Thinking of selling your sometime Mac so you tin can buy a new one, or considering you have bought a new Mac. There are various ways in which yous tin sell it, and various services that tin can assist you to do then with the minimum amount of hassle. However, there is more to selling your Mac than just picking the means past which you will sell information technology.

We hash out everything you demand to do when selling a Mac, from evaluating the marketplace and choosing the right cost, to making sure you aren't ripped off, and being prepared for hagglers. Read on for our advice about selling an quondam Mac.

Starting time things commencement - this is probably the almost pressing question you have:

How much is my Mac worth?

Wondering how much you can become for your Mac? When you option your price you need to keep a few things in listen:

  1. Find out what other Macs of the same generation are selling for by checking on eBay and Gumtree.
  2. Find out what a Mac with a similar spec costs new.
  3. Check to see if Apple is still selling that Mac? Is it in Apple tree's Refurbished Store?
  4. Be honest virtually whether your Mac is in reasonable shape and knock pounds off if information technology isn't.
  5. Run across how much competition there is.

Step ane: Find out which Mac it is

The first step when it comes to selling your old Mac is finding out which model you take - not merely the type of Mac, but the generation and other specs. Read: Which Mac do I take? for assist with that.

Step 2: Observe out how much similar Macs are selling for

In one case you know which model y'all accept you can start to piece of work on getting an idea of what it's worth. The gamble otherwise is that y'all might not make equally much money every bit you could, or y'all might exist unable to sell your Mac considering your price is too high. Even worse, if you get the specs wrong and merits that it is newer or more powerful than information technology is the person who buys the Mac won't exist happy and yous may take to refund them.

We looked up MacBook Pro on Ebay to become a feel for what the competition is similar, and how much the various Mac laptops are selling for.

For example, on Ebay UK we institute a refurbished mid 2022 15in MacBook Pro, 2.2GHz i7 processor, 16GB RAM, listed every bit pre-owned, simply "Grade B tested". Information technology was priced at £430 and has some dents in the base and marks on the screen. In its day that Mac would have cost £1,599 new.

On Ebay US nosotros institute a similar 15in MacBook Pro also from 2015, with the same ii.2GHz quad-cadre i7 processor, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. That was priced at $774 in "used" condition, just apparently comes with a "iii year warranty". In the US this originally cost $ane,999.

Y'all'll run across some options that are listed as Pre-endemic while other are listed as Refurbished - the latter generally means that an Apple Certified engineer has looked them over and they may even come with a one year warranty.

The Refurbished prices volition exist higher, but they come up with more than reassurance for the buyer. That'south some major competition already. There are too a lot of businesses selling on Ebay that can offering more protections for buyers, so if you lot are an independent seller the competition is hot!

If you have a newer Mac you should also cheque the Apple Refurbished store. If you find that Apple is nevertheless selling your Mac in the Refurbished Store that will be a practiced indication of the maximum resell value of your Mac - expect yours to become for a lot less. For case, a 2022 16in MacBook Pro with ii.6GHz 6-core i7 is going for £1,869 on Apple'south UK Refurb store (originally £2,199). While in Apple's US Refurbished store we found the aforementioned Mac for $i,949 (originally $2,299).

Go along Apple tree's refurbished prices in mind when yous set a price for the Mac you are selling because yous have to take that a person is probably unlikely to buy your second hand Mac if they can get what is essentially a new one for the same price (including a one year warranty from Apple).

If you don't fancy doing all this research you could have a look at one of the businesses that offers to sell your Mac for you lot, many of which will calculate a price (although that price is commonly what they will give you lot for information technology, rather than what they would sell information technology for). One example is Mac2Sell where you can select the model yous are selling and get a quote based on what it'due south worth: that same 15in MacBook Pro from 2022 was estimated to be worth £663.

How to sell a Mac

Stride 3: Be realistic about demand

1 consequence in particular is pertinent right now: the transition from Intel to Apple's own fries (M1, M1 Pro or M1 Max). People will either be falling over themselves trying to buy Intel Macs because Apple no longer sells them, or people will not be buying Intel-powered Macs at all. Either way it seems probable that the effect of the transition to the M1 fleck, which has proven to be very successful for Apple tree, volition reduce the resale cost of, and demand for, older Macs.

It's also worth bearing in listen that in that location is a limit to how long Apple supports onetime Macs for. Apple usually maintains the concluding iii versions of the macOS with bug fixes and important security updates, ensuring that the latest version of Safari will run, and that Apple Services, such equally iCloud, are fully supported. This means that Macs that don't run macOS Catalina are not officially supported by Apple tree.

If your Mac isn't in this list you might find it harder to sell because it won't run macOS Catalina. For more information read: What version of macOS tin my Mac run?

  • MacBook (2015 or later)
  • MacBook Air (Mid-2012 or subsequently)
  • MacBook Pro (Mid-2012 or later)
  • Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
  • iMac (Late 2012 or after)
  • iMac Pro (all models)
  • Mac Pro models (from 2013)

Yous'll also find that many secondhand Macs will be sold with extras: perhaps its in the original sealed box, i.e. never used. Maybe they are bundling software with it (which isn't strictly legal - the Mac should exist wiped before you lot sell it). Base your pricing decision on Macs that are a similar equally possible to the one you are selling, and notation whether there are a lot of people watching the auction to gage interest.

On the other mitt, if your Mac has a very high spec model in its time - particularly if it was one that had veracious build to order options added when you lot bought it, y'all may be able to get more for information technology simply because it is rare - and it's rare because it is pretty much impossible to add components to a Mac at a after appointment.

Footstep 4: Decide what to sell it for

If you lot aren't in a major hurry to sell your Mac you lot might be happy to cost it college on the off hazard that at some indicate someone volition be prepared to pay extra for it. Don't be unrealistic about what information technology'due south worth though. You might accept paid £1,500 for your MacBook Pro three years ago when yous bought it but, while Macs can keep their value pretty well, you take to be realistic and look at what Apple sells now with a like spec - information technology could be that your potential purchaser could pick upwards the same spec in a completely new Mac for not a lot more than than you recall yours is worth.

Alternatively, if you really want to shift it chop-chop you might retrieve that pricing it for a fast sell is wise. There are a couple of things to bear in listen here. 1) Y'all might find that buyers assume that your Mac is faulty if you price it as well low. 2) Yous may notice that you could still get more coin for your Mac if you were to sell it to a Mac selling service (we list a few below).

Stride 5: Choose whether to sell it privately or via a business

Selling your Mac using eBay, Gumtree or a similar service can actually exist a lot of piece of work, your decision virtually selling it will exist based on whether the corporeality of effort y'all will demand to put into selling it volition be met by the return. Is your erstwhile Mac going to make you enough coin to justify the endeavor selling it, or is there a meliorate way to get rid of information technology?

Y'all might make a flake more money if you sell it privately, or yous might but end up in a dispute with a buyer. The ease with which sellers tin offload Macs to a business that specialises in selling Macs is a large reason why there are then many refurbished Macs existence sold. If you lot desire to make some money past selling an erstwhile Mac you don't accept to do the difficult work yourself. In the section beneath nosotros have some recommendations of places that will buy your onetime Mac.

Another option that may apply, if you are thinking of buying a new Mac to replace it, information technology to part substitution your Mac. Apple will let you lot do this, every bit will various Apple tree Certified Resellers. We expect at the prices you lot can go for this below too.

Alternatively, if your Mac has very footling resell value you might adopt to donate or recycle information technology. More than about that below.

Step half dozen: Choose the best time to sell a Mac

Another matter to consider is whether it is a good time to sell your Mac.

Typically information technology makes sense to sell on an old model before Apple announces a new one (rather than afterward the announcement). Apparently when a new model is announced, the older ones volition lose a significant amount of value. So keep an eye on upcoming Apple events and rumours and try to pre-empt them if possible.

Read our lowdown on what products nosotros expect Apple tree to announce over the adjacent few months, and when we recollect Apple volition hold its next launch event.

Nosotros conceptualize Apple updates in the jump (usually March), June (to coincide with WWDC), September and October. But the company has been know to update products outside of these windows.

Some other good time to sell is in summertime months prior to students returning to or starting academy. While students tin can get a decent discount on Mac products (read more nigh how to get an education discount on Apple products), we all know how poor students are.

Selling in the run up to Christmas when people are shopping effectually for deals is likewise a proficient time - although there can exist some contest from the Black Fri deals around that time.

Best places to sell your Mac

As nosotros explained to a higher place, how much you go for a second-hand Mac depends on a lot of things, from  the specific specs of the model that you've got, to the competition, and what Apple is selling currently. Some other matter that will upshot the price you become for information technology is where y'all sell information technology.

Typically y'all'll get more cash from a private sale than from a shop or services (as they will obviously demand to include a markup when they sell it on). All the same, if y'all sell your Mac to such a service you can get the money in your easily a lot quicker and with minimum hassle.

One of the easiest ways to get coin for your old Mac is to merchandise it in with Apple when you lot purchase a new Mac. You might not get as much money this way, but it's certainly the easiest way to convert that former Mac into money off a new one.

We have various options below for selling your Mac in the United kingdom and U.s.a..

Computer Exchange (Uk)

Selling to a high street shop like CeX could seem similar a quick and easy manner to get coin for your old Mac. Y'all'll get an idea of what they will buy it for on their website hither, as well equally what they sell information technology for.

For instance, CeX volition buy that 15in MacBook Pro with 1TB SSD we were looking at earlier for £437 in greenbacks or £528 voucher. They volition then sell it for £755.

Cash4Mac (UK)

A like service, this will buy a Mac from you, refurbish it, and then sell it on.

Here that aforementioned 2.2GHz MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD could get us £400, or £25 more if we had the original charger and box. Visit Cash4Mac.

Cash for your Mac (The states)

Here we got a quote of $380.95, or $420.95 for merchandise-in for the 2.2GHz 15in MacBook Pro from 2015. Visit CashForYourMac.

Decluttr (US)

Decluttr quoted us $300 for the 2022 2.7 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM (we couldn't put in the two.2GHz model in their tool). Visit Decluttr.

MacBack (UK)

This service will purchase your Mac from yous then resell it. Nosotros popped in the data for that same 2022 MacBook Pro and got the quote of £145 dorsum. Visit MacBack.

MusicMagpie (UK)

MusicMagpie will as well buy old Macs. They offered £225 for the 256GB version of the 15in mid-2014 MacBook Pro (we couldn't search for the 2022 model, unfortunately). Visit MusicMagpie.

Sell Your Mac (Britain & United states)

We searched for our 2022 MacBook Pro and were given a quote of $320. Visit SellYourMac.

Renew and Recycling Programme at Apple

You tin really sell your Mac back to Apple. Apple tree has a Reuse and Recycling program and will buy your Mac from you. Y'all'll get a souvenir card that yous can use to purchase your adjacent Apple production. Non all Macs authorize though - Apple explains on its site here, that information technology only includes Macs from 2007 or newer.

Apple certainly doesn't pay the highest rates either, and every bit we said, you lot volition get a gift carte du jour rather than cash in mitt.  Apple tree volition offer you vouchers if y'all recycle your PC with them too.

To use the Reuse and Recycle programme y'all will need to add your Mac's serial number which yous can notice in the Apple Card > About This Mac. You may be shocked to learn how little Apple will pay y'all for your Mac.

Click here to access Apple's Reuse and Recycle program

Trade it in to your local Mac reseller

This is another option if you don't take a local Apple tree Store. Some Apple resellers tin can apply the Apple Reuse and Recycle program to have your old Mac off your hands. Information technology'due south likely that they might offer to knock some coin off the purchase of a new Mac in exchange for taking your sometime Mac.

But at that place isn't a lot of flexibility in terms of how much of a discount they tin can give you lot because Apple tree controls the prices they sell products at.

Read about how to trade in a Mac.

Sell on Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist, Gumtree...

We wrote in some detail about eBay above. It may be the instance that a individual sale via i of these services volition become you more than money, but in our experience in that location is a considerable amount of hassle selling this way.

Information technology might be preferable to sell locally on Gumtree where a person will bulldoze to your firm to view the Mac and potentially purchase information technology from yous - simply exist prepared for them to haggle the price downwardly.

Sell via a local Facebook group

Facebook Marketplace is another option. A quick look and you might find lots of people in your expanse are selling former Macs. Because they are local they volition probably be happy to come to your business firm - only again, expect them to haggle.

Sell it the old fashioned style

Yous could of grade sell via an ad in a local paper advertizement or a poster in your local supermarket, work kitchen, or educatee halls, if you lot want to go old-school. These days appurtenances are probable to sell a lot quicker if you have an online list though.

'Sell' it on Freecycle

If you just want to get rid of it and y'all don't intendance virtually getting coin for it you could sell via Freecycle, or give it to your local charity. Either way, the Mac will go somewhere it is needed and you volition experience good about yourself.

What to practice before you sell your former Mac

It's perfectly safe to sell on a Mac second-hand, provided you accept some basic precautions. (Well, if you've been storing land secrets or billion-pound business-critical information on there, yous might want to get in some specialist aid. The following tips are for the remainder of u.s.!)

Before you sell your Mac on second-hand yous should clean it both inside and out. Here are the things you should do before selling a Mac.

  1. Clean it
  2. Back information technology up
  3. Sign out of iTunes, iCloud, iMessage
  4. Format the hard drive
  5. Erase and reinstall macOS

Read more than about preparing your Mac for sale hither: How to wipe and reset a Mac

Likewise, cheque to see if yous have any original box or packaging. The more presentable the Mac looks in its photographs, and the more original packaging you take, the more it volition fetch on the second-hand market.

If it's an old iPhone you want to sell, read this: How to sell an old iPhone (and become the best price).