the chat feature.

Payments
The payment feature in your app is critical for you so that you can make money off the platform and for all the users so that they can pay or receive payments for the products or services they buy or sell through the app.

Ratings and review
Improve your app engagement by letting the app users contribute to the app. Let them rate the people they interact with and write reviews. This user-generated content improves the credibility of your app and lets other app users make informed decisions.

Recommendation
Based on user behavior, browsing patterns, and the purchase and sale history of the app users, you can make recommendations and increase their in-app time. This is a great way to increase user engagement for your online peer-to-peer marketplace app.

How to make an app like Craigslist?

Craigslist is a unique peer-to-peer marketplace app or a classified ad app. We have already discussed what the app does and the must-have features you must add to an app like Craigslist. Now is the time to answer the critical question – how to make an app like craigslist.

It is expensive, time-consuming, and quite complex to create an app from scratch. However, Appy Pie’s no-code app builder saves you time and money by offering you a platform to build apps without coding.