FlyerBoard vs Facebook Marketplace vs Gumtree in Australia
Facebook Marketplace has the most people. Gumtree is the long-running Australian classifieds site. FlyerBoard is the newer, simpler one: newest ads on top, nearby ads first, and accounts tied to an Australian mobile number. It also has a free Moving Sale page, which the other two don't offer. Here is how they differ, so you can pick the right one for what you're selling or buying.
What is FlyerBoard, in one minute?
FlyerBoard is a free, local classifieds site for Australians. You post a "flyer" with photos, a price (or a trade offer) and your suburb. Buyers browse without an account and message you in the app.
It is new, so it doesn't have Facebook's crowd. What it has is a calmer, more honest way to buy and sell. The rest of this post covers where that shows up.
How do the three compare at a glance?
| FlyerBoard | Facebook Marketplace | Gumtree | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order of ads | Newest on top, always | Ranked by Facebook's own system | Search and category lists |
| Nearby ads | Shown first, the rest below | Nearby first, then keeps loading outward | Location filter |
| Sign-in | Australian mobile number | Facebook account | Gumtree account |
| Multi-item sale page | Yes, free (Moving Sale) | No | No |
| Discounted bundles | Yes (2 to 4 ads) | No | No |
| Trade listings | A real listing type | Caption or comment | Caption or comment |
| Biggest crowd | Not yet | Yes | Large |
We're honest about the last row. If you want the most eyeballs on a single item today, Facebook has them. The sections below are about everything else.
Who decides what you see first?
On FlyerBoard, time decides. The newest flyer is on top, and every flyer slides down as new ones arrive. There is no sort menu, no "top picks" and no score. Nobody can quietly move an ad up or down.
Facebook Marketplace works differently. Its browse feed is ranked by Facebook's own system, so two people see different things in a different order. That can be handy. It also means you can't tell why an item is where it is.
Why does this matter? Because you can trust the page. When you scroll FlyerBoard, "new" means new. When you post, you know exactly where you stand.
What happens when you set a location?
You pick a suburb and a distance. FlyerBoard shows ads in your area first, then everything else underneath. Nothing is hidden.
That means you never land on an empty screen just because your suburb is quiet. You still get the nearby ads on top, and the wider ones are one scroll away. Inside each group, the newest ad is still first.
Facebook Marketplace also keeps loading outward past your radius. Many classifieds sites simply cut the list off. We think a filter that leaves you with nothing isn't much of a filter.
How is sign-in different, and what does it do for safety?
Every FlyerBoard account needs an Australian mobile number. You get a code by SMS, and that's your sign-in. Other users never see your number.
Why does that help? Buying a prepaid Australian mobile service means passing an ID check, as the ACMA explains. So a fake account costs a scammer something real.
Let's be straight about the limit. A phone number shows that someone holds an Australian mobile. It doesn't prove who they are. It's one layer, not a guarantee, so the usual rules still apply.
Scams are the main risk in this space. In the first nine months of 2025, buying and selling scams were the most reported scam type that led to a financial loss. The ACCC's Scamwatch logged 9,628 reports and $8.6 million in losses, with a median loss of about $216. Our guide to avoiding marketplace scams covers the red flags.
Can you sell a whole house of stuff in one go?
This is where FlyerBoard is plainly different. Moving Sale Mode gives you one public page for your whole sale.
- Upload photos in bulk and review them as cards.
- Set a pickup window, with a countdown on the page.
- Group items into discounted bundles.
- Mark items sold as they go, and the page shows what's left.
- Print a free A4 poster with a QR code for the front fence or the local noticeboard.
It's free. You share one link instead of posting 40 separate ads and answering "is this still available?" 40 times.
We haven't found another Australian site that lets everyday people run a sale like this on their own. Facebook and Gumtree are built around one ad at a time. See how to run a moving sale for the full checklist.
What about bundles and trades?
Two more things are built in, not bolted on.
Bundle Listings let you sell 2 to 4 of your ads together at a lower price. A desk, chair and lamp can go as a set, and each item still shows up on its own. Read more in how bundles work.
Exchange listings are a real listing type. You say what you want instead of a price, and the card shows an "Open to Trade" badge. In most Buy Swap Sell groups, a trade is just a line in a caption. See how trading works.
How do ratings and messaging work?
You message inside FlyerBoard, with one inbox for everything: buying, selling, Sales and Bundles. If you turn on alerts, you get a push or email when someone replies. You can also save a flyer and get a push if the price drops.
Ratings are one-sided on purpose. Only buyers rate sellers, and only after a chat exists. A stranger can't rate you from nowhere, and a seller can't hit back at an unhappy buyer.
You can report any listing, profile or conversation, and a person reviews it.
Which one should you use?
You don't have to choose just one. Here's a simple way to decide.
- Use FlyerBoard if you're clearing a house, selling several items, want a trade, or prefer a feed where newest means newest.
- Use Facebook Marketplace if you need the widest audience for one item, today.
- Use Gumtree if you're after its long-running category pages, such as cars and jobs.
Many sellers post in more than one place. Put your best photos everywhere, and check our tips for writing an ad that sells.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is FlyerBoard free to use? Yes. Posting a flyer, running a Moving Sale and making a Bundle are free for everyone, and you can browse without an account.
Q: Is FlyerBoard safer than Facebook Marketplace? It adds one layer: an Australian mobile number for every account, and your number is never shown. No site can make scams impossible, so meet in public and never pay a "fee" to get your money.
Q: Can I use FlyerBoard and Facebook Marketplace together? Yes. Plenty of sellers post in more than one place. Just mark an item sold everywhere once it's gone.
Q: Why are there fewer ads on FlyerBoard? It's new. That's the honest trade-off. Early sellers get seen more, because every new flyer lands at the top of the feed.
Clearing out, or just curious? Post your first flyer on FlyerBoard. It's free and takes a few minutes.