1. What is Shareko?

Shareko is a sharing-community platform where registered users lend, borrow, give away, and collaborate on things they have or want. There is no shop, no marketplace, and no commercial intermediary. It is simply a way for people who trust each other to share things, skills, and initiatives.

Shareko does not buy, sell, own, or insure anything. It provides the platform-tool to discover what exists in your community, agree on arrangements, track the lifecycle of a loan or collaboration, and leave honest reviews afterwards. In other words, it tries to make this kind of process easier and more enjoyable for the platform's communities.

It started as an idea in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2016, and finally took shape in 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece. We hope you find it useful!

2. Key Concepts

What is a Listing?

A listing is something a user has made available to share. It includes a title, description, photos, category, and optional details such as condition or location. The owner controls who can see the listing by assigning it to one or more Access Lists.

Listings are not limited to physical objects. Anything shareable works — a spare seat on a regular commute, a community garden plot, a collaborative project looking for contributors, a sports initiative, a skill or service you want to offer locally. The only limit is your imagination.

A listing can be set up as:

• A free loan — the item or resource is lent and returned with no payment expected.
• A give-away — the item is given permanently to whoever requests it.
• A deposit-required loan — the Giver asks for a refundable deposit as a security gesture.
• A rental — the Giver expects a fee for the loan period.

For deposits and rentals, the specific amount is not set in the listing itself. It is something the Giver and Taker agree on directly, through their in-app conversation, before anything changes hands. Shareko does not process any payment — see Deposits and Rentals for details.

Who is a Giver?

The Giver is the person who owns or controls the listing and agrees to lend, give away, or share it. The Giver approves or declines incoming requests, hands over the item or resource, and confirms its return. The Giver leaves a review of the Taker after the transaction is complete.

Who is a Taker?

The Taker is the person who requests to borrow, receive, or participate in a listing. The Taker initiates the transaction, collects or joins at the agreed time, and returns the item if it is a loan. The Taker leaves a review of the Giver and of the listing itself after the transaction.

What is a Transaction?

A transaction is the full lifecycle of a single borrowing, give-away, or collaboration arrangement between a Giver and a Taker. It moves through a series of statuses:

For give-aways there is a shortcut: the transaction moves from Approved directly to Completed, since there is no return.

All messages between Giver and Taker are kept in the in-app conversation thread attached to the transaction, so you always have a record of what was agreed.

What are Access Lists?

Access Lists (ALs) are the privacy layer of Shareko. A listing is only discoverable by users who belong to at least one of its assigned Access Lists. This means you control your audience precisely — and separately for each listing:

• Create an AL for close friends, one for neighbours, one for your sports club.
• Assign different listings to different groups.
• A listing with no Access List is invisible to everyone except you.

This design means you will never accidentally show a listing to a stranger. Visibility is always opt-in, configured per listing.

What is a Wishlist?

A Wishlist is the reverse of a listing. Instead of offering something, you post a wish — something you would like to borrow or find. Your contacts (and optionally a wider community) can browse wishes and reach out if they can help. The "Can I help?" discovery feed shows wishes from people around you.

What are Group Orders?

A Group Order is a special type of wish that lets a group of people coordinate a shared purchase or collective request. Instead of each person posting a separate wish, one person creates a Group Order and others can join it to signal interest and contribute to the collective request.

Group Orders appear in the "Can I help?" discovery feed alongside regular wishes. A Giver who sees the order can offer to fulfil it for the whole group at once — saving everyone the effort of independently sourcing the same item.

To create a Group Order:

1.Go to Wishlist → My Wishes and click Add Wish.

2.Select Group Order as the wish type.

3.Fill in what the group is looking for, the category, and a description.

4.Optionally set a commitment text — a note shown to others before they join, describing any shared obligations or conditions.

5.Set the visibility so your contacts or community can find and join it.

To join a Group Order:

1.Browse the "Can I help?" feed and look for cards with the Group Order badge.

2.Click Join on a Group Order that interests you.

3.A Giver in your community will see the combined interest count and can reach out to offer a fulfilment.

What are Groups?

Groups are shared communities within the platform — for example, a neighbourhood association, a sports club, a school class, or a family network. A group can hold its own listings, handle transactions as a unit, and have multiple administrators. Individual members can join, leave, and interact with the group's listings just like they would with a personal listing.

Groups can also connect with each other. If two groups are linked, their listings can be visible and accessible across both communities, opening up a wider sharing network while keeping each group's internal structure intact.

Example: Two sports clubs are connected on Shareko. Club A owns a set of kayaks they rarely use in winter; Club B posts a wish for watercraft. A member of Club A sees the wish in their "Can I help?" feed, and Club B borrows the kayaks for a weekend tournament — the transaction is tracked, reviewed, and the kayaks are returned, all without a single email chain.

3. How It Works

Finding something to borrow or join

1.Use the search bar to look for a listing by name, or use the advanced filters (category, location, clothing size, and more).

2.Results only show listings that are visible to you — i.e. listings whose owner selected you to have access to them.

3.Click a listing to read its description and photos.

4.If you want it, click Request and choose your desired dates (for a loan) or leave a message (for a give-away or initiative).

5.Wait for the Giver to approve or decline. Use the in-app conversation to ask questions or clarify details before the Giver decides.

Sharing something

1.Create a listing — add photos, a description, and choose the appropriate category.

2.Assign it to one or more of your Access Lists so the right people can find it.

3.Incoming requests appear in your Transactions feed. Review the requester's profile and reviews before deciding.

4.Approve or decline. If you approve, agree with the Taker on a pickup time, place, and any usage instructions through the in-app conversation.

5.Hand the item over. The Taker marks the transaction as Delivered once they have received it.

6.When the item comes back, mark it as Returned in the transaction, then leave your review.

The transaction flow step by step

Taker requests → Giver approves or declines
      ↓ (approved)
  Item handed over → Taker marks Delivered
      ↓
  Item returned → Giver marks Returned
      ↓
  Both leave reviews → Transaction completed

Searching by location

Shareko supports location-based search. You can filter results by distance from a given address, or limit results to listings in the same city. This is especially useful when borrowing physical objects — no point finding the perfect ladder if it is three countries away.

Location information is used only for search filtering. It is not shared with other users beyond the general area shown on the listing.

Saved searches and Favourites

• Favourites — mark any listing with a star to save it to your Favourites list for quick access later. Useful when you find something interesting but are not ready to request it yet, or want to keep track of a few options before deciding.
• Saved searches — run a search with your preferred filters (keyword, category, location, size, etc.) and save it. Shareko will remember those exact filter settings so you can re-run the same search instantly without reconfiguring it each time. Handy if you are regularly on the lookout for the same type of item.
• Wishlist — if something you want is simply not listed yet, post a wish and let your network come to you.

4. Deposits and Rentals

Some Givers may ask for a refundable deposit (as a security gesture) or a rental fee (a small amount for the loan period).

Important: Shareko does not process any payments. No money passes through the platform. If a Giver requests a deposit or rental fee, the specific amount, payment method, and any conditions for returning the deposit are agreed and handled directly between Giver and Taker, however they prefer.

The listing simply signals that a deposit or fee may apply. The details are worked out in the in-app conversation before the item changes hands. Always put the agreed terms in writing in the conversation thread — it creates a clear record for both parties.

5. Safety and Trust

How do I know I can trust someone?

Shareko does not verify identities beyond basic account registration. Trust is built the same way it is in real life:

• Personal relationship — the person is a friend, neighbour, colleague, or contact you already know. The Access List system makes this the default: you share with people you have deliberately included for a given listing, not with all of Shareko at once.
• Reviews — every completed transaction generates reviews in both directions. A user with a long history of positive reviews as both a Giver and a Taker is a meaningful signal of reliability.
• Profile completeness — a filled-in profile with a photo and transaction history is worth more than an empty one.
• Common sense — if something feels off, it is fine to decline or ask questions before agreeing.

You are never obligated to approve a request. Use the same judgment you would apply to lending something to a neighbour.

What if an item is damaged or not returned?

This is a risk inherent to any lending arrangement, with or without a digital platform. Shareko does not mediate disputes, does not compensate for losses, and does not act as an insurer or guarantor.

If an item is damaged or not returned, your options depend on your personal relationship with the other party and your local legal framework. The platform gives you a record of the agreed transaction — dates, messages, and status history — which may be useful if you need to escalate.

Practical advice: do not lend items you cannot afford to lose or replace, at least not to someone you do not know well. Start with small, low-risk items until you have built a track record with a person.

Does Shareko offer insurance or mediation?

No. Shareko is a platform, not an insurer, mediator, or guarantor. It provides no financial protection for items shared between users. If insurance matters to you for a particular item, arrange it independently before lending.

Any tips for safe handovers?

• Meet in a public or semi-public place if you do not know the other person well.
• Take photos of the item's condition immediately before handing it over, and post them to the in-app conversation thread so both parties have a timestamped record of its state.
• If the item has any quirks or usage instructions (a machine with a specific on/off sequence, a bike with unusual gears, fragile parts to be careful with), write them in the listing description or the conversation thread before handover — and as a Taker, make sure you follow them.
• Agree on a specific return date and time in the in-app conversation — this creates a written record.
• For deposits, confirm in writing (in the conversation thread) what conditions would result in the deposit being withheld.
• Trust your instincts. If the other person seems unreliable or the arrangement feels off, you can decline at any point before the item leaves your hands.

6. Reviews

After a transaction is completed, both the Giver and the Taker are invited to leave a review. Reviews cover:

• Giver reviews Taker: Was the item returned in good condition? Was the Taker punctual? Was communication easy and respectful?
• Taker reviews Giver: Was the Giver punctual? Was communication easy and respectful?
• Taker reviews the Listing: Was the item or resource as described? Was it in good condition on pickup?

Reviews use a simple scale (Yes / Neutral / No) per question, plus an optional comment. A star rating is computed from the Yes/No answers and displayed on profiles and listing cards.

Blind reveal: Reviews between a Giver and a Taker are hidden until both have submitted, or until 14 days have passed — whichever comes first. This prevents either party from influencing the other's review. Listing reviews (Taker reviewing the item) are visible immediately.

You have 14 days from the completion of a transaction to leave a review. After that, the window closes.

7. Account and Registration

Who can register?

Anyone who has the legal capacity to enter into an agreement in their jurisdiction — meaning they are of sufficient age and not otherwise legally prohibited from entering into contracts. Registration is free. You can sign up with an email and password, or with a Google account.

Can teenagers use the platform?

Yes, with parental or guardian consent and supervision. A parent or guardian should review and accept the Terms and Conditions on behalf of a minor and supervise their use of the platform.

Younger users borrowing toys, sports gear, or school equipment among classmates is a perfectly valid and encouraged use case — Shareko is designed for exactly this kind of community sharing.

8. Carpooling

Shareko's Carpooling feature helps people share rides by connecting drivers (Givers) with passengers (Takers) who want to travel the same route. It lives under the Carpooling listing category and has a matching wish type on the Wishlist side.

Offering a ride (for drivers)

Carpooling listings work like any other listing but use the dedicated Carpooling category. Here is how to post one:

1.Go to Listings and click Add Listing.

2.Select the Carpooling category.

3.Fill in your route waypoints — starting point, any intermediate stops, and final destination, in order. The order matters: a passenger can board at any stop along your route, as long as they exit at a later stop.

4.Set your departure date and time (for a one-off trip) or your recurrence (daily, weekdays only, weekly, or flexible).

5.Fill in the number of available seats and any other details you want to share — estimated fuel split, luggage limits, pet policy, and so on.

6.Assign the listing to the appropriate Access List(s) so the right people in your community can find it.

7.Save and publish. Any passenger who has already posted a matching carpooling wish (same route, compatible schedule) will be notified automatically.

Looking for a ride (for passengers)

If you are looking for a regular lift or a one-off ride, post a carpooling wish so that a matching driver can find you:

1.Go to Wishlist → My Wishes and click Add Wish.

2.Select Carpooling as the category — a "Looking for a ride" panel will appear.

3.Fill in the optional details: your origin, your destination, the recurrence that suits you (e.g. "Weekdays only"), and a date window if relevant (useful for one-off trips).

4.Set the visibility so your contacts — or a wider community — can see your wish.

5.Save. Your wish appears in the "Can I help?" discovery feed with a route chip so drivers can spot it at a glance.

When a driver posts a carpooling listing that matches your wish (same route, compatible schedule, and date), you will receive a notification automatically.

How the matching works

When a new carpooling listing is published, Shareko automatically checks it against all open carpooling wishes. A wish is considered a match when all three of the following conditions are met:

• Route: the wish's origin appears somewhere along the listing's waypoints, and the wish's destination appears at a later waypoint. Intermediate boarding is fully supported — the driver does not need to start from exactly the same point as the passenger.
• Schedule: the driver's recurrence is compatible with the passenger's preference. For example, a daily driver satisfies a passenger who asked for weekdays; a passenger with no preference matches any schedule.
• Date: if the trip is a one-off and both parties specified dates, the driver's departure date must fall within the passenger's requested window.

Matching is intentionally flexible: city names with missing accents or single-character typos are still recognised (for example, "Θεσσαλονικη" matches "Θεσσαλονίκη"). A wish with no route or date preference will match any carpooling listing in that category.

When a match is found, the passenger receives a notification with a direct link to the listing. From there they can message the driver to confirm the pickup point, time, and any other details.

9. Still have questions?

If something is not answered here, reach out through the platform's support channels. We are happy to help.

Shareko — sharing made simple.