There is no single best UK online auction site: you bid on whichever platform the auction house you want to buy from uses. The main ones are the-saleroom, Easylive Auction and BidSpirit. They differ mainly in what they charge bidders (BidSpirit: no platform fee; Easylive: 3% or a flat fee; the-saleroom: set per sale) and in how registration works.
Marketplace or bidding software: what is the difference?
An online auction “site” can be two different things, and the UK platforms are usually both at once.
- A marketplace lists catalogues from many auction houses in one place, so you can search across salerooms, set alerts and keep one login. The-saleroom, Easylive Auction and BidSpirit all work this way: you can browse thousands of lots without knowing which house is selling them.
- Bidding software is the technology the auction house uses to take bids online, whether alongside a live room or as a timed sale. The same platforms supply this to houses, and some also provide it under the house’s own brand. BidSpirit, for example, markets “white-label technology” to auction houses on its auction-house website, and houses such as Tennants run their own live bidding service.
The practical point for a buyer is that the auction house, not the platform, is your seller. The-saleroom’s bidder terms say its operator “is not a party to the contract for sale and purchase” between you and the auctioneer. Easylive’s FAQ says: “We do not sell the items ourselves”. BidSpirit’s FAQ says payment “is done directly to the auction houses”. Fees, payment, collection and complaints are all with the house.
How do the-saleroom, Easylive and BidSpirit compare?
Each platform’s own published descriptions, checked on 17 October 2026. Where a platform leaves something to the auction house, we say so.
| the-saleroom | Easylive Auction | BidSpirit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live sales | Yes: “traditional room-based auctions that are broadcast over the-saleroom.com” | Yes: the house broadcasts the sale; you can leave autobids and bid live | Yes: “real time sales where an auctioneer is managing the auction”, most with a video stream |
| Timed sales | Yes: “without an auctioneer calling the sale” | Yes: lots close at 30-second intervals | Yes: called timed or “automatic” auctions |
| Late-bid extension | FAQ: 2 minutes for a bid in the last 2 minutes; houses can set longer windows | 5 minutes for “last second bids” | “The system adds some time” for a bid seconds before the close |
| Registration | Create an account, then “Sign up to bid” for each auction; “it can take time for the auctioneer to approve your registration” | Create an account and add a payment card (checked with a small temporary transaction); register for each auction, choosing Free or Flat Fee; status shows “Pending Approval” until the auctioneer approves | Free account with email confirmation; ask each house for approval once (“a one-time process”), which “usually… takes 24 hours” |
| Platform charge to bidders | Terms: no charge “for accessing the Website”; “the Auctioneer may charge… through commission payments”. FAQ: auctioneers “typically” add 3% of the hammer price for online purchases | Free registration: “3% of the hammer price”, plus VAT if the house is VAT-registered, on the house’s invoice. Flat Fee: “taken regardless of whether you bid” | “Bidspirit doesn’t take any fees for online bidding” |
| How the fee is shown | In each sale’s important information and the house’s terms; Tennants, for one, publishes a 4.95% + VAT surcharge payable to the-saleroom | In the sale’s “Auction Info”, on the lot page and in the house’s terms | The house’s commission is in its terms “which appears in each catalog and lot page” |
| Payment and delivery | With the auction house | “You will be required to pay the auction house directly”; shipping arranged with the house | “Payment is done directly to the auction houses”; some houses do not ship |
Remember that the platform charge is in addition to the house’s own buyer’s premium. Our auction fees guide has real premium rates and two worked examples, and the timed auction rules guide covers extensions in more depth.
How many UK sales does each platform carry?
Auction Eagle collects public catalogues from all three platforms every day. The table below is calculated live from the sales listed on this site, so it shows what we see, not each platform’s full size: a platform may carry sales from houses we do not list, and sales outside the UK and Ireland.
| Platform | Upcoming or open sales | Auction houses with an upcoming sale | Auction houses seen on Auction Eagle via this platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| EasyLive Auction | 554 | 216 | 322 |
| the-saleroom | 528 | 124 | 171 |
| BidSpirit | 45 | 34 | 100 |
Counts are of sales listed on Auction Eagle (1,127 upcoming or open in total), not of everything on each platform. "Upcoming" includes timed sales that are open for bidding now. A house that uses more than one platform is counted under each. Refreshed every few hours.
As of 17 October 2026, Easylive Auction and the-saleroom accounted for almost all of the upcoming sales on Auction Eagle, with BidSpirit carrying a much smaller number. That says nothing about quality: it reflects which platforms the houses we list have chosen. You can browse every house in the auction house directory or start from a region such as London, Kent or Scotland.
What is the best online auction site in the UK?
We do not name a winner, because the deciding factor is usually the sale, not the site. If the clock you want is in a Tennants sale, you bid where Tennants sells. Use these criteria when you have a choice, for example when a house offers its own bidding service as well as a marketplace:
- Total cost of winning. Add the buyer’s premium, VAT on it and the online surcharge. On a £200 hammer price, the difference between no platform fee and 4.95% plus VAT is £11.88.
- Live or timed. Live bidding means following the sale in real time; timed sales let you leave a maximum and walk away. Easylive suggests using the on-screen information as your cue rather than the auctioneer’s voice, as audio can lag.
- Registration lead time. Approval is by the auction house on every platform. Register a day or two before the sale, especially on BidSpirit, where its FAQ says approval usually takes 24 hours.
- Absentee and maximum bids. All three let you leave a bid in advance. Easylive’s autobids allow a “+1” so the system can bid one more increment; BidSpirit explains that some houses run “silent” absentee bidding where you cannot see the leading bid.
- Alerts and search. Saved searches and lot alerts matter if you collect a niche category. Easylive offers keyword “Auction Alerts”; BidSpirit’s app sends alerts when a live auction or a chosen lot starts.
- After-sale service. Payment methods, shipping and collection are set by the house, so read the sale’s terms rather than the platform’s.
What about auction houses’ own bidding sites?
Many houses also take bids through their own websites, sometimes more cheaply. Tennants charges no surcharge for absentee bids left online and 1.5% plus VAT for live bidding through Tennants Live Bidding, against 4.95% plus VAT through the-saleroom, according to its buying page. Others charge more online: Dore & Rees Motoring publishes 12% plus VAT for room and absentee bids but 13% plus VAT for online bids in its November 2026 car sale. Bonhams says its premium is the same “whether you bid in the room, by telephone, by absentee bid or online through Bonhams’ own platforms”, but that “third party bidding platforms may add their own charge”. If a house offers more than one route, compare them before registering.
Other sites exist, including international marketplaces and general consumer auction sites, but they are outside the scope of this guide because we do not track their UK sales.
How does Auction Eagle fit in?
Auction Eagle is a free directory, not a bidding platform. We list upcoming sales from the three platforms above (and sales houses publish directly with us) and link each one to its catalogue, where you register and bid. Two things you should know: links to BidSpirit catalogues carry a from=AuctionEagle tag so that referrals from this site can be reported; it does not change what you pay. And when no sale has been picked or booked for the homepage “Auction of the Week” slot, the random choice is drawn only from BidSpirit-hosted sales and sales published directly on Auction Eagle. Our About page explains how featured listings are chosen. For the full buying process, read how to buy at a UK auction, or browse upcoming auctions and auctions this week.
Sources
- the-saleroom, FAQs and Bidder Terms and Conditions (clauses 3.4, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2). Checked 17 October 2026.
- Easylive Auction, Frequently asked questions. Checked 17 October 2026.
- BidSpirit, FAQ, and Bidspirit for auction houses. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Tennants, Buying at Tennants. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Bonhams, Buyer’s premium and other charges. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Dore & Rees Motoring, Collector’s Cars at Concours House, sale terms. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Auction Eagle listing data, calculated live (figures above state their date).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online auction site in the UK?
There is no single best site. The right platform is the one the auction house you want to buy from uses, so start with the sale. Then compare the online bidding surcharge, the registration and approval steps, whether the sale is live or timed, and how payment and collection work.
Does the-saleroom charge bidders a fee?
The-saleroom's bidder terms say it does not charge bidders for accessing the website, but auctioneers may charge commission. Its FAQ says auctioneers typically add 3% of the hammer price for lots bought online, and Tennants' terms quote a 4.95% plus VAT surcharge payable to the-saleroom.
Is Easylive Auction free to use?
Opening an account is free. When you register for a sale you choose Free registration, which adds 3% of the hammer price on lots you win (plus VAT if the house is VAT-registered), or a Flat Fee taken from your card whether or not you bid.
Is BidSpirit free to bid on?
BidSpirit says it does not take any fees for online bidding. The auction house still charges its own commission (buyer's premium) and any shipping, handling and taxes set out in its terms and conditions.
Does Auction Eagle run auctions or take bids?
No. Auction Eagle is a free directory. Each listing links to the auction house's catalogue on the platform it uses, and links to BidSpirit carry a from=AuctionEagle tag so referrals can be reported. Bidding, payment and collection are always with the auction house.