Boat Trader - Boats for Sale Reviews

by Lynn.SanJose__

I login through my Google account. I really really really want to love BoatTrader and give it five stars since I’m finding cool boats on here, but every two minutes (not an exaggeration) BoatTrader logs me out and requests for me to log back in. It’s pretty frustrating. Again, I want to love BoatTrader and would be more than happy to change this review to five stars if that one thing gets figured out. Not sure if other people are having this issue?

by Zaknj

I've simply had enough of this website/app
They do it completely wrong. There are way too many scammers that exist on the site that could be prevented with proper verification and a report system. These people are creating false ads and literally taking money
Private sellers should have phone numbers listed and properly verified. Boat trader literally does nothing to protect the buyers. There are better options and I've seen enough from this site to stop using it and I suggest you do as well. Especially with all the scams that exist and improper verification with private sellers and no report system and no live chat or live support to report such issues
Move on to next all

by Trekkor123

It is astounding that it is so highly rated. Makes me suspicious. It constantly freezes. Every action you do seems to be a delay. You are bombarded with ads (probably a good part of the problem). Every time you click done to get out of a boat listing, it erases all your filters you just created, so you have to start your search all over again. Sometimes it won’t even show the done button, so you have to close BoatTrader completely and reopen it. It doesn’t allow you to save any filter settings in your profile for quick searches later. It is truly the worst app I have ever used. By the way, I’m using an iPad that’s fully updated.

by Ffmcross

BoatTrader needs to be updated to accommodate viewing on a phone. That is the reason you made an app so make it work for phones. Auto rotate images, VW able to zoom in on images, scale images for best viewing and not cut them off in a 3x4 format. BoatTrader has never been updated for wide viewing. When you rotate the picture to be able to see, BoatTrader freaks out and doesn’t allow you to close out of the photos or it won’t load the next photo due to the orientation. Needs an update yesterday!!!

by Abc12345678123765

BoatTrader seems to be stuck in the early app developments. It gets stuck when you look up make/models (it won’t let you search for a new make/model) without having to start over. If you are looking at a picture of a boat and turn your phone sideways so that you can see a larger view of it, BoatTrader gets stuck and you can’t click out of the add without closing the entire app down and starting all over again. You would think that a site like Autotrader/ boat trader would have the means to build a top quality app. They have severely dropped the ball on this one.

by CaliSam56

BoatTrader is constantly crashing, especially when going through photos on the listing. Overall, I like BoatTrader , the ease of use and overall content. However, the performance issue adds a level of frustration when it crashes in the middle of a listing and the added steps to start all over with your search criteria.

by TJ071966

I gave it three stars because it works, but I can’t find any reason to use it instead of the mobile website.

You can create an account with your email on the website, but can’t use it on BoatTrader . BoatTrader doesn’t have any more functions than the website. It still has ads. The look on BoatTrader is slightly better, but not enough to overcome the other shortcomings.

Overall, I don’t see any reason to use BoatTrader, and I have gone back to the website.

by Dgreg171

BoatTrader is not very user friendly. You can not search for multiple models of the same brand as you can on the website. Also every time you click for an expanded picture you have to completely close BoatTrader because the “X” button doesn’t close the pictures. Very frustrating.

by Marbs34

BoatTrader crashes and restarts without saving your search data. It has trouble keeping you in place where you were scrolling when returning back to search results after viewing a listing. This means you will have to scroll through a couple of dozen listings again just to find where you were at. Then when it’s all done and you’ve resumed where you were, it crashes when you click on another ad...

Other than that the sorting functions are very competent and so are the search parameters, good job there.

Only other thing this that you cannot choose to view pictures larger and it would be nice to have a picture viewer like Zillow to see the photos easier.

by Gtschattgen

I like BoatTrader for it extensively broad database and the search filters however trying to simply adjust a particular filter once selected is not possible. You have to start over and retype in the manufacture then select all filters over again. This has to be fixed...time consuming hassle to start over for every search.

by N3212T

I access the internet via my iPad Air. Click on the boat main photo and BoatTrader brings up a matrix of available photos but when you click on a photo in BoatTrader it only fills about 25% of the screen. You also have to exit out to the matrix to bring up the next photo. Most apps like this have a left or right icon to advance to the next screen.

by JoeFlyer1234

There’s a wealth of information on BoatTrader. Lots of boats, and easily accessible. From a technical standpoint though there are some issues that are pervasive enough to be quite frustrating.

For example when you choose a manufacturer and model, if you want to change the model in the filter menu, BoatTrader just won’t let you and you have to close it out and put the manufacturer in again. Also, expanding images isn’t very mobile friendly, either. If you click on one sometimes it is horribly scaled to the screen and won’t let you close out. Finally, the ad placements are a bit clunky and can easily lead to misclicks, taking you out of BoatTrader (and the ads sometimes pedal Pop Yachts whom many people here dislike including myself which just leaves a sour taste).

Overall a decent app, if you’re looking for boats it’s certainly a great place for it, but for now the technical/UI issues are pretty elementary and not something you’d expect for something so many people use to buy expensive things.

by Dayfd

I like BoatTrader but there is one big in paticular that is a deal breaker. After viewing a few boats, images suddenly stop loading for the entire app. So if you haven't found something in about 8 boats, you'll have to shut down BoatTrader and restart. But not immediately, you'll have to wait a few minutes. Then Prince and repeat with the new session. This had been happening for quite a while now.. Obviously it's part of the design and they like it. Good luck!

by Fisknfrank

BoatTrader is great for finding boats, however the operation of it is crappy. They must not put very much money and effort into BoatTrader . When you blow up the pictures, do not turn your phone sideways otherwise it will freeze up and you will have to close out BoatTrader . You might as well just scroll the pictures when you open up the boat listing and do not click on the picture. Pictures freeze when scrolling. BoatTrader is very inconsistent.

by I-sleep

You run into issues when you want to view pictures full screen. If they show up it’s great, but most of the time they don’t. If I go back after looking at a particular listing BoatTrader has trouble keeping up and the next listing I click on was the last one I viewed. I have to scroll through a couple of pics before it catches up. Also maybe having types of boats other than the main 3 that’s in the filter section would be a good idea. Thanks

by Hugo Shlong

I really enjoy this app’s website because it allows me to search the whole country or Southeast unlike Facebook marketplace that forces me to look locally. I primarily do this on my phone so that app was a blessing when I found it.

However, you can only search for one make/model at a time unlike on the website where I can select multiple different boats to search for and then scroll through them all. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal if once you searched one you could search another but once you search... it won’t let you reset to select another make/model. You have to close BoatTrader and search for the next one and close it each time.

It can also be finicky when looking at pictures. When you try to zoom in, it may cut off the picture and not allow you to pan and you may not be able to zoom out or exit the photo sometimes... again forcing you to close BoatTrader and reset.

Overall a good app that allows me to do what I want to do, shop for boats, but it could use some work on the development side.

by M The Guy

I need to be able to search for boats that have trailers included just like eBay does. And there is no reason for a saved boat or favored in vote to remain in my favorites category once it is sold. You should change the heart to orange after it’s sold for example and move those boats down to the bottom of the list. Those two issues kind of make BoatTrader prehistoric.

by SpancyPants

This is a huge step up from the broken Boat Trader site I used to use. There are a few nit picky things left to update. 1: hitting back shouldn’t log you out. I feel this is just a bug. 2: a better browser search interface. Maybe a list of manufacturers could be helpful.

Still tho, much, much better than before :)

by EstoZui

BoatTrader has a functional and easy to use interface. It allows users to filter down to the exact type of boat one is searching for. I particularly like the save feature. The only negative I have, is that BoatTrader signs you out too quickly, I found myself having to log back in several times during a session in order to save another vessel to my saved file. Other than that, love BoatTrader .

by Sea Señor

As a soon to be retiree, I have decided to spend time on the water with a fishing rod in my hand. I don’t have the experience of many boaters or fisherman, but I do know where to start my search. Boat Trader has been a wonderful resource for me!

by TexasDiver72

Did a search that yielded lots of results, clicked on one I thought was promising, but when I tried to go back to results, there was literally not a way to do it. No back button, no close button, no swipe back, nothing. The only options were to call or message. Had to close BoatTrader and start over, and it did it again. Completely useless as it is.

by Leemiller24atbellsouthdotnet

BoatTrader is good, you are able to search for boats relatively east.
However... if I’m doing a search specifically for used boats, 2014 and under, I still get bombarded with 2019 (new boats) from dealers... please fix this.... I understand these places generate revenue, but the bottom is covered in ads. It makes me think BoatTrader is artificially generating things outside of my search- which destroys any confidence I have in it.

by Signalius

Every time I start BoatTrader and visit a saved search it defaults to (within X miles of) my location. I happen to be traveling now and I’m not anywhere near the location I’m searching in. Please address the default “near my location” bug in a saved search. (Near my location not saved but defaults to it nonetheless)

by Pizza Lvr

Needs to improve the mobile interface. Also needs to add a “favorite” option to go back to saved items instead of searching thru multiple listings. Using the exact same search parameters I get different results compared to the desktop version. Clean it up and it will be a decent app!

by Chuckdee4206969

Like a lighthouse sending a beacon of hope, BoatTrader will guide you to to the safe waters of a comfortable and easy boat purchase. Intuitive and comprehensive, the format of the BT app is comfortably appointed to make your next boat purchase as easy as putzing around with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background!

by Ctupay

Great app and website, would be nice if BoatTrader had the same custom search options that are on the website. Let us filter for outboard/inboard only!

by Bretthebrat

This is the greatest search tool to see boats available. Gives good information and pictures help provide condition of boats. I signed up via email and can save as many favorites as I want to.

by Bojon01

Great app for finding a boat but I’ve had it crash several times when returning to previous search results from boat detail page. Overall a great app!

by Gldsvr

Every time I go to favorite a boat I have to log back in and then I have to select my search again and find the boat I was looking at. Otherwise it's pretty good.

by Hdfyyy

The adds are extremely annoying

by StevieRayW

Great app makes it easy to search for boats. Only suggestion would be to make it possible to zoom in on the photos.

by ImMikeLowery

1. I would like to see only new listing when I return to a saved search (like eBay app)

2. Option to enlarge and zoom on photos would be very helpful.

3. Option to view hull styles like cat, flat, V etc. would make searching easier.