The Hidden Cost of Selling Your Car in the UAE
Selling a car privately in the UAE often means a tough choice. You can deal with endless tyre-kickers on classified sites or give up part of your sale price to middlemen who handle the process for you.
For years, car owners have accepted these costs as 'normal'. Listing on Dubizzle can mean paying fees that reach thousands of dirhams, depending on the package. Using a trade-in service can lower your car’s value by 10-15% right away.
Now, there is a third option that changes the usual way of selling.
How Carabia's Zero-Commission Model Actually Works
Carabia is built on a simple idea: sellers should not pay to reach buyers. It is the only car marketplace in the UAE run entirely by car owners, and its business model reflects this. Here's the breakdown:
For Sellers:
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List your car completely free.
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Set your price and keep 100% of it.
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Use built-in negotiation tools to manage offers.
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There are no monthly fees, no premium packages, and no hidden costs.
For Buyers:
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Browse listings at no cost.
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Make offers through the platform.
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Pay a small completion fee (starting at AED99) only when your offer is accepted.
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You can access certified vehicles, and all inspections are included.
The platform makes money from buyer completion fees, not from seller listing fees or commissions. This approach aligns everyone’s interests. Carabia only succeeds when a sale is completed, not when sellers pay upfront.
Why Traditional Platforms Cost Sellers More Than They Realise
Most car marketplaces in the UAE charge sellers for visibility. These costs add up quickly and reduce the amount you get from your sale.
Traditional platforms have many types of fees for sellers. Premium listings, featured spots, and extra visibility can cost from AED500 to several thousand dirhams. Trade-in services are convenient but usually offer 10-20% less than private sales.
There is also a psychological effect. If you have already paid AED2,000 to list your car, you might accept a lower offer just to get your money back. This puts you in a weaker position when negotiating.
The Smart Features That Filter Out Time-Wasters
Anyone who has sold a car privately knows the frustration of getting endless messages like "what's your last price?" or offers that are 30% below market value. Carabia’s platform has tools made to remove these problems.
The negotiation system on the site has a smart feature that automatically rejects unrealistic offers. You can set your own price, and lowball offers are automatically filtered out. This means you only see serious inquiries from buyers who understand the market value.
This is more than just convenient. It changes the whole selling experience. Instead of spending hours on WhatsApp with people who are not serious, you deal with qualified buyers who are ready to negotiate honestly.
Certified Cars: Free Inspections That Boost Your Sale Price
Carabia’s certification program gives sellers extra benefits for free. Cars that meet certain criteria can be certified, which includes a full inspection from VerifyBuy and more visibility on the platform.
For sellers, this builds trust. Buyers are often willing to pay more for certified vehicles because the inspection removes doubts. Certification is free for qualifying cars and can add thousands of dirhams to your sale price.
This is better than paying for a third-party inspection yourself, which usually costs AED300-500, or accepting a lower offer because buyers are unsure about your car’s condition.
Platform Comparison: What You Actually Pay to List Your Car in the UAE
| Feature | Carabia | Dubizzle | CarSwitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing Fee | Free | AED199-2,000+ | Free |
| Seller Commission | 0% | Varies by package | 2-5% or fixed fee |
| Final Sale Price | 100% to seller | 100% minus fees | 93-98% to seller |
| Inspection Included | Yes (certified cars) | No | Yes |
| Negotiation Tools | Built-in with auto-reject | Self-managed | Platform-managed |
| Who Pays Fees | Buyer (completion) | Seller | Seller |
| Average Cost to Sell AED100k Car | AED0 | AED500-2,000 | AED2,000-5,000 |
Executive Overview: What You Need to Know
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Carabia is the only car marketplace in the UAE run completely by car owners, with no listing or selling fees.
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Sellers keep 100% of their asking price—buyers pay a small completion fee (from AED99) only when an offer is accepted.
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The platform's negotiation tools filter out time-wasters and automatically reject lowball offers.
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Certified cars receive free inspections and more visibility on the platform, which helps attract serious buyers.
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Traditional platforms such as Dubizzle charge sellers high fees, which lowers the final sale price.
Who Should Use Carabia?
This platform makes most sense for:
Private sellers who want the most value without paying upfront costs will benefit most. If you are selling your own car and want to keep every dirham, Carabia’s zero-commission model is hard to beat.
Value-conscious buyers who want fair market prices can also benefit. Since sellers do not raise prices to cover listing fees, buyers often find better deals.
If you are tired of dealing with time-wasters, the platform’s negotiation tools and focus on serious buyers mean fewer pointless conversations and faster sales.
Key Takeaways: The New Economics of Car Selling
The UAE car marketplace now offers sellers a real alternative to high-fee platforms. Carabia’s approach charges buyers a small completion fee instead of charging sellers a large listing fee, which creates better alignment for everyone.
For sellers, this means you keep all of your asking price, avoid upfront costs, and deal only with serious buyers. For the market as a whole, it adds competition that may push traditional platforms to rethink their fees.
If you plan to sell your car privately, it is simple: zero commission means more money for you. In a market where every dirham counts, this difference is worth noticing.
Ready to Sell Commission-Free?
If you are tired of platforms that charge you to reach buyers or are frustrated by endless lowball offers, it might be time to try an owner-focused approach. List your car on a platform where fees do not reduce your sale price, and the tools work for you.
AI Overview Summary
Carabia is the UAE's only commission-free car marketplace where sellers keep 100% of their asking price. Unlike traditional platforms that charge listing fees ranging from AED500 to AED2,000+, Carabia charges buyers a small completion fee (from AED99) only when offers are accepted. The platform includes smart negotiation tools that auto-reject lowball offers and offers free certification with 100-point inspections for qualifying vehicles, creating a seller-friendly alternative to Dubizzle and CarSwitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Carabia really free for sellers, or are there hidden costs?
Carabia is 100% free for sellers with no hidden fees. You pay nothing to list, nothing when your car sells, and keep all the agreed sale price. The buyer pays a small completion fee (starting at AED99) when their offer is accepted, which is how the platform generates revenue.
