A bike is worth a few hundred francs, an e-bike often a few thousand. The buyer wants a test ride, and wonders whether it was stolen. So the platform matters more than it does for a lamp.
And if you're an expat leaving Switzerland, there's a second problem: the buyers are Swiss, and most of them search in German or French.
The short answer:
- E-bike over 1,500 francs: Velocorner first, anywhere in Switzerland. Then Tutti if you're in German-speaking Switzerland or Ticino, Anibis if you're in the French-speaking part (Romandie).
- Regular bike under 500 francs: Tutti (German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino) or Anibis (Romandie), with no commission. Facebook Marketplace on top.
- Kid's bike or old city bike: a bike exchange (Velobörse / bourse aux vélos), in spring or autumn.
Here's why.
What each option costs you
| Commission | Payment | |
|---|---|---|
| Velocorner | 8 %, capped at CHF 275 | cashless, through the platform |
| Ricardo | 12 % for bikes, capped at CHF 290 | handled by the platform |
| Tutti / Anibis | none | directly between you and the buyer |
| Facebook Marketplace | none (local pickup) | directly between you and the buyer |
| Bike exchange | often 10 to 20 % | the organisers sell it for you |
Three concrete examples:
- City bike sold for 400 francs: 48 francs to Ricardo, 32 to Velocorner, 0 on Tutti or Anibis.
- E-bike sold for 3,000 francs: on Ricardo, 12 % would be 360 francs, cut down to the 290 cap. On Velocorner, 240. On Tutti or Anibis, nothing — but no payment protection either.
- E-bike sold for 4,000 francs: both caps apply, 290 on Ricardo against 275 on Velocorner. The gap almost disappears.
Since April 2026, Ricardo offers stackable commission discounts (auctions starting at 1 franc, Ricardo Plus, a rebate on every fifth sale): up to 30 % off, so 8.4 % at best on a bike.
Velocorner: the specialist
Velocorner is the Swiss marketplace dedicated to bikes; the TCS (the Swiss touring club) has been a co-owner since 2023. According to the TCS, over 150,000 bikes go through the platform every year, and the average used bike there was listed at around 2,743 francs in 2025. These are people looking for a good bike, not a 50-franc bargain. The site is available in English as well as German and French.
The process deals with the two worries of selling an expensive bike:
- the test ride: the buyer comes over, rides the bike, then confirms the purchase on the spot;
- the payment: no wad of cash to count — the money goes through the platform, and you get it as soon as the buyer confirms.
No sale, no fee. For an expensive e-bike, it's the safest option, and it costs less than Ricardo.
Ricardo: only if the auction can climb
At 12 %, Ricardo is the most expensive place to sell a bike. It earns its fee in one case: a bike that enthusiasts look for — a road bike from a known brand, a high-end mountain bike, a vintage model — where several bidders can push the price above what you'd have asked. For an ordinary city bike, the commission buys you nothing.
Tutti, Anibis: it depends where you live
For an ordinary bike, a free classified ad is enough — on the right site. Tutti shows about 2.2 million listings, Anibis about 612,000, but not in the same places: Tutti dominates German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, Anibis dominates Romandie (we counted canton by canton in our platform map).
The group that owns both announced on 20 October 2026 that listings will gradually also appear on the other site, in selected categories. Posting on both will be even less useful.
Bike exchanges
Pro Velo and other associations run bike exchanges: you drop your bike off in the morning, set the price, they sell it, and you pick up the money or the bike in the afternoon. At the Pro Velo × University of Geneva exchange, for instance, the commission is 10 % for members and 20 % for everyone else. Perfect for a kid's bike that's been outgrown: parents come specifically for those.
What the buyer wants to know
The size. Give the frame size (in cm or S/M/L) and the height of the person who rode it: "54 cm frame, I'm 1.78 m". It's the first question you'll get.
Proof it's yours. Keep the purchase receipt and note the frame number (stamped under the bottom bracket). In Switzerland, the owner of a stolen bike can reclaim it from any buyer for five years (Article 934 of the Swiss Civil Code), so a careful buyer will ask for the receipt. Mention it in the listing, and hand the buyer a receipt that includes the frame number.
For an e-bike, the battery. It sets the price. According to the TCS:
- a battery lasts roughly five to six years;
- it normally loses around 5 % of its capacity per year, and often keeps about 80 % after four years;
- a new battery costs 679 to 1,290 francs depending on the brand.
The buyer does the maths: if the battery needs replacing within a year, they knock that amount off. So give the battery's age, its capacity (in Wh, for example 500 Wh) and the mileage. Better still: have a bike shop read the remaining capacity with the brand's diagnostic tool, and put the result in the ad.
The price. Again according to the TCS, an e-bike loses about 30 % of its value in the first year and is worth roughly half its new price after two years.
Moving away?
Start early. A bike listed the week before your flight sells at whatever the last buyer offers. And write the ad in the local language: on Tutti, in German; on Anibis, in French. An English-only listing reaches only part of the buyers.
In short
- E-bike or valuable bike → Velocorner: secure payment, test ride on the spot, 8 % capped at 275 francs.
- Ordinary bike → Tutti in German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, Anibis in Romandie, no commission.
- Sought-after brand bike for enthusiasts → Ricardo auction, if you accept the 12 %.
- Kid's bike → a bike exchange.
- Always: frame size, frame number, receipt, and for an e-bike the battery's age and capacity.
Sources: Velocorner selling page (commission), TCS press releases on Velocorner (2025) and TCS guide to used e-bikes, Ricardo's commission table by product type and April 2026 discounts, Tutti/Anibis announcement of 20 October 2026, UNIGE × Pro Velo bike exchange (September 2026), Article 934 of the Swiss Civil Code. Collected in October 2026: rates change, check before you set your price.