When it comes to selling clothes (and other items) online, there are a ton of options out there. Depop and Poshmark are two of the most popular platforms – they’re basically the same idea, so which app is better?
We’ll be analyzing Depop vs. Poshmark to help you decide which is the best for what you’re looking for.
Depop vs. Poshmark – Overview
We’ll be going more in-depth with these two brands and how they stack up against each other. To see these two compared at a quick glance, however, take a look at this table:
| Depop | Poshmark |
|---|---|
| – Shop on the app or website | – Shop on the app or website |
| – Sellers independently list & price items | – Sellers independently list & price items |
| – Features more unique, trendy, and vintage items | – Features more name-brand items |
| – Excellent browsing capabilities | – Easy, convenient shipping |
| – 10% commission for sellers | – 20% commission (or $2.95 commission for sales under $15) |
Buying on Depop vs. Poshmark
Brand Availability
Poshmark emphasizes brand names more than Depop does, so you will have a slightly better chance of finding higher end (but more common) items on Poshmark.
Depop, on the other hand, has a higher density of unique, eclectic, and thrifted items.
Although Depop and Poshmark lean in slightly different directions, both apps are very popular, so you can find anything you’re looking for on either app – it just takes some digging.
App + Website Functionality
Both Poshmark and Depop are convenient if you have one thing in mind. They have search bars of course, but both also have a lot of filters to choose from – size, color, category, condition, brand, price, and more.
You can even set your sizes for various categories & save those so whenever you search, you only see things that would fit you.
The Depop app is set up similarly to Instagram with your home feed that you can scroll through, the ability to like or comment on product posts, and the ability to follow people.
Poshmark does take a bit of getting used to. At first, it might seem a bit cluttered with their “parties” and “showrooms.”
Browsability
Depop is king when it comes to searching and finding products. You can follow people who have interesting closets, and scroll through your Explore and My DNA pages.
These pages are curated with things the app thinks you will be interested in, based on your search and purchase history. Once you’ve been using the app for a while, it’s pretty difficult to scroll through these pages without finding something that you just have to buy.
Poshmark is just okay for browsing fulfillment. You can follow people so anything they post or share shows up in your feed. However, the culture on this app is very different from that of Depop.
RELATED: 25 Best Online Thrift Stores (Fashion, Vintage, + More)
On Poshmark, everybody follows everybody. You’ll have thousands of followers for doing virtually nothing, and as a result, feeds tend to get watered down to the point of obsolescence.
So to browse, you’ll have to pick a category to wander through, or join one of the Posh Parties. At certain times throughout the day, a theme will be picked (like shoes, Boho, or menswear), and sellers can share their qualifying items to the “party.” Anyone can browse through and look at all of these items that fit the certain bill.
Shipping + Prices
Shipping on Poshmark is a standard $7.45, whereas shipping on Depop is set by the seller, and can vary. Most of the items I’ve bought on Depop had free shipping, which was super convenient.
But, what about prices of actual items? Because the prices of the items on both apps are set by the sellers, it completely depends on what item you’re looking for, and who’s selling it.
You don’t have to pay the list price, either. On Poshmark, you can click the “Make an Offer” button (or just “Offer” in the app) to offer a different price. From there, the seller can choose to accept, decline, or make a counteroffer.
On Depop, there’s no easy button, but you can privately chat with the sellers and come to an agreement. Some sellers will even send you an offer when you like an item!
My advice? Check both apps before buying something to ensure you get the best price!
Refunds
If there’s an issue with your order from Poshmark (the item is damaged, not as described, etc.), you can send the item back to the seller and get a full refund. This process is overseen by Poshmark.
If there’s an issue with your order from Depop, you can either open a dispute with PayPal or Depop Payments, depending on how you paid for the item.
Depop does make it pretty easy for buyers to communicate with the seller after purchase, so if the seller agrees, you can send the item back and get a refund. There’s really no option to directly work with the seller to get a refund on Poshmark.
RELATED: 40 Black-Owned Depop Shops to Support
Seller Ratings
As far as reviews go, Depop is infinitely superior. You can leave reviews of the item purchased and your seller. Plus, anyone looking to buy from that seller in the future can see what you said, and the seller’s rating averages out of 5 stars.
On Poshmark, while you can leave feedback, that is private to the seller. Future potential buyers cannot see what other people have said, so they have no way of knowing if that seller has a history of screwing over their customers.
The one piece of feedback you can see are the “Love Notes” which is when a buyer leaves a 5-star rating, with comments, then that can be seen publicly.
Selling on Depop vs. Poshmark
Shipping Costs
On Poshmark, shipping costs are paid for by the buyer. On Depop, however, shipping costs are set by the seller, and can either be paid by the buyer or absorbed by the seller (this is when something has free shipping).
Commission
Poshmark takes a commission of the overall price of the product. If you sell something less than $15 on Poshmark, they take a $2.95 fee. If you sell it for $15 or more, then Poshmark takes 20% commission.
Depop, on the other hand, takes 10% on everything sold.
If you’re smart about how you ship things, then you’ll make more money selling on Depop because of the lower fee. However, Poshmark makes shipping super easy by sending you a prepaid shipping label every time you sell something, and all you have to do is put it in a package.
As long as your package weighs less than 5 pounds, you don’t have to worry about paying extra. Overall, you’ll make more money on Depop, but Poshmark is less of a hassle.
Bottom Line
When comparing these two large platforms, both apps can be your friend whether you’re a buyer or seller. Lucky us, we don’t have to pick just one!
That said, many sellers prefer Depop because their fee is half that of Poshmark’s fee. When deciding what platform to use, however, what you plan to sell also matters.
Depop is marketed toward a more trend-following, younger crowd that’s on a budget, so an in-season sweater will likely sell faster than a traditional pair of jeans. Poshmark, however, is tailored to an older crowd. It’s a great place to sell classic pieces that are more valuable.
If you’re just starting out with selling, we’d recommend trying both platforms to maximize exposure, improving the likelihood of your items selling quickly. Likewise, if you’re a new buyer, definitely browse through both sites to see which is your favorite!
UP NEXT: ThredUp vs. Poshmark – Which Should You Shop (or Sell) At?
