Kolesa
Platform · this deep dive is built from the official pages of the platform itself and of the tools that support it.
Overview
Kolesa.kz is a Kazakh vehicle classifieds site: passenger and commercial cars, motorcycles, special machinery, watercraft, parts, and a repair-and-services section. For a seller the platform works as a storefront with a public profile: an account has an account type, a history and comments on listings.
The owner is named in the user agreement: Kolesa Joint-Stock Company, BIN 970440003326. The same legal entity owns Krisha.kz, and the account is shared between the platforms.
The owner describes the economics outright: free listings with the option of extra promotion — freemium and listing-fee models, plus lead generation, car loans, a new car catalogue and banner advertising. There is no commission on the deal: the platform takes money for listings above the limit and for promotion.
Who's here
The figures belong to the owner and differ depending on which of its pages you open. The Kolesa Group corporate site reports 5.7 million users a month, 1 million active listings and that 95% of cars in Kazakhstan are sold through Kolesa.kz; the page gives no measurement methodology.
The same company's advertising page names different figures: 945 thousand unique users every day, 5.5 million unique visitors across all platforms monthly, 10 minutes average time on the platform, 91.6% of sessions from mobile phones. The gap between 5.7 and 5.5 million is a discrepancy inside the owner's own data. The demographics come from the same place: users aged 18–44 make up 69%, men 80%, women 20%.
Languages: the interface switches between Russian and Kazakh — the switcher is visible on the home page, and the rules allow listing text only in Kazakh and/or Russian.
Getting started
Sign-up is ordinary — by phone number or email with a password, which is how the credentials are described in the agreement. There is no separate "business account" by application: an account-type system is used instead, and the platform changes the type itself.
Account types
There are four account types: Regular, Pro, Seller and Dealer. The move to a professional type is automatic and the criteria are published: more than one unique active listing over the past 14 days and more than two listings archived or deleted over the past three months. The reverse move is possible if the user has not posted a listing for 6 months from the moment of the last status change; the platform warns that it changes the type without notice.
This matters more than it seems: the account type determines how many listings are free.
Free listing limits
For a Regular account the rules name exact numbers: Parts — 5 listings per account; Repair and services — 10 a week in each category; Motorcycles (new) — 10 per account; Commercial — 2 per account; Cars — 1 listing for both new and used; Watercraft — 10 per account.
For professional accounts there are no free listings at all: in Cars the limit for Pro is zero both for used and for new; the same zero applies to Dealer in Cars, to Pro and Seller in Parts, and to Seller and Dealer in Commercial.
The platform does not publish the price of listing above the limit and explains why: the cost is set by Kolesa itself, based on the region, seasonality and other factors. The same page sets a hard deadline: if an above-limit listing is not paid for within 7 calendar days of creation, it is deleted.
What you can publish
Text. Transliteration is banned. You may not use: repeated punctuation marks and non-letter characters; a price or promotions in the headline; links to any sites other than kolesa.kz and krisha.kz; phone numbers and messenger contacts; bank names; an implausible price that breaks the analytics tools.
Photos. The requirements are specific: at least 400×300 pixels, JPEG or PNG format, all images checked by moderators before publication. Banned content: watermarks and logos (Dealer and Pro accounts excepted); contacts; combined photos; prices, loans and instalment plans; frames; site addresses; state symbols; erotica; screenshots; QR codes; native advertising; images of children. AI is named separately: synthetic images without machine-readable labelling are banned.
For Cars the rules are stricter: images processed in a graphics editor are banned, apart from changing format or size, minor retouching and removing the number plate; a dealer is allowed text or a logo on no more than 20% of the photo area; one listing sells one car. For listings from companies, posting without photos is banned, and text on an image must not take up more than 5% of the area.
How to grow
Promoting a listing
The set of paid services is published: renewal, including automatic renewal; bumping to the top of the list; restoring from the archive; placement in "Hot"; placement in the VIP block. The packages are named item by item: "Fast Sale X5" — renew 3 times, highlight in colour once, bump 10 times, "Hot" 6 times; "Turbo Sale X10" — renew 3 times, highlight in colour once, bump 14 times, "Hot" 7 times, VIP 2 times.
The platform publishes no prices and states why: the cost depends on the listing category, the region and other parameters, and the cost of a package is made up of the cost of the services it includes at differentiated prices. What is more: the terms of use of the services, including the cost of services and subscriptions, may differ for different groups of users and depend on the payment method and on whether it is the site or the iOS app. The wording is unusually frank: a single "Kolesa price list" does not exist.
One more caveat, important before you buy: paying for extra services does not guarantee that a listing will not be deleted for a rule breach, and money for services rendered is not refunded.
Banner advertising
A separate channel is run by the Kolesa Group commercial department. The formats are published: VIP banner 970×120 and 970×90 px; banner no. 1 — 250×190 px; banner no. 2 — 728×90 px; banner no. 3 — 240×400 and 300×250 px; in the mobile version and the app — 300×250 and 300×300 px; maximum banner weight — 150 KB. Targeting is described as thematic, time-based, geo- and audience-based; there are no prices on the page — there is a "Price" tab and a request form.
About the algorithm
Kolesa does not disclose the ranking mechanics. The only direct statement points the other way: a PLUS subscription gives you a sorted feed of new listings without regard to paid listings and priorities, which means that by default paid listings and priorities in the feed do exist. And the platform immediately withdraws any promises: Kolesa does not guarantee that listings will draw a response from visitors as a result of the services purchased.
Path to monetization
The platform does not pay creators: this is a classifieds site, money flows from the seller to the platform. A user's earnings come from selling their own goods, not from content revenue.
What you can buy from the platform besides promotion:
- PLUS subscription. Valid for 30 calendar days from payment; includes excluding listings from professional accounts from the feed, priority for listings priced below average, fast notifications and a chronological feed. This is a buyer's subscription, not a seller's.
- "Car History". A report on a vehicle: ownership history, encumbrances, accidents, the recycling fee, fines, roadworthiness tests, VIN decoding and Kolesa analytics; the report is kept in the account for 180 calendar days. The platform states that it is not responsible for the accuracy of the data.
Payment: the account balance is topped up at the rate of 1 tenge per 1 payment unit; cards are processed by WOOPPAY LLP to the PCI DSS 3.2.1 standard with 3-D Secure. Refunds are limited: money is returned only if the service was not delivered for technical reasons or was activated several times within 3 minutes; a claim is accepted no later than 24 hours; money for packages is not refunded.
Tools and automation
We found no public API for Kolesa.kz. The robots.txt file blocks /ajax/, the /my and /cabinet account pages, the /a/new submission form and registration — a sign that the programmatic entry points are not meant for outside use, but not documentation.
Among built-in tools the platform names auto-renewal, promotion packages, resetting view counts for Dealer accounts, the Kolesa Analytics service — when posting in Cars a user agrees that the price of their car will be used to calculate the average price for similar cars — and a CRM for business partners in the New Cars section. A single sign-on links kolesa.kz and krisha.kz: an account created on one site gives access to the account area on both. We found no scheduling tools whose support for Kolesa.kz is confirmed by the platform itself.
Limits and rules
- Duplicates and unreachable numbers. Similar listings for the same offer in the same city with the same phone number are banned; a listing whose phone number cannot be reached for more than a day will be deleted.
- Licences. A listing for a licensed activity must state the number of a valid licence, by whom and when it was issued; otherwise the listing is deleted.
- Sanctions. If a user does not address a moderator's remarks within 7 calendar days, the listing is deleted; an account may be blocked with all listings deleted and with no compensation for money on the balance.
- Competitors. Kolesa has the right not to publish any information related to competing classifieds sites.
- Law. Relations are governed by the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan; the agreement may be changed at any time without notice.
Who it's for
It suits a private car seller in Kazakhstan: one listing in Cars is free, the publication period is 7 days, and promotion is bought at will. It suits a parts shop or a car dealership — but with eyes open: professional accounts get no free listings, every posting is paid, and the platform changes the account type itself and without warning. It suits an advertiser who needs a Kazakh automotive audience: the display formats and their requirements are published.
It does not suit projects that need predictable listing costs: prices depend on the region, the season and the user group, and may differ from one person to another. It does not suit those counting on an automated catalogue upload: there is no public API. And it does not suit subjects from the banned list — from weapons to network marketing.
Verified data
The checked data this deep dive rests on.
About the platform
the platform describes itself like this: «Колёса - все объявления о продаже авто в Казахстане на одном сайте: легковые, грузовые автомобили, мототехника и спецтехника, запчасти. Последние автоновости, тест-драйвы, полезные советы.»
Self-description: this is the platform's claim about itself, not an independent assessment
source, checked 2026-07-28
the owner is Kolesa JSC, BIN 970440003326; the actual address is Almaty, ul. Shevchenko 157/4
The same entity owns krisha.kz
source, checked 2026-07-28
the owner describes the model as freemium and listing fee: free listings with paid promotion, lead generation, car loans, a new car catalogue and banner advertising
The platform takes no commission on the deal
source, checked 2026-07-28
Who's here
the owner reports: users aged 18–44 — 69%, men — 80%, women — 20%
The owner's claim, with no independent verification
source, checked 2026-07-28
Sources diverge: the owner reports 5.7 million users a month, 1 million active listings and that 95% of cars in Kazakhstan are sold through Kolesa.kz
Differs from the figure of 5.5 million on the same owner's advertising page; neither carries a measurement date
source, checked 2026-07-28
Sources diverge: the owner's advertising page reports 945 thousand unique users a day, 5.5 million unique visitors across all platforms a month, 10 minutes of average time and 91.6% of sessions from mobile
Differs from the 5.7 million on the corporate page; no methodology is stated
source, checked 2026-07-28
Account and access
account types: Regular, Pro, Seller, Dealer; the move to a professional type is automatic with more than one active listing over 14 days and more than two archived over three months
The type is changed without notifying the user
source, checked 2026-07-28
an account created on one site gives access to the account area on both kolesa.kz and krisha.kz
The single sign-on system is described in Krisha's rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
What you can publish
photos must be at least 400×300 pixels, in JPEG or PNG format, and all images are checked by moderators before publication
Clauses 3.6–3.7 of the image publication rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
Content
photos may not contain watermarks and logos (except for Dealer and Pro accounts), contacts, collages, prices and loans, frames, site addresses, state symbols, erotica, screenshots, QR codes or images of children
Synthetic images and AI output without machine-readable labelling are banned separately
source, checked 2026-07-28
a dealer may place text or a logo on no more than 20% of the photo area in Cars; for listings from companies, no more than 5% of the area
Listing without photos is banned in company categories
source, checked 2026-07-28
Promotion
paid services: renewal (including automatic), bumping to the top of the list, restoring from the archive, placement in "Hot" and in the VIP block
Section III of the rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
promotion packages: "Fast Sale X5" — renew 3, highlight in colour 1, bump 10, "Hot" 6; "Turbo Sale X10" — renew 3, highlight in colour 1, bump 14, "Hot" 7, VIP 2
The cost of a package is made up of the cost of the services it includes
source, checked 2026-07-28
Advertising
display formats: VIP banner 970×120 and 970×90 px, banner no. 1 250×190 px, banner no. 2 728×90 px, banner no. 3 240×400 and 300×250 px, in the mobile version 300×250 and 300×300 px; maximum weight — 150 KB
There are no numeric rates in the open part of the page
source, checked 2026-07-28
Analytics
when posting in the Cars section a user consents to the use of the Kolesa Analytics service: the price of their car is used to calculate the average price for similar ones
Clause 1.14 of the rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
How the money works here
The words "affiliate link" do not occur in the rules, but outbound links are restricted directly. The "Rules of communication", point 7: "The placing of links to profiles in social networks and to third-party resources for making contact is not allowed. The placing of the user's telephone number and e-mail address for moving to personal communication is allowed". Point 4 classes as forbidden "the placing of information of an advertising nature" and "the placing of information of an advertising nature in the form of links to one's own listings for the sale of vehicles. Links to listings from the sections "Spare parts", "Services" and "Other" are also treated as advertising". The user agreement forbids "the sending of private messages to other Users containing advertising content, campaigning material or calls to visit particular car dealerships"
the "Rules of communication" extend to comments and private messages; there is no separate document with the rules for placing listings on kolesa.kz at the addresses /content/special/info/regulations and /content/info/regulations (HTTP 404), and the agreement only acknowledges that listings "may contain links to sites on the Internet (sites of third parties)", neither forbidding nor allowing them directly
source, checked 2026-08-04
Commercial content outside the platform's paid services is restricted. In comments it is forbidden to place "information of an advertising nature", "flooding, flaming, spam", "mass mailings in comments" and "mass mailings in private messages". The user agreement: "The sending of spam through private messages is forbidden. Spam means the sending of uniform, intrusive or advertising messages to other Users without their consent, and also the use of the Internet resource for mass mailings unconnected with personal communication between Users"; the user is forbidden to use another user's telephone or mail "for the purposes of direct advertising mailings". The lawful path for advertising is the platform's paid services: "On Kolesa.kz Users may place advertising materials in various categories"
the agreement directly stipulates that within paid transactions for the placing of listings "Kolesa does not provide advertising services" — advertising services go as a separate list
source, checked 2026-08-04
One numerical limit is announced, and it is about frequency: "Spam includes the mass (more than once in twenty-four hours) sending of commercial and other advertising in the form of links to one's own listings, including links to listings from the sections "Spare parts", "Services" and "Other"" (the "Rules of communication", point 5). No restriction on the number of links in one entry or on the share of entries with links is set
the punishment for a violation of the "Rules of communication" is a "ban on communication on the site for 7 calendar days" (point 12)
source, checked 2026-08-04
Paid subscriptions
the PLUS subscription lasts 30 calendar days: listings from professional accounts are excluded from the feed, listings priced below average get priority, notifications are fast and the feed is chronological
Indirectly confirms that by default the feed contains paid priorities
source, checked 2026-07-28
the "Car History" service: ownership history, encumbrances, accidents, the recycling fee, fines, roadworthiness tests, VIN decoding and analytics; the report is kept in the account for 180 calendar days
The platform is not responsible for the accuracy of the report's data
source, checked 2026-07-28
Pricing
the platform does not publish the prices of paid services: the cost depends on the category, the region and seasonality and may differ for different groups of users and payment methods (the site or the iOS app)
A single public rate card does not exist, by the platform's own statement
source, checked 2026-07-28
the account balance is topped up at the rate of 1 tenge per 1 payment unit; cards are processed by WOOPPAY LLP to the PCI DSS 3.2.1 standard with 3-D Secure
No completion certificate or invoice is issued
source, checked 2026-07-28
a refund only where a service was technically not delivered or where one service was activated repeatedly within 3 minutes; a claim is accepted no later than 24 hours; money for packages is not refunded
Paying for promotion does not guarantee that a listing will not be deleted for a breach
source, checked 2026-07-28
Limits and restrictions
free listing limits for a Regular account: Parts — 5, Repair and services — 10 a week in each category, Motorcycles (new) — 10, Commercial — 2, Cars — 1, Watercraft — 10
Article 7 of the listing rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
for Pro, Seller and Dealer accounts the free listing limit in Cars, Parts and Commercial is zero — every listing is paid
Articles 7.2, 8.6, 9.4 and 10.4 of the rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
a listing is posted for 7 days from submission or renewal; auto-renewal renews it every 7 days as long as there are enough funds in the account balance
Clauses 1.11 and 1.12 of the rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
an unpaid above-limit listing is deleted 7 calendar days after creation
The same deadline is given for addressing a moderator's remarks
source, checked 2026-07-28
Restrictions
banned are weapons and their mock-ups, eavesdropping devices, documents and number plates, organs for transplantation, the sex industry, alcohol and cigarettes, pyramids and network marketing, gambling, fortune-telling, and sale by auction
Article 4 of the listing rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
Legal
relations are governed by the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan; the user agreement may be changed at any time without notice, and a new version takes effect from the moment it is posted
The document carries no revision date
source, checked 2026-07-28
Languages
the interface language of the home page: ru
The language is taken from the markup attribute, the versions from hreflang
source, checked 2026-07-28
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