Choose a package to sell your boat fast on the #1 marketplace.
Boat Trader offers all you need to sell your boat in one place—with only an upfront listing fee starting at $59. Select a package that fits your budget, easily build your listing in under 3 minutes, and start advertising to boat buyers in your area on the largest boating marketplace in America!
Great experience. Plenty of inquiries and my boat sold for asking price.
Keith L. - Grady-White 33 ExpressEasy to get our boat listed and you did your part in providing the audience. Now we’re on the hunt for a new one!
Terry S. - 2016 Bennington 2250Your service was excellent!! I’m not that great with computers, and the process was easy for me. Within 24 hours, I received 3 emails from interested buyers. I’d definitely recommend Boat Trader.
Cameron D. - Carolina Skiff DLVI sold our cruiser faster than I expected to on Boat Trader. I chose the top package and it was cool to see my boat on the homepage of Boat Trader. It must have worked because our boat sold in less than a month!
Tommy R. - 2007 Sea Ray 480 SundancerWhether you’re cashing out of your investment or upgrading to a bigger boat, we can help you sell your used boat online fast on Boat Trader.com—the #1 marketplace for new and used boats. Our paid classified boat listings deliver up to 10 times the exposure of free ads and offer more options for marketing your boat. Boat Trader listings include guaranteed exposure to local boat buyers, large photos, featured videos, and a customer service team ready to assist. Select your package above and start reaching the largest audience of boat buyers in the United States!
Our Premium Package boat listings are featured prominently in search results and on the Boat Trader homepage, allowing unlimited boat photos and other optional upgrades.
Our Enhanced Package boat listings is our most popular option, offering a 6-week duration and plenty of photos to show off your boat’s best features and equipment.
Our Basic Package boat listings are perfect if you’ve priced your boat to sell fast. These listings may be the best way to sell your boat quickly and include a 2-week duration, 2 photos and basic description.
When it comes to writing your boat listing - be as specific as possible. Try to use the boat builder’s specs, minimum draft, exact dimensions, on-board equipment, engine hours, tank capacities, accessories, outfittings and brand names. Get high-quality photos and videos of your clean boat from all angles - bow to stern - both in and out of the water.
When selling a high-value item like a boat, it’s important that you are reaching the most qualified audience. Research shows that paid classified ads generally deliver 10 times the exposure of free ads because they offer more options for marketing your boat - including guaranteed exposure, longer run times, larger ads and photos and videos. Further, paid classifieds make it clear to potential buyers that the seller is serious about selling their boat, and as a result, consumers feel more confident in their shopping experience.
The basic package starts at $59 for two weeks of run-time on Boat Trader. Our Enhanced ($149) and Premium ($199) offer extra added benefits and more run-time than the basic package. On Boat Trader, you only pay the up-front listing fee to advertise and sell your used boat on Boat Trader. We never collect other seller fees or commissions when you sell your boat—only the up-front listing fee!
It depends on where you list your boat for sale. If you list on Boat Trader, you will only incur an up-front listing cost and all of the cash from your sale is yours at the end of the transaction.
Other websites like eBay and OfferUp ask for a percentage of the sale price, or “service fee.” The service fee will increase as your sale price increases. Sites like YachtWorld include broker listings, where brokers typically collect a commission after the sale.
Listing your boat on an online boating marketplace is the best way to get your boat in front of potential buyers fast. Did you know that you can list your boat on Boat Trader’s website in less than 3 minutes? Sites like Boat Trader and boats.com have thousands of local buyers browsing for their next boat each day. Websites such as YachtWorld do not offer a for sale by owner section, and typically need broker representation to have your boat listed there. Other marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist are worth exploring, but remember that there are other categories that you are competing with other than boating on those sites, so you may not sell your boat as quickly.
No! Regardless of price point, type or size, Boat Trader will help you reach the most boat buyers in your area. This includes all types of boat buyers interested in a wide variety of boat types and price ranges—big or small.
Sellers will typically not make as much money on a dealer trade or sale as compared to if you were to sell your boat privately. In many cases, the difference in selling to a dealer versus selling privately can be thousands of dollars. It is always best to try to sell your boat privately first before handing it over to a dealer.
Pricing your boat is very important since the starting price can easily make or break the sale of your boat. Asking too much may dissuade potential buyers from requesting more information, while asking too little may make many buyers suspicious and wary of making an offer. If you find yourself asking “how much is my boat worth?” - it’s important to do your own research to determine your boat’s value. The Boat Trader Price Checker Tool is a great way to learn the range of listed prices for your boat, including the average, lowest and highest prices found in Boat Trader's search results.
A boat bill of sale is a contract used to transfer ownership of a vessel from a seller to a buyer. The agreement must be signed by both parties and may also require a witness signature, boat financing lender approval/signature, and in some cases a notary to notarize. The bill of sale should typically only be filled out and signed once the seller has delivered the watercraft to the buyer, and the buyer has remitted payment to the seller.
The speed at which a boat will sell varies. Advertising your boat in as many places as possible will typically allow you to sell faster than listing it in only one place. Boat Trader offers the ability to list in multiple places—by exporting your listing to boats.com with a simple add-on once you are ready to check out.
If you’re looking to get your boat sold as soon as possible, price is probably the main determining factor in how fast a boat will sell. Listings priced below market values will sell typically faster. A great way to ensure your boat is priced correctly is by using Boat Trader’s Price Checker Tool, or browsing similar listings in your area to determine a fair price.
Online boating marketplaces like Boat Trader and boats.com are the best way to get your boat in front of local buyers quickly. Other methods should not be overlooked in addition to these online marketplaces—like placing a for sale sign on your boat in your driveway or in a public location.
Boat Trader offers the largest selection of boats for sale in America. Boat Trader’s Price Checker Tool can give you insight into current market value for a boat you own or are looking to sell. In addition, we recommend browsing similar boat listings in your area using Boat Trader’s search to determine a fair price for your boat.
About 75% of boats listed for sale by owner on Boat Trader sell within 12 weeks*. There are many factors that play into how long it may take to sell your boat. These factors include the quality of your boat listing (Does it include photos and video? Do you have maintenance records for the duration of ownership?). In addition, price is likely the biggest factor in time to sale. If you choose to price your boat at or below market value, it may take you less time to sell it.
*Boat Trader survey, 2020