The 5 Best Online Thrift Stores of 2024

Do you love finding unique, affordable pieces when thrifting? If so, you might be interested in the five best online thrift stores of 2024. Online shopping can be convenient and fun, but have you ever tried out online thrifting?

How Are Online Thrift Stores Different?

Online thrift stores are different from in-person stores or similar clothing apps because they offer the efficiency of online shopping with the sustainability of thrifting. They provide a much more streamlined thrifting experience. Instead of endlessly sifting through racks of clothes to find what you’re looking for, you can just pull up your favorite website and scroll. 

What are the Benefits of Thrifting Online?

Thrifting experienced an explosion in popularity because of the internet, but only 23% of adults used online thrift stores in 2021. It’s an increase from 2020 but nowhere near a majority. Most people don’t use online thrift stores, but there are real benefits to doing so.

Shopping in person can be fun, but it’s not always the best option. Thrifting takes time because you have to sort through pieces to find something that fits, is in good condition and matches your style. While many people consider it a hobby, they don’t stop by thrift stores if they’re in a rush.

On top of that, the appeal to shopping in person is the ability to try stuff on, but many thrift stores closed changing rooms because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There’s also no guarantee the in-person store has what they’re looking for. 

Online thrift stores might be better than brick-and-mortar stores because they present everything clearly and can be very intuitive. If you were looking for a medium orange shirt, for instance, you’d have a much easier time finding it online because you’d just have to filter the results. It can be more encouraging to thrift when everything is so responsive and simple.

The Best Online Thrift Stores

We put together a list of the top five thrift stores of 2024. Some people like to thrift for the price, others for amazing finds. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it in one of these stores. 

1. Goodfair

Goodfair is an online thrift store that sells items alone or in collections. The catalog is diverse and incredibly affordable. It features a lot of everyday wear like t-shirts, hoodies and crewnecks. It’s also known well for its bundles — groups of assorted clothes at a reasonable bulk price. 

Also, it adapts clothing sizes before listing them for sale. Clothes wear and stretch over time, so second-hand items are never really true to their size. It resizes each item it receives to reflect the actual measurements, meaning you get a more accurate fit.  

There’s also a chance you may get branded merch in a regular order. You can even scroll down on any listing to see the environmental impact change in real-time as people shop on the website. For example, their set of four used crewneck sweatshirts for $34 saves an estimated $140 from fast fashion and 134 kg of carbon from the atmosphere. 

To put that into perspective, that saves carbon emissions equivalent to 344 miles of driving in a gas-powered vehicle. Goodfair is in the top five online thrift stores because the prices are reasonable, the selection is wide and it backs up its environmental impact with clean graphics. 

2. ThredUp

ThredUp has the most affordable options on this list. It features a broad range of items, including accessories and designer clothes. 

Most people are drawn to fast fashion because it’s cheap and trendy, but ThredUp offers comparable items and prices with the benefit of being sustainable. For example, its prom section contains almost 39,000 items, with almost 14,000 being under $25. Each item is also photographed on a mannequin so you get a clear picture of what it looks like as it naturally rests on your body.

Its “New With Tags” section features unworn clothing priced like regular second-hand items. Many clothes end up in landfills just because fashion trends come and go too quickly to be realistic. In fact, fast fashion produces a majority of carbon emissions because it’s trying to meet the demand of every new trend. ThredUp takes clothing like that and tries to give it a second chance. 

3. Depop

Depop is a popular website and app where individuals can sell their clothing to each other. Instead of a single entity saving and selling used clothes, it’s a platform for people to come together and find unique items. On top of having a huge collection, it’s also sustainable. According to research it conducted, 90% of purchases on the site prevent the sale of a new item elsewhere. 

It has a specific appeal because people all across the globe are contributing pieces from their own closets. In fact, there are over 30 million users and 32 million items for sale as of 2024. If you find yourself thrifting at local stores often enough that you can’t find anything new, consider shopping on Depop. There are seemingly endless options online. 

4. Beacon’s Closet

Beacon’s closet is a well-known and loved brick-and-mortar thrift store in New York. Although it has a physical location, its online presence is just as strong. The clothing items on its website are mostly vintage, designer or high-end. Each piece is captured in high definition against a pure white background. 

While many of the items are slightly more expensive than you’d find at other online thrift stores, they’re all incredibly unique and varied. Beyond that, vintage and designer pieces are typically more expensive simply because they’re highly sought after. 

Their sale page discounts every item a whopping 20% at checkout. This can be a great deal — especially for designer pieces. For example, the Marc Jacobs faux fur denim jacket drops from nearly $100 to $80 after the discount. It might be worth it to see if there’s anything on sale that speaks to you.

On top of providing interesting fashion you likely wouldn’t find elsewhere, Beacon’s closet has also donated to a variety of humanitarian and progressive charities, with donations amounting to $275,800 as of April 2023. 

5. Community Thrift and Vintage

Community Thrift and Vintage sells a large variety of vintage pieces. It’s offering free shipping to the United States and Canada for a limited time in 2023. The website’s catalog page presents a collection of various materials and styles with sleek typography and accompanying pictures. You can browse vintage silk, sweatshirts or military wear to name a few collections. 

The prices on the website are a bit higher than other online thrift stores, but supporting people in need can be rewarding. Community Thrift and Vintage donates all of its profits to a nonprofit that provides healthcare, housing and harm reduction to those in need.

On top of that, the actual collection is vast and full of interesting pieces. Vintage clothes are typically more expensive than regular used clothes because there’s more of a demand for them, so be mindful of that when shopping. The website has items from all sorts of eras and adds new inventory weekly.

Tips for Thrifting Online

You can’t exactly scroll through reviews since many items are unique and not mass-produced, but it helps to know how they’d look on you. Take a tape measure and measure along your hips, thighs, stomach and chest. You can find a more accurate fit by knowing how it aligns with your measurements. 

According to the Better Business Bureau, it’s best to ask about return and exchange policies before you make a purchase. Your item might get lost, show up with a few more tears than you anticipated or fit poorly when you try it on. Whatever happens, it’s best to know if you can get a refund or do an exchange. 

Even though these stores carefully inspect and disinfect their clothing, it’s always best to wash clothes before you wear them. You may be sensitive to certain detergents or shipping might have dirtied the item. Although getting your package can be exciting, you should clean everything before trying anything on. 

Shop the Best Online Thrift Stores

The five best online thrift stores combine convenience, selection and intuitive website design. Each also benefits the environment or communities, which is a bonus. If you’re looking to thrift like you never have before, try online stores.