How TradeTree Works

Four steps to yourfirst trade.

No money changes hands. No complicated systems. Just people with things to offer finding people who need them. Here's how it works.

1. Post what you have 2. Find what you need 3. Propose a trade 4. Make it happen
Step by Step
Trading is simpler than you think.
Goods
Mid-century oak dining table, seats 6
Solid oak, tapered legs, honey finish. Moving and can't bring it. 7 years old, still beautiful.
Yoga or guitar lessons
🛋️
🪑
📐
↖️
1

Post what you're offering

Create a listing for anything you want to trade — a piece of furniture, a skill, a service, homegrown food, childcare, creative work. If it has value to someone, it belongs on TradeTree.

A good listing tells people exactly what you have and what you'd like in return. The more specific, the better. Photos make a huge difference — listings with pictures get three times as many responses.

Add up to 6 photos of your item or examples of your work
Be honest about condition — good traders reward honesty
Say what you want, but stay open — great offers come from unexpected places
Post your first listing →
2

Find what you need

Browse thousands of listings by category, location, or keyword. Use filters to narrow by trade type, distance, or how recently something was posted. Or just explore — you'll often find things you didn't know you needed.

You can search by what people are offering or by what they're looking for. If someone is looking for exactly what you have, that's a match waiting to happen.

Search by keyword, category, or city
Save listings you like — come back to them anytime
Remote trades open up the whole country
Browse all trades →
Propose a Trade
Tell Sarah what you're offering in return
10 private yoga sessions over 3 months...
I'm RYT-200 certified, 8 years teaching. Available weekends in Portland. Happy to work around your schedule before the move...
✓ Sarah received your proposal and will respond within 2 hours
3

Propose your trade

When you find something you want, send the person a trade proposal. Tell them what you're offering, why it's a fair exchange, and anything that helps them say yes. A good proposal is specific, honest, and personal.

The person will receive a notification and can accept, decline, or ask questions. Most active traders respond within a few hours. If you don't hear back in a day or two, it's fine to send a gentle follow-up.

Be specific about what you're offering — vague proposals get ignored
Explain why your offer is a fair match for what they're listing
Don't be discouraged by a no — keep browsing, keep proposing
🤝
Trade agreed!
🛋️Oak table
🧘Yoga sessions
★★★★★
4

Make the trade & leave a review

Once both of you agree, you work out the details directly — when, where, and how. TradeTree connects you; the logistics are a conversation between two people who've decided to trust each other.

After your trade is complete, both parties leave a review. Reviews are the backbone of trust on TradeTree — they help great traders build their reputation and help the community know who's reliable.

For in-person trades, meet somewhere public first if you haven't met before
Keep communication on TradeTree until you're comfortable
Always leave a review — it helps everyone
Start trading today →
What Can You Trade?
If it has value to someone, it belongs here.
🛋️
Goods & Objects
  • Furniture
  • Clothing & accessories
  • Books & media
  • Tools & equipment
  • Electronics
  • Art & collectibles
🔧
Home Services
  • Plumbing & electrical
  • Painting & repairs
  • Cleaning & organizing
  • Gardening & landscaping
  • Moving help
  • Home improvement
🎓
Skills & Tutoring
  • Language lessons
  • Music instruction
  • Math & science tutoring
  • Coding & tech help
  • Cooking classes
  • Financial coaching
👶
Care & Childcare
  • Babysitting
  • After-school pickup
  • Pet care & dog walking
  • Elder companionship
  • Overnight care
  • Special needs support
🥕
Food & Garden
  • Homegrown produce
  • Baked goods
  • Preserved foods & jams
  • Seeds & seedlings
  • Home-cooked meals
  • Ferments & kombucha
🎨
Creative & Arts
  • Graphic design
  • Photography & video
  • Writing & editing
  • Illustration & art
  • Web design
  • Music & recording
🧘
Wellness & Fitness
  • Yoga instruction
  • Personal training
  • Massage therapy
  • Nutrition coaching
  • Meditation guidance
  • Mental health support
Everything Else
  • Legal advice
  • Accounting help
  • Event planning
  • Translation services
  • Research assistance
  • And anything else of value
Common Questions
Things people ask before their first trade.
Never. TradeTree is a pure barter platform — no money changes hands between traders. The only payment on TradeTree is the optional membership fee ($9/month) that you pay to TradeTree itself, not to other traders. Every trade is goods, services, or skills for goods, services, or skills.
TradeTree isn't a payment processor, so we can't reverse a transaction — there's nothing to reverse. What we can do is help you resolve disputes through our community support team, and we take it seriously when traders don't follow through on their commitments. Reviews are the primary accountability mechanism, and we suspend accounts that repeatedly fail to honor agreed trades.
Check their profile — trade count, rating, reviews, and verification badges tell you a lot. We verify email, phone, and optionally government ID for all traders. For your first trade with someone, we recommend starting with something small, meeting in a public place for in-person exchanges, and keeping communication on TradeTree until you're comfortable.
Absolutely. Remote trades are one of our most popular categories — skills, tutoring, design, writing, coaching, and other services work perfectly over video call. For physical goods, you and the other trader can agree on how to ship items and whether one party covers shipping as part of the exchange. Remote skill trades have zero shipping concerns.
Not at all. A trade can be anything both parties agree on. You might trade a couch for six months of yoga classes. Or three home-cooked meals for a logo design. Or a year of dog walking for a surfboard plus two surf lessons. The terms are entirely up to the two people trading — TradeTree just facilitates the connection.
Yes — our Sprout plan is completely free and lets you post up to 3 listings, browse all trades, and message other traders. Our Grove membership ($9/month) unlocks unlimited listings, featured placement in search, trade history and reviews, and priority support. Most casual traders are happy on the free plan. Heavy traders usually upgrade within their first month.
Illegal goods or services, weapons, anything requiring a professional license that you don't hold, adult content, and anything that violates our community guidelines. We also don't allow trades that involve cash payments between traders — that's what every other marketplace is for. If you're unsure whether something is allowed, reach out to our community team before posting.

Your first trade iscloser than you think.

You already have something someone needs. And somewhere out there, someone has exactly what you've been looking for. Start free — no credit card, no catch.