Gumtree was born in 2000 with a simple mission: to help expats find their footing in London. What started as a community-driven platform quickly became a household name across the UK. As we reflect on our journey from our early days to our expansion, and now into a new chapter we’re proud of how far we’ve come.

Our roots

Founded in 2000 to help expats settle in London, Gumtree quickly grew into the UK’s leading classifieds platform. Acquired by eBay in 2005, we expanded globally and later added MOTORS to strengthen our car offering. Fast forward to July 2020, eBay sold the entire eBay Classifieds Group to Adevinta in a deal worth over $9 billion.

Just 18 months later (December 2021), Adevinta sold Gumtree UK and MOTORS to a consortium consisting of O3 Industries (“O3”) and Novum Capital, which meant we could operate as a truly standalone business.

With ambition to scale the business dramatically, Gumtree was acquired in late 2024 by the private equity group, Ocean Link and its portfolio company 58.com, meaning we separated from our partner company, MOTORS.

Whilst Gumtree has undergone significant changes over the last decade, our platform is more relevant than ever. With renewed investment and support from our new owners, we have embarked on an exciting transformation to revolutionise this much-loved platform into a cutting-edge, modern marketplace where buying and selling is safer, simpler, and more enjoyable for everyone.

Rooted in community, driven by innovation. As we embrace this new phase, we remain committed to the values that made Gumtree a trusted name. The future is bright, and we’re excited to continue evolving always with our users at the heart of everything we do.