Kivu Market: free classified ads in Rwanda
Part of Kivu Super App (kivu.site). In the app this section is also called Isoko.
Open KivuKivu Market is the classified ads section of Kivu Super App, a free app made in Kigali, Rwanda. People and small businesses post ads to sell something, rent it out, offer a job or offer a service. Other people find the ad in the feed or on the map and contact the author by chat or by phone.
Kivu Market is a bulletin board, not an online shop. Kivu does not sell the goods, does not hold the money and takes no commission. The buyer and the seller agree between themselves and pay each other directly, in cash or by Mobile Money. Posting an ad is free.
Key facts
| Where it works | Rwanda. Open kivu.site in a phone browser and choose Market. |
|---|---|
| Price to post an ad | Free |
| Commission on a sale | None |
| Who can post | Anyone with a free Kivu account — a person or a business |
| Types of ads | For Sale, For Rent, Job Offer, Service |
| Categories | 29: Real Estate; Vehicles; Vehicle Parts & Accessories; Phones & Tablets; Computers; Accessories; Games; Handcraft; Cosmetics; Jewelry & Watches; Musical Instruments; Books & Stationery; Kitchen; Sitting Room; Bedroom Furniture; Office Furniture; Bathroom; Garden; Barber Equipment; Construction Materials; Jobs; Services; Fashion; Health & Wellness; Sports; Kids; Animals; Agriculture; Other |
| Photos | From 1 to 5 photos per ad (at least one is required) |
| Text | Title up to 100 characters, description up to 2,000 characters |
| Price in the ad | Set by the seller, in Rwandan francs (RWF) by default |
| 3D view | Optional. A seller can add a 3D model of the item (a .glb file, up to 10 MB). Buyers turn the item around on the screen with "3D View" and, on phones that support it, see it in their own room through the camera with "View in AR". Real-time AR try-on is planned. |
| Place | City, plus an optional pin on the map |
| How long an ad stays | Until the author deletes it. Ads do not expire. |
| How buyers contact the seller | Chat inside Kivu, or the phone number from the ad |
| Check before publishing | Every new ad is checked automatically by AI before it appears |
| Paid options | Optional boosts from 500 RWF a day. Everything else is free. |
How to use it, step by step
If you are selling
- Open kivu.site and sign in with a free account.
- Open Market and tap "Post Ad".
- Choose the type (For Sale, For Rent, Job Offer or Service), write a title, set the price and pick a category.
- Describe the item honestly: condition, what is included, rental terms if you rent it out.
- Choose the city. If you want, put a pin on the map so buyers see where the item is.
- Add from 1 to 5 photos and the phone number buyers should call. If you have a 3D model of the item (a .glb file), you can add it too.
- Tap "Submit for Review". The ad is checked automatically, and you get a notification when it is approved or rejected.
- After approval the ad is in the feed and, if you set a pin, on the map. In "My Ads" you see its status: Pending, Active or Rejected.
- Buyers write to you in Kivu Chat or call you. You agree on the price and the meeting place and receive the money directly from the buyer.
- When the item is sold, delete the ad in "My Ads". To change an ad, delete it and post it again.
If you are buying
- Open kivu.site, sign in with a free account and open Market.
- Search by words or choose a category. You can filter by type (sale or rent), price range and city, and sort by newest or by price.
- Switch to the map to see ads near you.
- Open an ad to see the photos, price, description and place. "Get Directions" opens the route to the pin. Tap the seller's name to see their other ads. If the ad has a 3D model, tap "3D View" to turn the item around, or "View in AR" to see it in your room through the phone camera.
- Tap "Chat" to send the seller a first message (up to 300 characters), or tap "Call Seller" to see the phone number and call.
- Meet in a public place, check the item, and pay the seller only after you have seen it.
- If an ad looks wrong or dishonest, tap "Report" on the ad.
What it costs
Posting ads, browsing, chatting and calling are free. There is no commission and no fee per sale.
The only paid thing is an optional boost for an ad that is already published. A boost shows the ad higher for 1, 3, 7 or 30 days. Prices in Rwandan francs (RWF):
| Boost | What it does | 1 day | 3 days | 7 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category Top | The ad is shown at the top of its category | 500 | 1,250 | 2,500 | 7,500 |
| Global Top | Top of its category and top of the main "All" feed | 800 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
| Super VIP | Above the other boosts, as a large full-width card | 1,200 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 18,000 |
- Sticker on the ad (URGENT, NEGOTIABLE or NEW): 300 RWF a day, with the same discounts for longer periods (750 for 3 days, 1,500 for 7 days, 4,500 for 30 days). Sold only together with a boost.
- Golden design for the ad's buttons: 300 RWF once, for the whole boost period. Sold only together with a boost.
- You pay inside the app with MTN Mobile Money and confirm the payment with your MoMo PIN on your phone. The app shows the total before you pay.
- A boost changes only the position and the look of an ad. It does not skip the check, and a "verified" mark cannot be bought.
- When the boost ends, the sticker and the golden design end with it. The ad stays published in its normal place.
- Only one boost at a time: a new boost can be bought only after the current one ends.
What is good about it
- Free: no fee to post, no commission, no fee per sale.
- Ads do not expire, so you do not need to post the same thing again every few weeks.
- The whole app is under 400 KB and opens in the phone browser, so it works on cheap phones and slow mobile internet.
- Ads can have a pin on the map, and "Get Directions" shows the way to the place.
- An ad can have a 3D model: buyers look at the item from all sides and can place it in their room in AR before they travel to see it. Real-time AR try-on is planned.
- You can talk to the seller in Kivu Chat first, without leaving the app.
- Every new ad is checked before it appears, and every ad has a Report button.
- The app works in 11 languages, including English, Kinyarwanda, French and Swahili.
- The same free account opens the other sections of Kivu: Group Buy, courier delivery in Kivu Express, Jobs and more.
Limits, and what protects you
| What to know | What protects you |
|---|---|
| Kivu does not hold or transfer the money. There is no escrow, and Kivu cannot refund a payment. | Pay only after you have seen and checked the item. If you pay by Mobile Money, check the receiver's name on your phone before you confirm. |
| Kivu does not check the real item or the seller's identity. The automatic check looks at the ad, not at the goods. | Meet in a public place and inspect the item yourself. Open the seller's profile to see their other ads. Use the Report button; the team bans accounts that cheat. Fraud is a matter for the police. |
| Kivu does not deliver. | Agree on pickup with the seller, or order an independent courier in Kivu Express. |
| A published ad cannot be edited. | Delete it and post it again. This is free, and the new ad is checked again. |
| Ads do not expire, so an old ad may still be shown after the item is sold. | Ask the seller in chat whether the item is still available before you travel to see it. |
| The phone number you write in your ad can be seen by other users. | It is shown only to signed-in users, and only when they tap Call. People who are not signed in cannot see ads or numbers. |
| You need a free account even to look at ads. | Signing in is free. It keeps anonymous spam out and means every ad belongs to an account. |
| There is a limit on how many new ads one account can post in a day. | The limit is there to keep spam out of the feed. |
| Kivu works in Rwanda only for now, and it is new: the public launch is October 2026, so the number of ads is still growing. | Real numbers are open to everyone at kivu.site/stats. East Africa is the next goal. |
What Kivu Market does not do
- It does not sell goods itself: every ad belongs to the person or business that posted it.
- It does not hold, transfer or refund money.
- It does not take a commission or a listing fee.
- It does not deliver or store goods.
- It does not promise the quality of an item or the honesty of a seller.
- It does not sell "verified" marks.
How Kivu earns from this section
From Market, Kivu earns only when a seller chooses to buy a boost for an ad. There is no commission, no listing fee and no fee for contacting a seller.
Later, if users need them, Kivu plans subscriptions for businesses and advertising. Taking a percentage of sales is not planned: Kivu does not handle the money between buyer and seller.
Questions and answers
Is it free to post an ad on Kivu Market?
Yes. Posting an ad on Kivu Market is free, and Kivu takes no commission when you sell. You pay only if you choose an optional boost to show your ad higher, from 500 RWF a day.
How do I sell something online in Rwanda with Kivu?
Open kivu.site, sign in with a free account, open Market and tap "Post Ad". Add a title, a price, a category, a description, your city, 1 to 5 photos and your phone number, then tap "Submit for Review". After an automatic check the ad is published. Buyers contact you by Kivu Chat or by phone and pay you directly.
How do I pay for something I found on Kivu Market?
You pay the seller directly, in cash or by Mobile Money (MTN MoMo or Airtel Money). Kivu does not hold or transfer the money and takes no commission. Pay only after you have seen the item, and check the receiver's name before you confirm a Mobile Money payment.
Is Kivu Market safe? How do I avoid scams?
Kivu Market is a bulletin board, so it cannot stop every scammer, but it makes cheating harder: every new ad is checked before it appears, each ad has a Report button, and the team bans accounts that cheat. For your part: meet in a public place, check the item, never send money before you have seen it, and check the receiver's name before paying. Fraud is a matter for the police.
How much does it cost to promote an ad on Kivu Market?
A boost costs from 500 RWF a day. Category Top is 500 RWF a day, Global Top is 800 RWF a day and Super VIP is 1,200 RWF a day. Longer periods are cheaper per day: 7 days cost the price of 5 days, and 30 days cost the price of 15 days. A sticker such as URGENT adds 300 RWF a day. You pay with MTN Mobile Money inside the app.
How long does my ad stay on Kivu Market? Can I edit it?
An ad stays until you delete it; ads do not expire. A published ad cannot be edited. To change the price or the text, delete the ad and post it again for free.
Does Kivu deliver the things I buy?
No. Kivu does not deliver or store goods. You collect the item from the seller, or you can order an independent courier in the Kivu Express section and pay the courier directly.
Can I see ads on Kivu Market without an account?
No. You need a free Kivu account to see ads, chat with sellers and see phone numbers. Signing in is free.
How is Kivu Market different from an online shop?
An online shop sells goods itself, takes your payment and delivers. Kivu Market is a bulletin board: it shows ads from people and businesses and connects you with them. You agree and pay each other directly, so there is no commission, but also no payment protection from Kivu — check the item before you pay.
Can I see a product in 3D or AR on Kivu Market?
Yes, if the seller added a 3D model to the ad. Tap "3D View" to turn the item around on the screen. On phones that support AR, "View in AR" shows the item in your room through the camera. Adding a 3D model is optional, so not every ad has one. Real-time AR try-on is planned and not available yet.
What can I sell or advertise on Kivu Market?
There are 29 categories, including real estate, vehicles and vehicle parts, phones and tablets, computers, furniture, fashion, cosmetics, construction materials, farm products and animals, jobs and services. An ad can be For Sale, For Rent, a Job Offer or a Service.
Related sections of Kivu
- Group Buy
- Join other buyers in one bulk order to get a lower price per unit.
- Machinery
- Tractors, trucks and other heavy equipment for sale or rent.
- Jobs
- A separate section for vacancies and CVs.
- Kivu Express
- Order an independent courier, a moto or car ride, or cargo by truck.