Real people.
Real items.
Relay is the local marketplace built on trust. Sellers can verify who they are, and an AI scan confirms an item is real before it sells, so you know the person is real and the thing actually exists. And listing is effortless: snap one photo and AI writes the rest.
- 🪪 Identity-verified sellers
- 📸 AI real-item check
- ✨ AI-written listings
Two checks most marketplaces never make
Anonymous accounts and stock-photo scams are why local marketplaces feel risky. Relay adds two separate verifications, kept distinct, so each one means exactly what it says, and nothing more.
🪪 Verified Person
- Real identity confirmed through Persona's KYC — an accountable human
- In good standing, with no history of scams
- Not a throwaway or anonymous account
- A check on the person, kept separate from the item
📸 Verified Item
- An AI scan confirms a real, physical item
- Not a stock photo, a screen, or a printout
- The thing you see actually exists, in their hands
- A check on the item, kept separate from the seller
What we don't do:claim an item is authentic or free of fakes. We verify real people and real items, never brand authenticity. We'd rather tell you the honest truth than oversell it.
Take a picture. We do the typing.
Forget the forms. Snap a photo and in under 10 seconds Relay's AI fills in everything a buyer needs: title, condition, price, the works. Review it, post it, done.
- Title & what the item actually is
- Condition, read from the photo
- A fair, market-aware price
- Category & description, written for you
Tell us what you want. We'll watch for it.
Set the item, your max price, and the condition you'll accept. The moment a match is posted nearby, Relay pings you first, before it gets snapped up.
- Price ceiling & minimum condition
- Instant alerts with Pro, the second it's listed
- Built for patient buyers and resellers
No cold DMs. No creeps in your inbox.
Strangers can't message you out of the blue. A buyer sends a purchase request, you accept, and then the chat opens. Verified people move to the front of the line.
- Request → you accept → chat unlocks
- Identity-verified buyers shown first
- Every listing AI-screened before it goes live
Your payment handles, already in the app.
Save your Cash App and Venmo once. When a deal goes live, your buyer sees exactly where to send the money, with no “what's your handle?” back-and-forth. Hidden from everyone else, always.
- Add Cash App, Venmo & more once
- Revealed only inside an active deal
- Private to the two of you, and no one else
Set the times that work for you.
Add the windows you're free to meet up. Your buyer just picks one. No twenty-message thread trying to find a time that works for you both.
- Share your real availability up front
- Buyer picks a window in one tap
- Meetups that actually happen
Buy it once. Relist it in a tap, whenever.
When you buy something on Relay, it lands in your collection already set up — the photos, the AI-written details, the valuation, all of it. Change your mind in a month or a year? Reselling is one tap. No re-shooting, no retyping, no starting over. The item just stays ready.
- Purchases arrive in your collection, fully detailed
- Relist later in one tap — nothing to set up again
- Its photos, details & value travel with the item
A calmer alternative to Facebook Marketplace
Most local marketplace apps make you do the typing, field the cold DMs, and haggle in a stranger's inbox. Relay was designed to remove every one of those steps.
Selling on Relay
- 🪪 Identity-verified sellers — real, accountable people
- 📸 Items AI-checked as real — no stock-photo scams
- 📷 One photo, and AI writes the listing in under 10 seconds
- 🔕 No cold DMs. Chat opens only after you accept
- 💸 Payment handles shared automatically, privately
- 🔁 Buy it, keep it, relist it later in one tap
Typical marketplaces
- Anonymous accounts — no idea who's real
- Stock-photo and printout scams
- Forms, photos, pricing research: all on you
- “Is this available?” from strangers at midnight
- “What's your Venmo?” over chat
Frequently asked questions
What is Relay?
Relay is a local marketplace for buying and selling secondhand, built on trust. Sellers can verify their real identity, and an AI scan confirms an item is a real physical object before it sells, so you know who you're dealing with and that what you see exists. Listing is effortless too: snap one photo and AI writes the whole listing in under 10 seconds.
What does “verified” mean on Relay?
Two separate things, kept distinct. A Verified Person has confirmed their real identity (KYC) and is in good standing. A Verified Item has passed an AI scan confirming it's a real, physical object — not a stock photo, screen, or printout. We do not claim an item is authentic or free of fakes; we verify real people and real items, never brand authenticity.
How do you verify a seller's identity?
Identity verification is powered by Persona, a third-party identity-verification provider used widely across fintech and online marketplaces. To become a Verified Person, a seller submits a government photo ID and a live selfie, and Persona confirms the ID is genuine and matches the person. Your ID is processed securely by Persona, and verification renews periodically to keep it current.
How is Relay different from Facebook Marketplace?
Relay is a calmer, more trustworthy Facebook Marketplace alternative. Sellers can be identity-verified and items can be AI-checked as real, so you're not dealing with anonymous accounts or stock-photo scams. Strangers also can't cold-message you — chat only opens after you accept a purchase request.
Is Relay free to use?
Yes. Listing and buying on Relay are free. Relay Pro adds extras like instant watchlist alerts the second a matching item is posted nearby.
How do payments work on Relay?
You save your Cash App or Venmo handle once, and it's revealed only to your buyer inside an active deal. It's never shown publicly.
If I buy something on Relay, can I resell it later?
Yes. Anything you buy on Relay lands in your collection already set up, with its photos, details, and valuation saved. When you're ready to sell it again, relisting is one tap. Nothing to re-shoot, re-price, or retype.
When does Relay launch?
Relay is in private beta. Join the waitlist and we'll reach out as spots open in your area.
Secure your invitation
Relay is in private beta. Leave your email and we'll reach out when spots open in your area.