The honest answers — how transfers work, how we keep things safe, and why hosts keep every dollar.
BibBuddy is the race weekend community for runners. Two things in one place: swap race bibs with other runners when plans change, and share accommodation for race weekend with people doing the same race. It's not a Facebook group, and it's not a booking site — it's runners helping runners, with real verified profiles.
BibBuddy connects a runner who can no longer race with a runner who wants their place. You find each other here and agree — then the transfer is completed through the race organiser's official transfer process.
Most events have an online window for person-to-person transfers, and some also allow in-person transfers at race registration. BibBuddy shows you the deadline for each race and links you to the official process. We're where you connect; the event makes it official.
Bib scams are real — people on social media selling one entry to several buyers is exactly the problem BibBuddy is built to fix. Here's how we protect you:
Verified profiles so you can see who you're dealing with, their club, and their history. On-platform messaging so conversations stay on the record. Reporting and moderation so bad actors get removed. And a small host listing fee that makes mass fake listings uneconomic.
Our advice, always: complete bib transfers through the official race process, and never pay off-platform until the transfer is done or you have the bib in hand. If something feels off, report it — we read every report.
Hosts pay a low flat listing fee — A$15 in Australia, NZ$15 in New Zealand, £10 in the UK — and that's it. Zero commission. Every dollar a guest pays the host is theirs to keep.
The flat fee simply covers our costs and keeps listings genuine. Listing your bib and browsing everything is always free.
Not at all. If you live near a start line, you can host runners for race weekend whether or not you run. Race weekend is the one weekend a year a spare room near the finish is worth more than any other — list a room, a couch, or the whole place, set your own price, and keep 100%. You'll meet some very tired, very happy runners on Sunday evening.
BibBuddy covers popular races across Australia, New Zealand and the UK — including Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Hervey Bay, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Brighton, Queenstown and Auckland — with more added over time. If your race isn't listed yet, get early access and let us know.
Browsing is free. Listing a bib is free. If you're a host listing a place, you pay the flat listing fee above. Runners looking for a bib or a bed pay nothing to search and connect.
Keep your conversation and arrangement on BibBuddy, and use the report button on any profile or listing that concerns you. Reports go to our moderation team and we act on them — removing listings and suspending accounts where needed. For bib transfers, the official race process is your protection: until it's done, treat any payment with caution.