Make no bones about it, iGarageSale is a Craigslist app. The developer claims its garage sales are listed from “multiple sources,” but everything I found in my tests was from Craigslist. This isn’t a bad thing—Craigslist is great—but let’s not get carried away. Performant Designs LLC doesn’t describe its other sources, so as far as I can tell, you’re paying 99 cents for content that elsewhere is free.
The iGarageSale app itself is great, intuitive and thoughtfully designed. I like how I could see sales on a map, in satellite view (perfect for navigating cul-de-sacs), and in a list format. I also like the ability to toggle between day and week, which lets me see today’s sales as well as those that are planned for later.
The iGarageSale search tool is another nice touch, but since you’re searching user-generated Craigslist ads, the feature is only as good as your ability to filter misspellings, vague descriptions and omissions. Of course, since iGarageSale only lists items from Craigslist’s “Garage Sales,” you miss out on everything that’s listed in that site’s 34 other “For Sale” headings.
Also, the app may drop pins on its map for sales that don’t have addresses. If an ad simply says “Springfield” for its location, you’ll get a pin in the middle of Springfield. That’s cheating, and if you’re searching for the closest sales, it’s annoying. (But it could be Homer Simpson’s house.)
All said, iGarageSale is a well-built app that’s only as good as its source material. If you’re a fan of rummage sales, it’s worth a try, but if you’re a Craigslist power-user, you’ll be better served by something else.
