Buying an excavator sight-unseen from three states away is a genuinely risky transaction, and the platforms that dominate heavy equipment auctions are the ones that made that risk manageable. Inspection standards, unreserved sale policies and transport logistics matter far more here than slick interfaces.
These are the ten that carry real volume, with honest notes on where each one earns its commission.
The majors
1. Ritchie Bros
The name everyone knows, and the one that defined the category. The signature policy is unreserved selling — every lot sells on sale day regardless of price, no minimums, no buybacks. That single rule is why bidders show up: they know they are not being used to flush out a reserve.
Site inspections, standardised condition reporting and worldwide buyer reach mean strong results for sellers. Commission is not cheap, but for a fleet disposal it is generally justified.
2. IronPlanet
Now part of the same group as Ritchie Bros, IronPlanet pioneered the detailed online inspection report — the IronClad Assurance guarantee is essentially a warranty on the accuracy of that report. For remote buyers, that is the single most valuable thing a platform can offer.
3. Purple Wave
Fully online, fully unreserved, with a transparent fee structure and no physical lane theatre. Strong in agriculture, construction and municipal equipment across the American Midwest and expanding. Bidders like it because there is nothing hidden in the process.
Marketplace and listing platforms
4. Machinery Trader
Primarily a listings marketplace rather than a pure auction house, with auction inventory integrated. If you want to understand what equipment is actually worth before you bid anywhere, this is the reference catalogue.
5. EquipmentFacts
An online bidding platform used by a large number of independent auctioneers to run their equipment sales. Similar structural role to HiBid — a shared shopfront rather than a single seller. Listing quality varies by the auction house behind each sale.
6. BidSpotter
Strongest in industrial plant, machine shops and manufacturing closures rather than yellow iron. If you are sourcing CNC machines or a full production line, this is the first place to look.
Agriculture-weighted platforms
7. BigIron
Unreserved online auctions with a heavy farm and agricultural focus. No buyer’s premium on many sales, which is unusual and genuinely attractive. Well-established relationships with retiring farmers make for good consignment quality.
8. TractorHouse
The agricultural sibling of Machinery Trader. Enormous listings catalogue with auction inventory alongside. Essential for valuation research on farm equipment. More on this category in our guide to farm equipment auction software.
Government and surplus
9. GovPlanet
Ex-military and government heavy equipment — trucks, trailers, generators, specialist plant. Prices reflect a seller motivated by disposal rather than profit, though condition varies wildly and some lots come with usage restrictions.
10. GovDeals
Municipal public works equipment: backhoes, dump trucks, street sweepers, mowers. Frequently well maintained with full service records because a public agency kept them, and frequently cheap because nobody is optimising the sale.
How to judge these platforms as a seller
Three questions cut through the sales pitch:
- Is the sale unreserved? Unreserved brings serious bidders. Reserved sales attract tyre-kickers who suspect they are being used for price discovery.
- Who does the inspection, and is it guaranteed? A third-party inspection with a guarantee behind it lifts realised prices more than any amount of marketing.
- What is the all-in cost? Commission plus listing fee plus transport to the sale site plus any yard charges. Comparing headline commission alone is meaningless.
When dealers build their own
Equipment dealers with a steady flow of trade-ins face the same maths car dealers do: a percentage to the auction house on every unit, forever. Past a certain volume, running your own timed online sales to your own buyer list becomes clearly cheaper.
The module set for equipment is specific — hour meters, attachment inventories, serial number verification, inspection photo templates, transport quoting — but it is all well-trodden ground now. See custom auction software for how that layers onto a proven bidding engine, and how much it costs to build an auction website for realistic numbers.
Frequently asked questions
What does “unreserved” actually mean?
Every lot sells to the highest bidder on the day with no minimum price and no seller buyback. It is the strongest signal a platform can send that bidding is genuine.
Do I pay a buyer’s premium on heavy equipment?
Usually, typically in the 8-15% range online, though some platforms such as BigIron waive it on certain sales. Always confirm before bidding — see what a buyer’s premium is.
Who arranges transport?
The buyer, almost always, and it is expensive. Factor freight into your maximum bid before the sale rather than discovering it afterwards.
