How it works
One thing you own.
One trade at a time.
Trade Goes On is a free trading game played with real things, in person. You put one item you own in play, pitch a one-for-one trade for something another player has, and meet up to swap. Every swap you both confirm adds a chapter to your journey, a public page that shows the whole chain of items and the pitches behind them.
Step by step
From your first item to your next one.
- 01
Sign in with an email link
We email you a sign-in link, so there's no password. Pick a display name and the city you play in. You need to be 18 or older. Browsing the floor doesn't need an account.
- 02
Put one item in play
Photograph something you own and describe it honestly: what it is, its condition, anything wrong with it, and the city where you'd hand it over. City only, never your address. It goes on the floor where other players can pitch you for it.
- 03
Pitch a trade
Find an item you'd rather have and write a pitch, up to 500 characters, offering your item for theirs. You get one pitch out at a time, and you can withdraw it until it's accepted.
- 04
They accept or decline
That's the whole choice. No counteroffers and nothing added on top. If they decline, you just see that it was declined.
- 05
Meet and swap
When a pitch is accepted, both items lock and a chat opens for the two of you to plan the handoff. Meet somewhere public and busy, and look the item over before you confirm.
- 06
Both confirm the swap
The trade only counts once you both confirm it happened. Then it goes into both your journeys for good. If someone goes quiet, the trade unlocks itself after seven days.
- 07
Keep going
What you got is now your item in play, and the next pitch is yours to write. If you'd rather start over with something else, hold your item for 24 hours first. Swapping out ends that journey, and it stays on your profile.
Public and private
The story is public. Your details aren’t.
Anyone can see
- Your journey and each item’s history
- Your display name and city
- Item photos, descriptions, condition and flaws
- The pitch that won each completed trade
Stays private
- Your email address
- Chat messages, which only the two people in a trade see
- Pitches that weren’t accepted, which only the player you pitched can see
- Any reason you give for declining
Completed trades are permanent, for both players. Published item photos stay in the journey even if you later delete your account, so check your background for faces, addresses, mail and anything personal before you upload. More in the privacy notice.
What you can share
A page that tells where your stuff has been.
Your journey has its own link. It shows every item in the chain, where it changed hands, and the pitch behind each swap. You can share the link, copy it, or save the journey card as an image. Each item also has its own page listing every confirmed trade it’s been part of.
Open the example journeyGood questions
Before you start.
- Does any money change hands?
- No. It's one item for one item, with no cash on top, no points and no currency. Gift cards and anything else that works like cash can't be traded either. The game is free to play.
- Does each trade have to be an upgrade?
- No. We never judge whether a trade is better, and nothing is scored by value. If both people want the swap, it counts.
- Do I need an account to look around?
- No. Anyone can browse the floor and open journey pages. You only need to sign in to put an item in play or send a pitch.
- Where do trades happen?
- In person, between the two players. Every item shows the city its player would hand it over in, so you can look for trades near you.
- What can't be traded?
- Weapons, drugs and prescriptions, alcohol and tobacco, hazardous materials, stolen or counterfeit goods, recalled products, live animals, government ID, and gift cards or anything else that works like cash. Vehicles and property aren't supported yet.
That thing you never use?