Localy is a UK hyperlocal community marketplace connecting local Neighbours with trusted small and micro businesses in their area, including home bakers, home cooks, personal trainers, groomers, nail technicians, barbers, cleaners, handymen, mortgage advisors, beauty therapists, tutors, crafters, florists, artists, massage therapists, physios, photographers, cake designers, gardeners, childminders, mobile valets, and music teachers. More than a directory, Localy is an end-to-end platform with search by postcode or by what a business sells, integrated payments, bookings, messaging, verified seller badges, insurance checks, real reviews, clear cancellation terms, dispute resolution, and business tools including a team diary, deposits with automatic balance collection, and in-person card payments. Free to join with no commission until you sell. Buyers can discover, order from, and book trusted local businesses in one place. Sellers get found locally without needing a website or a social-media following, and are paid directly into their own account. Localy was born in Calderwood, near Edinburgh, pilots there this autumn, then launches in Edinburgh and expands city by city across the UK. Shop community. Live Localy.

Pre-launch. Piloting in Calderwood this autumn, then Edinburgh.

Your local community, in your pocket.

The bakers, groomers, trainers, and trades your neighbours already trust, finally in one place. Search your postcode, message, book, and pay in a couple of taps.

Local business owner? Take orders, fill your diary, and get paid straight into your own account. It's free to start, even if it's your first business.

I'm joining as…

Free to join No card needed Founding member perks

You're on the list.

One more thing. Know a local business or a fellow trader who should be on Localy? Tag them and @thelocalyapp on Instagram. We'll find them.

Follow @thelocalyapp

Who it's for

Home bakers, home cooks, personal trainers, dog groomers, nail technicians, barbers, handymen, cleaners, physios, mortgage advisors, beauty therapists, tutors, mobile valets, massage therapists, photographers, cake designers, crafters and makers, florists, artists, gardeners, childminders, music teachers, and every local business in between.

Where it started

The best local business you've never heard of lives round the corner.

Localy started in Calderwood, a new community just outside Edinburgh that's full of brilliant businesses run from kitchens, garages, and garden pods. Cakes for the weekend, dog grooming round the corner, a haircut without leaving the street.

The talent was never the problem; it just didn't have a home. So we built one, and every order and booking on it goes to a real person nearby, so your money stays in your neighbourhood.

Shop community. Live Localy.

How it works

From “who does that round here?” to booked and paid.

  1. 01

    Search your postcode

    See who's nearby, from home bakers to handymen, with distance and badges up front. Search for what you're after, too: type “sourdough” and the baker round the corner shows up.

    By postcodeBy what they sell
  2. 02

    Ask before you buy

    Message a Partner right in Localy to check sizes, allergens, or availability. You don't need to swap numbers or dig through DMs, and every chat stays linked to the order or booking it's about.

    Built-in messaging
  3. 03

    Book a slot or place an order

    Pick a time that's actually free, or order for collection, delivery, or post. You'll see the cancellation terms before you pay, and if a slot's full, you can join the waitlist.

    Live availabilityClear terms
  4. 04

    Pay once, and you're sorted

    Pay securely in the same flow, straight to your Partner. You'll get a reminder the day before, you can rebook or reorder in a tap, and only real customers can leave a review.

    Secure paymentsReal reviews

Buying local

Looked after, start to finish.

All the little things you'd expect from the big apps, with a real person nearby on the other end.

  • Reminders the day beforeFor appointments, and for collection and delivery slots.
  • Running late? You'll knowYour Partner can send a quick update, so you're not left waiting.
  • Tracking on postal ordersThe carrier and tracking number, right there on your order.
  • Cancel on clear termsShown before you pay and locked onto your booking.
  • Receipts you can downloadWith VAT details when your Partner is VAT registered.
  • Sale alerts nearbyHear when a Partner near you starts a promotion.

Trust, built in

Buying from a neighbour should feel safe. On Localy, it does.

No more taking a stranger's word for it, or sending a deposit into thin air over DMs. We check our Partners so you don't have to guess, and Partners get the credibility their work deserves.

  • Approved before they go live

    Every Partner is reviewed before their shop opens. No anonymous listings, no mystery sellers.

  • Badges that mean something

    Verified and Verified + show whose identity and payment setup we've checked.

  • Insured, and we've seen it

    The Insured badge means public liability insurance we've actually seen.

  • Qualified for the job

    Certificates like Gas Safe, DBS, and food hygiene are reviewed by our team, not taken on trust.

  • Real reviews, and backup if you need it

    Only real customers can review, service by service. If something goes wrong, a proper dispute process gets it sorted, with your money back on the card you paid with.

For Partners

Start simple. Grow strong.

You don't need a website, a following, or to figure out payments. Localy gives you everything you need to turn a skill into a business, whether it's your first order or your thousandth. It's free to start.

A shop that's ready today

Add products and services with up to eight photos each, and get help writing your descriptions. When you're approved, you'll get a link to share anywhere, and it looks good when you do.

Paid straight to you

Payments land in your own account, powered by Stripe. Localy never holds your money, and you can issue full or partial refunds yourself.

A diary that works like you do

Add phone bookings, walk-ins, and blocked time. Give each team member a column, and drag to reschedule.

Deposits that collect themselves

Take a deposit upfront, and the balance is collected automatically when the job's done. No more chasing balances over DMs.

Cards in person

Take card payments face to face with a supported card reader.

Room for your team

Invite a manager or staff, set their roles, and let everyone keep their own hours.

Know what's working

Run promotions with your own promo codes, and see your sales alongside how many people viewed your shop and listings.

Yours to keep

Built on Instagram? Keep it. Your shop, customer history, reviews, and messages live on Localy, where one algorithm change can't take them away.

  • Free to start
  • Only pay when you sell
  • Paid straight to you
  • Deposits collected automatically
  • Refunds in your control
Become a Founding Partner

Local business owner? Applications are reviewed before you go live.

Founding members

Calderwood first. Then city by city.

We're piloting in Calderwood this autumn, launching in Edinburgh next, then rolling out across the UK. Founding Partners and Founding Neighbours who join now are first through the door.

  1. Pilot · this autumnCalderwood

    Where Localy was born, just outside Edinburgh.

  2. First cityEdinburgh

    Our first city, straight after the pilot.

  3. NextYour city

    City by city across the UK. Your sign-up tells us where to go next.

  • Exclusive fee benefits at launch.
  • Priority onboarding when we open in your area.
  • First access to new tools as we ship them.
  • A direct line to help shape what comes next.
Join as a Partner
  • First to discover local Partners as they go live.
  • Invitations to founding-member moments.
  • Founder recognition on the platform.
Join as a Neighbour

Shop community. Live Localy.

Be a Founding Partner or a Founding Neighbour. Whether you're looking for brilliant local businesses or ready to build one, founding members get first access as we open in Calderwood and Edinburgh, and a hand in shaping what comes next.

I'm joining as…

No card, no commitment Unsubscribe any time

You're on the list.

One more thing. Know a local business or a fellow trader who should be on Localy? Tag them and @thelocalyapp on Instagram. We'll find them.

Follow @thelocalyapp

Questions, answered

Everything you might want to ask.

Can't see your question? Email info@thelocalyapp.co.uk or message us on Instagram. A real person will get back to you.

What is Localy?

Localy is the UK's hyperlocal community marketplace, an end-to-end platform that connects local Neighbours (buyers) with small and micro Partner businesses in their postcode area. Not a directory and not a classified-ads board: discovery, booking, payments, real-time messaging, reviews, and dispute resolution all happen in one place.

How does Localy work?

Neighbours search by postcode, or by what they're after, and find trusted local Partners near them: bakers, home cooks, personal trainers, groomers, nail technicians, handymen, mortgage advisors, and more. They message, book, or order in one flow and pay securely in the same place. Partners get a free professional shop, take orders and bookings without juggling apps, get paid directly into their own account, and grow their reputation through real customer reviews.

When does Localy launch?

Localy pilots first in Calderwood this autumn, the community just outside Edinburgh where the idea was born. Edinburgh follows as our first city, then we expand city by city across the UK. Joining the waitlist puts you first in line for the moment we go live near you.

Where in the UK is Localy available?

We're piloting in Calderwood, near Edinburgh, this autumn, then launching in Edinburgh and expanding city by city across the UK. We'll let you know the moment Localy is live in your area. Joining the waitlist is how we know where the demand is.

Is it really free to start?

Yes. Joining and listing on Localy are free, and Partners only pay when they sell. You can set up your shop, add your products and services, and get approved without paying anything upfront.

What's the founding member programme?

We're inviting our first Neighbours and Partners to join Localy as Founding Partners and Founding Neighbours. Founding Partners get exclusive fee benefits at launch, priority onboarding when we open in their area, first access to new tools as we ship them, and a direct line to help shape what comes next. Founding Neighbours are first to discover local Partners as they go live in Calderwood and Edinburgh, plus invitations to founding-member moments. Everyone who joins the waitlist now is automatically considered for founding status.

Do I need a website, payments setup, or a social following to be a Partner?

No. Localy gives you everything you need: a professional shop, payments, bookings, a diary, messaging, and reviews, all built in. Even if this is your first business, you can start with us.

How is Localy different from Etsy, Just Eat or Facebook Marketplace?

Localy is hyperlocal. We connect Neighbours with Partner businesses in their postcode area, not globally or city-wide. We handle the full transaction end-to-end (payments, bookings, messaging, reviews), unlike Facebook Marketplace which doesn't take payments. And our Partner economics are designed to be a fraction of what Etsy or Just Eat charge.

My business runs on Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp. What if my account gets suspended?

That's exactly why we built Localy. A business built on a social media account is one algorithm change or false report away from disappearing, with no backup, no export, no recourse. On Localy, your shop, customer history, reviews, and messages are yours, and they're persistent.

How do I know I can trust businesses I haven't used before?

Every Partner is approved before they go live. Verified badges show you whose identity and payment setup have been checked, an Insured badge shows verified public liability insurance, and certificates like Gas Safe, DBS, and food hygiene are reviewed by our team. Reviews come only from real customers, in-platform messaging lets you ask before you book, and a dispute resolution process with refunds backs you up if something goes wrong. Trust is built in, not an afterthought.

What if I need to cancel?

You'll see a Partner's cancellation terms before you pay, and they're locked onto your booking, so they can't change afterwards. If a Partner hasn't accepted your order yet, you can cancel it yourself for a full refund. Within a booking's cancellation terms, you can cancel yourself too, and your refund goes back to the card you paid with. Outside them, you can ask the Partner directly, and they have 48 hours to reply.

How do Partners get paid?

Directly. Payments from your customers land in your own account, powered by Stripe, and Localy never holds your money. You can issue full or partial refunds yourself when you need to, without raising a support ticket.

Can Partners take deposits?

Yes. Ask for a deposit upfront on a service, or on a product with a collection or delivery slot, and Localy collects the remaining balance automatically when the order or booking is fulfilled. No more chasing balances over DMs.

Can Partners take payments in person?

Yes. Partners can take card payments face to face from the Localy dashboard with a supported card reader, so in-person sales sit alongside online orders and bookings in one place.

Can I run my business on Localy with a team?

Yes. Invite a manager or staff, give each person the right role, and let everyone keep their own hours and holidays. The diary shows everyone's bookings side by side, and you can add phone bookings, walk-ins, and blocked time too.

What happens to my email and data?

We use your email only to send you launch updates from Localy. We don't sell it, and it's only handled by the services that run this site and send our emails. You can unsubscribe at any time. See our privacy policy for the full picture.