Havan built its name on physical megastores with the Statue of Liberty out front and a catalog that ranges from washing machines to costume jewelry. The app inherits that breadth, but online shoppers run into the same complaints repeatedly: the marketplace is smaller than Mercado Livre, the pricing on commodity electronics drifts above what Amazon and Casas Bahia post on the same SKUs, and the Havan Card lock-in is real only if you commit to it. If Havan is no longer your default, Brazil has clear alternatives for every part of what people buy there.
This guide compares 7 Havan alternatives that cover different angles: marketplace breadth, big-ticket electronics, cashback wallets, and cross-border cheap goods. Each pick is widely used in Brazil and has an active mobile app.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine Luiza | Big-ticket electronics with installments | Massive marketplace and Magalu Card | Pricing creep on commodity SKUs |
| Casas Bahia | Appliances and furniture installments | Long Crediário plans | Smaller third-party marketplace |
| Mercado Livre | Broadest national catalog | Mercado Livre Full fulfillment | Ad-heavy feed |
| Americanas | Familiar brands and Ame wallet | Ame cashback on app purchases | Service consistency varies |
| AliExpress | Cheap cross-border picks | Coupons stack to 70% off | 30-45 day delivery |
| Shopee | Fashion accessories and gadgets | Free shipping coupons | Seller quality variance |
| Submarino | Books, games, geek niches | Familiar brand with niche depth | Volume thinner than competitors |
Why people leave Havan
- Smaller online marketplace. Havan focuses on first-party stock. Shoppers used to Mercado Livre or Magazine Luiza notice the long-tail catalog is thin.
- Pricing. Heavy promotional cycles around dates like Mother's Day and Black Friday work, but the day-to-day pricing on commodity electronics tends to sit above Amazon, Casas Bahia, and Magalu.
- Card lock-in. The Havan Card unlocks the headline installment plans. Without it, the pricing edge over Casas Bahia's Crediário thins out.
- App polish. The redesigned tabs help, but search relevance and filter depth still trail the competition.
The 7 best Havan alternatives
Magazine Luiza — Best overall for Brazilian shoppers
Magazine Luiza is the closest one-to-one substitute. The SuperApp blends a massive marketplace with first-party stock, the Magalu Card brings 2 percent cashback, and the physical-store pickup network covers the same Havan use case for furniture and appliances.
Best fit: Replacing Havan for big-ticket electronics, furniture, and broad-line buys.
Where it falls short: Pricing on commodity SKUs has crept up. The feed leans hard on sponsored placements.
vs the subject: Wider marketplace and more aggressive ad inventory than Havan. The Magalu Card unlocks a discount the Havan Card cannot match on most non-Havan SKUs.
Bottom line: Pick this first if you bought a fridge or TV at Havan and want a like-for-like swap.
Casas Bahia — Best for installment-heavy appliance buys
Casas Bahia leans on the Crediário for long installment plans that suit big appliances. Pricing on white goods is consistently competitive, and the store-pickup network rivals Havan's footprint.
Best fit: Refrigerators, washing machines, mattresses, and furniture with 10+ installment plans.
Where it falls short: The third-party marketplace is smaller than Magalu or Mercado Livre. Service quality varies by store.
vs the subject: Casas Bahia beats Havan on appliance financing terms. Havan still wins on store experience for non-electronics.
Bottom line: Pick this if installments are the deciding factor on a big appliance buy.
Mercado Livre — Best for marketplace breadth and Mercado Livre Full
Mercado Livre is the Latin-American benchmark for marketplace catalog size. The Mercado Livre Full program ships from regional warehouses with 1-2 day delivery in major cities, and Mercado Pago handles the payments side.
Best fit: Hard-to-find items, niche electronics, regional sellers, and fast delivery via Full.
Where it falls short: The ad-heavy feed makes browsing tedious. Counterfeit risk on premium brands sits higher than at Magalu.
vs the subject: Mercado Livre runs circles around Havan on long-tail items. Havan still wins on big-physical purchases with in-store pickup.
Bottom line: Pick this when Havan doesn't stock what you need, or when same-week delivery matters.
Americanas — Best for cashback via the Ame wallet
Americanas pairs a broad catalog with the Ame digital wallet, which returns cashback on purchases inside the app. The brand still carries the books and toys depth from its Lojas Americanas roots.
Best fit: Toys, books, perfume, and everyday items with cashback layered on top.
Where it falls short: Service consistency has been uneven since the financial troubles. Some categories are thinner than they were three years ago.
vs the subject: Americanas' Ame cashback beats Havan's card benefit per real spent, but you have to keep the wallet topped up.
Bottom line: Pick this if you want cashback that compounds across categories.
AliExpress — Best for cross-border deals
AliExpress lets you stack coupons, Choice picks, and seller promotions for prices Brazilian retailers can't match on small electronics, accessories, and fashion. The Choice program ships some items in 7-12 days now.
Best fit: Phone accessories, gadgets, costume jewelry, and inexpensive household goods.
Where it falls short: Standard delivery still runs 30-45 days. Taxa Federal de 20% on imports up to USD 50 changed the math on cheap orders.
vs the subject: AliExpress beats Havan on per-unit price for small goods by 40-70%. Havan wins on warranty, returns, and delivery speed.
Bottom line: Pick this for non-urgent buys where price matters more than speed.
Shopee — Best for fashion accessories and impulse buys
Shopee's app pushes a coupon-driven feed of cheap fashion, beauty, and home accessories. Free-shipping coupons appear nearly every week, and the Shopee Coins program returns a small percentage on purchases.
Best fit: Phone cases, costume jewelry, fast-fashion accessories, and home decor under R$50.
Where it falls short: Seller quality variance is real. Returns are workable but slower than Mercado Livre.
vs the subject: Shopee undercuts Havan on small fashion items but lacks Havan's appliance and furniture depth.
Bottom line: Pick this for cheap accessories where you can wait a week.
Submarino — Best for books, games, and geek niches
Submarino keeps a strong catalog in books, video games, comics, and tech accessories. The brand sits inside the same group as Americanas but feels more curated for niche audiences.
Best fit: Books, board games, video games, collectibles, and entry-level tech gear.
Where it falls short: The overall volume is thinner than Americanas. Promotions are less frequent than at Magalu or Amazon.
vs the subject: Submarino wins on niche depth in geek categories where Havan doesn't really compete. Havan still wins on broad-line variety.
Bottom line: Pick this if your shopping list is books or games rather than appliances.
How to choose
Pick Magazine Luiza if you want a one-to-one Havan replacement that handles appliances, electronics, and furniture without trade-offs. Pick Casas Bahia when the buy is big and installment terms are the deciding factor. Pick Mercado Livre when the item is niche or you need the fastest delivery. Use AliExpress and Shopee as utility apps for cheap accessories where you can wait, not as primary Havan replacements. Submarino covers what the others miss for books and games. Stay on Havan if you live near a flagship store and use the in-store pickup heavily — the physical-first experience is what Havan still does better than any pure-online competitor.
FAQ
Is Magazine Luiza cheaper than Havan? On commodity electronics like TVs and phones, Magalu prices tend to undercut Havan by 5-12% before promotions. Havan promotional cycles can flip that around, especially with the Havan Card.
Which app has the longest installment plans? Casas Bahia's Crediário runs the longest, with up to 24 installments on appliances. Havan and Magalu cap closer to 10-12 without their store cards.
Can I trust AliExpress for electronics? For accessories and low-cost items, the Choice program is fine. For mid-priced electronics, the warranty path is harder than buying domestic — most shoppers stick to Magalu or Amazon Brazil for anything above R$500.
Is Mercado Livre safer than Havan for premium brands? Mercado Livre carries more counterfeit risk on premium fashion and electronics. For first-party big-ticket items, Havan and Magalu are safer.
What is the closest Havan alternative for furniture? Magazine Luiza for variety, Casas Bahia for installments. For furniture-only stores, MadeiraMadeira and Tok&Stok cover the same job at different price tiers.
