Here’s Why Craigslist Still Looks the Same After 25-Plus Years

Craig Newmark’s explanation of the site’s evolution (or lack thereof) is surprisingly simple.

- EMILY DREIBELBIS

Craigslist emerged in 1995 to connect strangers through a free, web-based platform that has endured as rival services including Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, and countless dating apps emerged with advanced features and slick interfaces.

These platforms survive on advertising and subscription revenue. Craigslist, of course, has none of that. Over the years, the OG online marketplace has all but refused to modernize; its mobile app came out in 2019, only after nearly 25 years in business.

Why does the website still look the same after so many decades? That was the main question I had when I sat down for a video call with craigslist founder Craig Newmark, who joined me from the New York City apartment he shares with his wife, Eileen Whelpley.

Newmark stepped down as CEO of craigslist in 2000 after others told him he wasn’t cut out for management, he says. Jim Buckmaster has been at the helm since then, though Newmark remains a partial owner. He now works on philanthropy full time, supporting groups such as the Coalition Against Online Violence, which helps combat harassment against female journalists. Still, the 69-year-old entrepreneur is a billionaire (or near-billionaire, since he’s given away millions).

Our chat yielded much more than expected, from Costco hotdogs to Hello Kitty and his childhood Sunday-school lessons. It’s clear that the website is the purest and most enduring expression of Craig Newmark, a humble tech mogul who marches to the beat of his own drum.