Winning an eBay auction requires more than just placing a bid, especially for in-demand items. It’s about timing and strategic bidding.
But staying glued to your screen for the final countdown isn’t always possible. That’s where eBay sniping tools come in handy.
In this post, I’ll share the best eBay sniping tools to help you place winning bids at the last second and give you an edge over the competition.
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What Is Bid Sniping On eBay?
Bid sniping on eBay is a strategy of placing a winning bid just before the auction closes.
This way, other bidders don’t get the chance to respond with a higher bid as the auction ends.
The challenge is that you need to monitor auctions and place bids at the right time when you’re sniping bids manually.
That’s why most users opt for eBay sniping tools to automate this process and improve their chances of success.
What Is an eBay Sniping Tool?
An eBay sniping tool, or sniper, is a software that automatically bids for you at the last second of an eBay auction.
This tactic usually wins the auction by stopping others from outbidding you at the last moment.
You don’t need to constantly watch the auction or manually outbid others. The tool does this for you and helps you secure the item at your set price.
These tools come with additional features, like placing bids on multiple auctions at once while aiming to win only one. They also allow setting maximum bids for specific items and can even create a bidding strategy based on your eBay history.
In short, an eBay sniper lets you set your highest bid for an item and manages the bidding for you.
What Are the Best eBay Sniping Tools?
The best eBay sniping tools are Gixen, Bidnapper, Auction Sniper, BidSniper, EZsniper, BigSlammer, and Goofbid.
Let’s look at each in detail:
Gixen
Gixen is a free eBay sniping tool that allows four winning snipers per month.
It has a browser plugin for Mozilla Firefox and a Windows desktop manager to schedule and monitor your snipes.
Gixen supports group bidding, where you can bid for multiple items at the same time.
Since it’s free to use, Gixen supports its site by displaying ads. You can also support Gixen by subscribing to Gixen Mirror for $7 a year and get access to additional features like:
- An ad-free experience.
- More snipe time options, including 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 15 seconds.
- Two additional types of group bids: Contingency groups, which cancel all others in the group if one item is lost, and Multi-win groups, which allow wins on multiple items.
- Hourly updates on auction end times.
Many users praise Gixen for its dependable performance, particularly during high-traffic periods and in auctions for highly sought-after items.
Bidnapper
Bidnapper is an eBay sniping online service that offers a thirty-day free trial.
It has two pricing plans:
- Pre-paid Snipes: $1.5 per win. This plan is applicable only when you win an auction and is ideal for those who bid occasionally.
- Unlimited Subscription: $4 per month. This plan is a cost-effective option for frequent eBay users.
Bidnapper has a simple toolbar that lets you add bids. Plus, it lets you create a shortcut on your browser toolbar using the Snapper link and bulk add multiple bids.
Bidnapper also has a unique “Snibble” feature that automatically increases your bid each time the auction time extends without exceeding your maximum set bid.
While eBay doesn’t allow extending auction times, this feature is useful if you bid on other auction sites that do.
Auction Sniper
Auction Sniper is an eBay-exclusive sniping tool with a unique pricing structure and features.
It offers three free snips before you’re directed to a paid plan. Once the free snipes are used, Auction Sniper charges 1.95% of the final auction price.
The fee structure includes:
- A minimum fee of $0.35 for items priced at $20 or less.
- A maximum fee of $35, regardless of the auction’s final price.
Auction Sniper also allows you to create “Bid Groups” with similar items. You can set your maximum price for each listing in the group. Auction Sniper will then bid on each item in the group until you win one of them.
BidSniper
BidSniper is another paid eBay sniping tool with a free plan and a win rate of 65.28%.
After a three-day trial, you’ll automatically be switched to the free plan, which allows for up to four monthly wins and sniping auctions within seven seconds of closing.
The paid plan of BidSniper includes many advanced features:
- Bidding up to the very last second of the auction.
- Protection against shill bidding, where the seller and their friends bid on their own item to increase the final price.
- Phone support for immediate assistance.
- The ability to download past snipe data.
- Sync bidding, where multiple bids are placed and compared simultaneously to ensure accurate outcomes.
BidSniper’s unlimited paid plan starts at $9.99 per month, with discounts available for longer-term commitments, such as 3, 6, and 12-month plans.
EZsniper
EZsniper is an eBay sniping tool with the same founders and features as Bidnapper.
In fact, they share an identical user interface. The only difference is their trial periods and pricing plans.
Bidnapper offers a 30-day trial, while EZsniper has a trial period of only up to 3 wins.
EZsniper has a more flexible pricing structure as follows:
- 1% Commission per Win: This plan charges a 1% commission on each win, with a minimum of $0.10 and a maximum of $10 per win. It’s ideal for occasional bidders.
- Flat Rate Pre-Paid Snipes: Priced at $1.60 per win, this plan suits those bidding on higher-priced items. You pay when you win.
- Unlimited Plan: For $6.67 per month, this plan offers unlimited sniping and winning, which is suitable for frequent bidders.
BidSlammer
BidSlammer is an eBay bid placement service that’s been in business since 2001.
It offers one free and two paid plans as below:
- Just Snipping: You can use it free indefinitely, but it limits you to one scheduled bid at a time and allows free snipes of up to 1,000.
- Pay Per Use: This plan has three power packs offering 5, 10, and 25 snipe wins for $12, $20, and $40, respectively.
- Unlimited Subscription: This plan has four plans 一 1 month for $8, 3 months for $24, 6 months for $36, and a yearly plan for $48.
The free plan places bids 10 seconds before an auction closes, whereas the paid plans execute bids 1 second before closing.
BidSlammer also lets you change or remove your bid 15 seconds before closing, which many sniping tools don’t allow.
Goofbid
Goofbid is a comprehensive suite for eBay users in the UK.
It’s not just a sniping tool but also includes search tools and buyer and seller aids.
Goofbid offers two plans: a monthly subscription at £2.99 and an annual subscription at £23.90.
What sets Goofbid apart are features such as rival sniper alerts, a turbocharged sniper that allows multiple snipes from various locations, and the ability to import your eBay watch list.
If you’re looking for a powerful set of tools for eBay, including a reliable bid sniper, Goofbid is a solid choice.
Why Should You Use A Sniping Tool?
You should use a sniping tool to avoid attracting non-serious bidders, save time, limit other bidders to respond, prevent shill bidding tactics, and decrease human errors.
- Reduces attraction of non-serious bidders: By bidding later, you avoid drawing unnecessary attention to the listing, which can lead to bidding wars. Sniping keeps your interest hidden until the last moment.
- Saves time: You don’t need to constantly watch the listing. Set a reminder to place your bid just before closing.
- Limits other bidders’ response time: Many bidders don’t set a maximum bid and prefer manual bidding. Sniping leaves them little to no time to react to your last-second bid.
- Minimizes human errors: Automated sniping reduces the risk of common bidding mistakes like being logged out at a crucial moment, placing incorrect bids in a rush, forgetting to bid, or connectivity issues.
- Allows precise last-second bidding: Manual sniping risks missing the last seconds of an auction. Automated tools can place bids accurately, even in the final seconds.
- Facilitates group bidding for single wins: You can bid on multiple similar items without the risk of winning all. The tool stops bidding on other items once you win one, increasing your chance of a favorable deal.
Are Sniping Tools Allowed On eBay?
eBay allows bid sniping, including the use of sniping tools that bid on your behalf.
However, eBay also cautions against potential fraud risks when using sniping tools.
These tools often require access to your eBay account, including sensitive information like your password and personal details, to sync with auction timings. This could potentially expose your account to security risks.
That’s why you should check customer reviews when choosing a sniping tool to protect your personal information.
eBay Sniping Tool Alternatives
You can use eBay’s automatic bidding feature as an alternative to sniping tools.
Automatic bidding, or proxy bidding, is a built-in eBay feature that lets eBay bid on the buyer’s behalf.
Simply enter the highest price you’re willing to pay for an item and eBay does the rest of the work.
Follow these steps to bid using automatic bidding:
- Find the auction you’re interested in.
- Enter your maximum bid amount in the bid box.
- Click the “Place Bid” button.
- On the following page, review and confirm your bid by clicking “Continue” and then “Confirm Bid.”
eBay will then automatically place bids for you, up to your maximum specified amount for the item.
eBay will also let you know if someone outbids you, and then you can decide whether to increase your maximum bid.
Keep in mind that buyers using sniping tools have an advantage. These tools place the maximum bid at the very last second of the auction, which generally outpaces eBay’s gradual bidding system.
For example, if a sniping tool places a bid with only 10 seconds left, eBay informs you that another bidder has offered a higher price.
But with so little time left, you won’t have the chance to increase your bid, leading to a likely loss in the auction.
Should You Use eBay Sniping Tools?
Using eBay sniping tools is a smart move, especially if you’re a regular bidder on eBay.
These tools give you a competitive edge and often lead to successful purchases without getting caught in a bidding war.
While some view sniping as an unfair tactic, others see it as a clever strategy.
Most importantly, eBay allows the use of these tools, so you need not worry about violating any rules.
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Steve Chou is a highly recognized influencer in the ecommerce space and has taught thousands of students how to effectively sell physical products online over at ProfitableOnlineStore.com.
His blog, MyWifeQuitHerJob.com, has been featured in Forbes, Inc, The New York Times, Entrepreneur and MSNBC.
He's also a contributing author for BigCommerce, Klaviyo, ManyChat, Printful, Privy, CXL, Ecommerce Fuel, GlockApps, Privy, Social Media Examiner, Web Designer Depot, Sumo and other leading business publications.
In addition, he runs a popular ecommerce podcast, My Wife Quit Her Job, which is a top 25 marketing show on all of Apple Podcasts.
To stay up to date with all of the latest ecommerce trends, Steve runs a 7 figure ecommerce store, BumblebeeLinens.com, with his wife and puts on an annual ecommerce conference called The Sellers Summit.
Steve carries both a bachelors and a masters degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Despite majoring in electrical engineering, he spent a good portion of his graduate education studying entrepreneurship and the mechanics of running small businesses.