Depop or Mercari: Where Will Your Clothes Sell Faster?

5 min read · WORN

Depop or Mercari comes down to what you're selling. Depop is better for trendy, vintage, Y2K and streetwear clothes, because its buyers are young and shop by style. Mercari is better for everyday brand-name pieces, sneakers and anything that isn't clothes, because its buyers search by brand and price. If your closet is half and half, start with Depop for the cool stuff and Mercari for the rest.

The slowest part of selling is deciding what to let go, and WORN is being built to show you which clothes you never actually wear: Start my outfit diary

Depop or Mercari: quick verdict

Pick by item, not by app hype.

Depop or Mercari for beginners

If you're new and 13 to 17, Depop feels more natural: it looks like Instagram, the buyers are your age, and clothes are the whole point. Mercari is fine too, just less "fashion."

Fees compared

"Does Depop or Mercari pay more?" depends heavily on fees, and both apps have changed theirs recently. Always check the current fee page before you price.

• Depop: dropped its standard selling fee for most US and UK sellers. Payment processing fees still apply, and buyers pay a fee at checkout.
• Mercari: has changed its fee setup more than once in recent years, moving fees between buyers and sellers. Check what's live now in the app.

What to do with that:

1. Look up both fee pages today. Don't trust a two-year-old Reddit thread.
2. Do the math on one real item. "If this sells for $25, what lands in my account?"
3. Factor in shipping, which can eat more than the fee on cheap items.

Audience: who's buying

Depop buyers

Mostly Gen Z and younger millennials. They scroll feeds, search aesthetics ("grunge," "coquette," "gorpcore," "cottagecore"), and care about photos. Many will pay more for the right piece.

Mercari buyers

Broader in age and interests. Lots of deal hunters who know exactly what they want: a brand, a size, a price. They'll make offers and expect fair, not trendy, pricing.

Is Depop or Mercari better for sellers who are under 18?

Both apps generally require sellers to be 18, or allow younger users only with a parent or guardian's account or permission. Rules change, so check the terms. Selling through a parent's account, with them in the loop, is the simple route.

What sells on Depop vs Mercari

Depop:

• Vintage band and graphic tees
• Baggy and wide-leg jeans, jorts
• Y2K tops, babydoll dresses
• Reworked or thrift-flipped pieces
• Streetwear and skate brands

Mercari:

• Brand-name basics and athleisure
• Sneakers and boots
• Bundles ("5 tops size S")
• Accessories, bags
• Literally anything else in your room

So which is better for selling clothes? For style: Depop. For volume and variety: Mercari.

But here's the thing most selling guides skip: your best listings come from what you actually don't wear, and that's surprisingly hard to know. We keep pieces we love in theory and forget we haven't worn them since spring.

WORN is being built to fix that blind spot. One photo a day of what you actually wear, one tap, no wardrobe catalog first. After a month it reads back the pieces you really wear and the ones you never touch. That never-touch list is your Depop or Mercari pile, sorted for you. Start my outfit diary

Listing and shipping effort

Listing

• Depop: photos matter a lot. Good lighting, on-body or flat lay, a clean background. Use hashtags and aesthetic words in the description.
• Mercari: clear photos, accurate brand, size and condition. Titles that match what people search: brand + item + size + color.

Shipping

• Depop: you can use Depop's prepaid shipping in the US or set up your own, and choose whether to charge shipping or offer free shipping built into the price.
• Mercari: sellers choose who pays shipping, with prepaid label options.

If cheaper postage is your main concern, our guide to apps like Depop with free shipping explains how shipping costs really work.

Payouts

Both apps pay you after the buyer receives the item (or after a short window), then you transfer the money out. Details, timing and transfer fees vary and change, so check each app's payout settings before your first sale.

Tips that apply to both:

• Ship fast, within one to two business days.
• Keep tracking info until the sale is complete.
• Respond to messages quickly; fast sellers get better ratings.

Which to pick for your closet

Do a 10-minute sort:

1. Pull out everything you haven't worn in a while.
2. Split it: "has a vibe" (vintage, trendy, unique) vs "solid basic" (brand-name, plain).
3. Vibe pile → Depop. Basic pile → Mercari.
4. Still unsure? List three items on each app for two weeks and see where they move.

Thinking about a third app? Our Vinted or Poshmark comparison covers the other big players, and apps like Vinted in USA lists every major US option.

Know your selling pile before you choose Depop or Mercari

Depop or Mercari is a quick choice once you know what's in your selling pile. WORN is a private outfit diary we're building: one tap, one photo a day, and after a month it shows the pieces you really wear and the ones you never touch, with photos that stay private and deletable in one action. Add your email to the waitlist now.

Start my outfit diary

FAQ

Is Depop or Mercari better to sell on?

Depop is better for trendy, vintage and streetwear clothes, while Mercari is better for brand-name basics, bundles and non-clothing items. Many sellers use Depop for style pieces and Mercari for everything else.

Does Depop or Mercari pay more?

It depends on current fees, which both apps have changed recently, and on what you sell. Trendy pieces often fetch higher prices on Depop, while basics tend to sell at fair but lower prices on Mercari.

What does Reddit say about Depop or Mercari?

Depop or Mercari Reddit threads generally agree that Depop suits younger, style-focused sellers and Mercari suits people selling a mix of items. Most sellers recommend checking sold listings on both before pricing.

Should I use Depop, Mercari or Poshmark?

Use Depop for vintage and trendy clothes, Poshmark for mall and premium brands, and Mercari for basics, bundles and non-clothing items. If you only want one app, pick the one that fits most of your pile.

Is Depop, Vinted or Mercari best for teens?

In the US, Depop is usually the most natural fit for teens selling clothes, through a parent's account or with permission if you're under 18. Vinted is the go-to in the UK and Europe, and Mercari works well for mixed items.