How Does Depop Work? Complete Guide to Selling (2026)

Quick Answer: Depop is a peer-to-peer social shopping app where individuals and brands sell secondhand, vintage, and new clothing directly to buyers. Sellers in the UK, US, and Australia pay no Depop selling fee. Instead, they pay only a payment processing fee. Sellers outside those three markets pay a 10% selling fee plus a PayPal processing fee. It is free to join and free to list. This guide covers everything you need to know about how Depop works as a seller in 2026.

Depop is one of the fastest-growing resale platforms in the world right now.

The platform is considered both a social media app and an online marketplace. This is what makes it different from every other place you could sell clothing online.

Here, buyers do not just search for products. They follow sellers, browse feeds, and discover items the same way they would if they scrolled through Instagram.

If you have clothes you no longer wear, a talent for finding vintage pieces, or a small brand looking for a new sales channel, then you should consider Depop.

This guide explains what Depop is, how it works for sellers, how you get paid, what fees you pay, and whether you should invest in Depop in 2026.

What Is Depop?

Depop is a peer-to-peer social shopping app where people buy and sell secondhand, vintage, and new clothing directly to each other. It is part marketplace, part social network.

You can think of it as an online thrift store on Instagram. Buyers browse the feed, follow sellers they like, and purchase directly through the app. Whereas sellers build a profile, post listings, and connect with buyers through messages and offers.

The platform has over 30 million registered users across more than 150 countries, with more than 32 million items available for sale at any given time.

Its user base is mostly Gen Zs and millennials, with 90% of users under the age of 34. This tells you that the buyers on Depop are not looking for generic products. They are looking for vintage pieces, rare streetwear, Y2K fashion, upcycled designs, and anything with a distinct aesthetic.

Depop is available on iOS, Android, and desktop, but the experience is built for mobile. Most browsing, buying, and selling happens through the app.

Is Depop Legit?

Yes. Depop is a legitimate and established resale platform owned by Etsy since 2021. In February 2026, eBay announced it was acquiring Depop from Etsy for $1.2B. As of late July 2026, the deal has not yet closed.

It has processed over $1 billion in earnings for its seller community and operates in more than 150 countries.

The platform has built-in buyer protection, a dispute resolution system, and verified payment processing through Stripe and PayPal depending on your location.

The safest way to use Depop is to keep all transactions and communication within the app. Depop explicitly warns against paying outside the platform through bank transfers, Venmo, or CashApp.

Any seller asking you to move the conversation or payment off Depop is a red flag. Staying within the platform is what keeps both buyers and sellers protected.

How Does Depop Work?

Depop works by connecting individual sellers and buyers through a social feed in the app. Here is how the process flows.

For sellers

You create a free account, set up your profile, list your items with photos and descriptions, set a price, and choose your shipping method.

When a buyer purchases your item, you receive a notification, pack the order, and ship it.

Payment is processed through Depop Payments or PayPal depending on your location and transferred to your account after delivery is confirmed.

For buyers

You browse the app through search, the Explore page, or by following specific sellers. When you find something you want, you can buy it immediately through the BUY button or message the seller to ask questions, request more photos, or make an offer.

Payment happens at checkout. Depop Protection covers eligible purchases if an item does not arrive, arrives damaged, or is significantly not as described.

The major rule for both sides is simple. Keep things like payments, messages, and disputes within the app; they are all protected when they happen through Depop's systems. The moment either party moves off the platform, that protection disappears.

How to Start Selling on Depop

Getting started on Depop takes less than 30 minutes. Here is the step-by-step process for beginners.

Step 1: Download the app and create your account

Download Depop from the App Store or Google Play

Choose a username that reflects what you sell and is easy for buyers to remember

NOTE: Your username becomes part of your shop URL, so pick something relevant to your niche.

Step 2: Set up your seller profile

Add a clear profile photo

Write a short bio describing what you sell, your shipping speed, and whether you accept offers

Depop's data shows sellers with complete profiles convert better than those with blank bios or missing photos

NOTE: Your profile is your brand on the platform, so treat it like a storefront.

Step 3: Connect your payment method

Sellers in the US, UK, and Australia use Depop Payments, which is processed through Stripe. You will need to verify your identity as part of this setup.

Sellers outside those three markets receive payments through PayPal. Have your bank account details ready before you start listing so payouts are not delayed.

Step 4: Source your inventory

The best items to sell on Depop are vintage clothing, Y2K fashion, streetwear, limited-edition sneakers, handmade or upcycled pieces, and accessories like bags, hats, and jewelry.

Start with your own wardrobe. Things you no longer wear cost you nothing and help you learn how to use the platform before you invest in sourcing inventory elsewhere.

Step 5: Photograph your items

Photography is one of the most important factors in Depop sales. Use model shots, where the item is worn. These types of shots outperform plain photos.

Use natural light and shoot from multiple angles. The first photo is what appears in search and on the Explore page. Make it the best one.

Step 6: Write your listing

Include the brand, item type, size, colour, measurements, condition, and any flaws. Depop's search is keyword-based, so include the terms buyers search for.

Add up to five hashtags at the end of your description to improve your discoverability. Keep it concise and informative. And avoid keyword stuffing, because it looks spammy and pushes buyers away.

Step 7: Set your price

Research similar sold listings before you price, not just active ones.

Sold listings show what buyers paid. Also factor in Depop's fees and payment processing so you can have gains after deducting your costs.

If you accept offers, your listing cost should be above your normal price so you can have room for negotiation.

Step 8: Choose your shipping method

In the US, sellers can use Depop Shipping via USPS or arrange their own carrier. In the UK, Depop Shipping via Evri is available.

Depop Shipping is free for sellers in the US and UK as the shipping label is paid by the buyer.

If you arrange your own shipping, you set your own rates. Always use tracked shipping. It is the only way to stay protected if a buyer claims an item did not arrive.

How Do You Get Paid on Depop?

Here is exactly how the Depop payment process works depending on where you are based:

Sellers in the US, UK, and Australia use Depop Payments, which is powered by Stripe. When a sale is made, the payment is processed through Depop Payments and held in your Depop balance.

Sellers outside the US, UK, and Australia receive payments through PayPal. When a sale is made, the payment goes directly to your connected PayPal account. Depop's selling fee and PayPal's processing fee are then deducted as separate charges from your PayPal account. You can then transfer your PayPal balance to your bank account.

Once you make a sale, the money goes straight into your Depop Balance. You can withdraw it to your bank account at any time.

How to check your balance and connect a bank account:

On iOS, go to My Depop, tap My Account in the top right corner, then choose Depop Balance.

On Android, tap Selling Hub, then the Payments tab, then tap Depop Balance.

When will the money arrive?

Depop sends your payment to your Depop Balance 2 business days after the item shows as delivered, or 10 business days after the sale, whichever comes first. Once you withdraw, funds can take up to 5 additional days to appear in your bank account.

How to withdraw your money:

Go to My Depop, choose My Account in the top right corner, tap Depop Balance, then tap Withdraw. Your funds transfer directly to your connected bank account.

There are a few reasons your Depop Balance might not match what you expected. A payment could be pending because the buyer has paid but the item has not yet been delivered.

A payment could be on hold because the buyer raised an issue with their order and your funds are being held until it is resolved. You could also have a negative balance if a refund was sent from your account when your balance was low or at zero.

Depop Fees Explained

It’s important to understand exactly what Depop takes from each sale before you start pricing your products. The fee structure changes and differs by location.

Sellers in the US, UK, and Australia pay no Depop selling fee. There is no 10% commission taken from your sale price. What you do pay is a payment processing fee per transaction:

The processing fee is charged on the item sale price plus shipping costs and any applicable taxes.

Sellers outside the US, UK, and Australia pay a 10% Depop selling fee on all sales, calculated on the item sale price excluding taxes and, if you have not used a Depop Shipping label, the shipping cost too. They also pay PayPal's processing fee, which varies by location and PayPal account setup.

Boosted listings fee

If you choose to boost a listing to increase its visibility in search results, an additional fee applies to your regular fees.

For sellers in the US and UK, the boosting fee is 12% of the item sale price. For sellers outside the US and UK, the boosting fee is 8%.

Are fees refundable?

Yes. If a sale is refunded, all fees, including the selling fee, payment processing fees, and boosting fees, are reversed automatically for Depop Payments sellers.

PayPal sellers outside the US, UK, and Australia need to raise a support ticket with a screenshot of the refund to recover their Depop selling fees.

Here’s an example of the refundable cost you’d get for a $40 item:

For a seller outside the US, UK, and Australia on the same $40 item:

You have to know your numbers before you price. The difference between what you list for and what you receive determines whether selling on Depop is profitable for your specific situation.

What to Sell on Depop

You should know that the platform's audience is specific and the algorithm favours items that match what that audience is actively searching for.

The best-performing categories on Depop are:

Vintage clothing from past decades including Y2K, 90s, and 80s styles, streetwear from brands like Nike, Adidas, Supreme, and Off-White

Limited edition and rare sneakers, handmade and upcycled pieces, sustainable fashion made from organic or recycled materials

Jewelry including vintage watches and sculptural silver pieces, and accessories like trucker hats, bags, and boots

Items that tend not to perform well on Depop are generic fast fashion basics with no brand recognition, items in poor condition that are not accurately described, and heavily saturated product types with hundreds of identical listings.

The fastest way to validate what will sell is to search for similar items on Depop and filter by “sold”.

Look at what price those items sold for, how the listings were photographed, and how the descriptions were written.

Is Depop Safe?

Yes, Depop is safe to buy and sell on when you follow the platform's guidelines. Here is what keeps you protected:

For buyers

Depop Protection includes eligible purchases where an item does not arrive, arrives damaged, or is significantly not as described.

You have 30 days from the date of purchase to report an issue. Always buy using the BUY button in the app and keep all communication on the platform.

Depop recommends checking seller ratings, reading descriptions carefully, and messaging for measurements or extra photos before purchasing high-value items.