How TradeMe works
TradeMe helps neighbours swap services instead of paying for them. You do what you're good at for someone, and someone does what they're good at for you. Here's every step, from your first listing to the handshake at the end.
1. List what you offer and what you want
An offer is something you can do for someone: an hour of guitar lessons, mowing a lawn, setting up a printer, a batch of home-cooked meals. A want is something you'd like done for you.
For each offer, you say what an hour, a job, a session or an item of it is worth to you in dollars. Nobody pays that amount. It's a yardstick, so we can tell whether a swap is fair. For wants, the value is optional: it's what you'd expect to give for it.
You also say whether the work happens in person, remotely, or either, and how far you're happy to travel. You can have up to 12 active offers and 12 active wants at a time, and you can pause or archive any of them whenever you like.
Not sure how to describe something? On the listing form, write it in your own words ("I can help older folks set up their phones") and we'll draft the listing for you to check.
2. We match you with neighbours
A match happens when someone's offer is in the same category as your want, and your offer fits one of their wants. You both have to be close enough for in-person work, or both happy to work remotely when the kind of work allows it.
The stamp tells you if it's fair
Each match is drawn as a swap slip. The stamp in the seam compares the two sides' stated values:
- EvenThe two sides are within about 15% of each other.
- CloseWithin about 40%. Usually easy to settle with a small change.
- UnevenOne side is worth a lot more. We suggest how to even it out.
When a swap is close or uneven, we work out how much more of the smaller side would balance it, rounded to the nearest half hour or half job:
Even it out: 3 hours of tutoring instead of 2.
Three-way circles
Sometimes nobody who has what you want needs what you offer. That's where circles come in: you help one neighbour, they help a second, and the second helps you. Everyone gives once and gets once.
Matches are ranked by how well the details line up (shared tags, a fair balance, verified phones, people who've traded before), so the best ones show first on your dashboard.
3. Agree the trade
When you like a match, propose the swap. You can adjust the amounts (three hours instead of two, say) before you send it. The other person can accept, suggest different amounts, or say no thanks. Any change resets everyone's acceptance, so nobody gets held to something they didn't see.
Once everyone accepts, messaging opens up so you can sort out the details, and the trade agreement is written up with the trade code, what each person gives and gets, and the safety checks you'll follow.
4. Work through the safety checklist
Before a swap can be scheduled, both of you complete the checklist that fits the work. For remote swaps, that's just a confirmed email and agreeing to the community rules. For in-person swaps it adds a verified phone, an agreed meet plan, and checking in and out on the day. Work in someone's home and care of children, elders or pets overnight ask for more. See the full safety rules.
Phone numbers and email addresses stay hidden until the meet plan is agreed. Messages that try to share them early are masked automatically.
5. Meet, check in, do the work
When you arrive, tap "I've arrived". When you're finished and on your way, tap "All done, I'm safe". If you forget to check out, we'll remind you. If we still don't hear from you, we tell your buddy and our team. A visible "I feel unsafe" button is there the whole time.
6. Confirm, review, keep the record
Once everyone confirms they got what was agreed, the trade is complete. You can each leave a short review; reviews appear once both of you have written one, or after 14 days. A member's average rating shows after three reviews.
Your signed agreement and a completion receipt are filed into your own MeCentral vault. They're yours to keep, even if you leave TradeMe.
Common questions
Does any money change hands?
No. TradeMe is free, and swaps are services for services. Asking for cash, gift cards or payment-app transfers is against the community rules.
Do I have to pay tax on a swap?
Possibly. In the US, the value of services you receive in a barter can count as taxable income. TradeMe doesn't give tax advice. If you trade a lot, ask a tax professional.
Does TradeMe check people's work?
No. We check identities and safety steps, not skills. Read profiles and reviews, ask questions in messages, and start with a small swap. Work that needs a licence in your state (electrical, plumbing, hair and others) needs one on TradeMe too.
Who can join?
Anyone 18 or older who agrees to the community rules.