Apps are essential to the modern world we live in and it's no different when it comes to finding used home gym equipment.

Here are the best apps I have found for this purpose ranked in order from most helpful to least. (Keep in mind things may work differently in your own market).

1. Facebook Marketplace

Everyone has an account on Facebook which may be one of the reasons this marketplace is such a good source for gym equipment. They make it really easy to just throw something up.

In my area this seems to be the best place to find used equipment.

I use it on my phone and to bring it up just go into your Facebook app and then click on the marketplace icon:

Automating Your Searching

One annoying thing about Facebook Marketplace is that you have to check it every few hours to see what new Gym Equipment has popped up. When something you want is posted you want to strike quickly in order to snatch it up before someone else does.

If you want to be able to type in search terms like “squat rack” and then get alerted when they occur on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist you can check out a tool we are working on called DealBot.

We are hoping this tool will make it easy for you to find amazing deals on used home gym equipment.

2. OfferUp

OfferUp is an app that can be downloaded in the App Store of iOS and Android devices.

It is very similar to Facebook Marketplace in its functionality. You search for products and communicate with the sellers all from within the app.

One great feature of OfferUp is that they allow you to set Search Alerts:

This makes it very easy to jump in quickly and snatch up great equipment deals!

3. LetGo (now a part of OfferUp)

LetGo is another iOS and Android app almost exactly like OfferUp. The two function very similarly except that I have had slightly less luck on LetGo. Doesn’t seem to have as much traffic as OfferUp. As usual YMMV.

LetGo also has a great new Keyword alerts feature:

4. 5miles

5miles is an interesting app that functions much like OfferUp and LetGo but I would say the interface is a bit rougher. It also has a less users than the prior two.

One interesting feature it has is allowing you to pay with Bitcoin and Ethereum cryptocurrencies. I have never used this feature though as it seemed a bit useless and a lot of people are not crypto-savvy.

5miles also has a great keyword alerts feature:

5. Craigslist

Yes, Craiglist is alive and kicking! Depending on your area it’s not a bad place to use to find used gym equipment. Be prepared to sort through a lot of spam and businesses advertising their own stuff though.

For using Craigslist on my phone I use Cplus for Craigstlist.

It allows you to set up alerts for certain keywords you are searching for:

For whatever reason I have had a lot of luck finding great deals on used plates on Craigslist.

6. Kijiji – Canadian Option

Kijiji is an interestingly named app that is not only hard to pronounce but also hard to type. A user in the r/homegym forums recommended it to me and suggested that it's a popular option in Canada.

I downloaded it to try it out and it seems very similar in functionality to the other apps. I am mentioning it though because it can be good to try a lot of different apps to see what works best for your area.

Thinking about it more I need to actually submit a survey to r/homegym and ask users what apps they find most helpful in their area. Could be good info.

I like Kijiji's interface and it has all the normal features include keyword alerts:

Buying Tips

1. Be prepared for people to not respond – Due to the low barrier of posting something on an app many people get lazy and will just not respond at times.
2. The average person is horrible at pricing – You're going to see a lot of people on these apps who will price their equipment at the same price you could buy it new. It's best to be very friendly and mention that for the same price you could buy it new and not take the trouble or risk with buying used. Offer a friendly counter offer.
3. Americans are uncomfortable with negotiating – It is simply a fact of life these days. We are too used to buying things with a discrete price. To operate effectively in this environment you have to be very nice and treat people with kid gloves. It's essential to getting good deals and to leaving them feeling like they got a good deal.
4. If you are trying to buy don't ask the seller to deliver without offering an incentive – Honestly it surprised me how often this would happen when I was selling my gym equipment for my last move. No, I am not going to lower the price by half and deliver it to your house wrapped in a red bow.
5. There is always another deal around the corner – Don't get hung up on one item because there is always someone else that is going to be posting something in the next few days.
6. Expand your search terms – Not everyone knows what a “squat rack” is. Try other search terms like “exercise rack” and other things.
7. Communicate early and often – Be a frequent communicator. “I will be at your house at 7PM to check out the item”. Don't be one of those people who just shows up and doesn't communicate that they have left, etc.
8. Act Fast – As u/ghostmanure (my god what a great name) in his comment it's important to act super fast! You are competing with flippers who will drive around the city and swoop in to buy products to flip for a quick profit. Use keyword alert features and make your decision fast.
9. Be friendly – I am putting this last because it is the most important thing. Be friendly in your communications and remember these are real people on the other end of the bytes. They may be new to selling used items online or just not have a lot of life experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Can't I Post Used Exercise Equipment On Marketplace?

If you are unable to post/access Facebook marketplace, you are probably using older version of the app. To get the newer version, you can update it or reinstall it. Your listing won't be visible to other users as soon as you post it. It will be reviewed by Facebook, which could take a few minutes or hours and may get rejected if your listing violates its commerce policies.

How To List Exercise Equipment On Facebook Marketplace Without Getting Banned?

Here are some common reasons why you may get banned from Facebook Marketplace:

• You listed products that are banned on the Marketplace such as guns, narcotic substances, etc. 
• You listed a product at an unusually low or high price, making potential buyers suspicious and ending up getting reported by them. 
• You listed a product at a certain price but then asked the buyer to pay a different price for it. The buyer didn’t like it and reported you to Facebook. 
• You listed too many items at a time and ended up driving a lot of traffic to your page. Yes, you need to go slow. 
• You started chasing potential buyers and they reported you.

So, if you do something that makes Facebook or the potential buyers doubt you, you will be banned from the Marketplace. The ban could last up to 30 days. There is an appeal form on the Facebook app that you can fill and request for restoring your access but the decision totally depends on Facebook and you can’t do anything about it. Just make sure you don’t do anything that gets you banned. 

If you follow ethical business practices, you should be able to sell your used exercises equipment on the Marketplace without getting banned.