How to Trade in Your Apple Product and Save on a New One (2024)

Fall brings a new slate of Apple products, including updated versions of iPhones and Apple Watches that were unveiled at the company’s Sept. 9 event. Upgrading can be costly, but you can offset that by trading in your old device. Here are a few of the best ways to trade in last year’s devices for cash or store credit so you can score the latest tech for less.

Try the Apple Trade In Program

The most convenient way to turn in your old hardware and get credit toward new gear is by trading it in directly through Apple. The company accepts used iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches and even Android phones. Here’s how it works: If you’re shopping for a new device online, you’ll get a prompt as you’re choosing the model, color and storage capacity; it’s most prominent when choosing an iPhone. You’ll select the device you’re trading in and its condition from pulldown menus. Trade-in values range from $40 to $650 for iPhones, up to $365 for Apple Watches, a maximum of $520 for iPads and up to $1,190 for computers.

Here’s an example: As of Sept. 2024, 2023’s iPhone 15 in good condition (it turns on, the buttons and cameras work, the body, glass and display are all undamaged—a case is a great way to keep the body in good shape and maintain a higher value) will net you $410 cash or store credit regardless of the storage capacity. For the same phone in poor condition (say, the screen or cameras are in rough shape) the amount plummets to $103. These prices are generally less than you’d get from selling the item yourself, but the process is a lot easier. If Apple deems your device as not worth anything, it’ll still accept it for free recycling.

You’ll have a few options when you’re ready to complete the purchase. If you’re paying in full, you’ll be charged the retail price upfront, and then receive a credit back to that payment method once the trade-in is received and its condition validated. Alternately, you’ll receive instant credit if you’re paying with an Apple Card, via Apple’s iPhone payment program or through your carrier instead.

Regardless of your payment method, Apple will send a trade-in kit. This includes instructions for transferring your old device’s data to your new one and a postage-paid box for sending the hardware back to Apple. It’ll be inspected when it’s received to verify the condition matches what you reported; if it doesn’t, you’ll have the option to back out or continue with the trade and pay the difference.If you’re at an Apple Store, the process is similar except everything happens right there on the spot. You can even take advantage of the program if you’re not ready to upgrade but want to get some old tech out of your home—you’ll go through a similar process on Apple’s Trade In site and receive a gift card.

Get trade-in credit through your carrier

Cellphone carriers want your used phones, and they’ll pay you for them, though the amount can vary widely depending on the device’s condition. In early Sept. 2023, for example, AT&T is offering up to $380 for an iPhone 15 with 128 gigabytes of storage, T-Mobile is giving up to $325 and Verizon is at $370; all those figures are far less than Apple’s. The carriers also offer special promotions around the launch of new devices. Here’s the catch: All three major carriers generally want you to lease your phone, and rather than taking the money off upfront, they lower your monthly payment over two or three years.

Sell your iPhone or device online

Selling old devices yourself requires more work but offers a potentially bigger payoff. There’s the old standby, eBay, where you can sometimes get a great price, but it’s not a guarantee; a quick survey of recently completed transactions puts the average selling price of an unlocked, 128GB iPhone 15 at about $550. That’s only an average, of course, and it’ll depend on the buyers who respond to your listing and the condition of your phone. You need to handle shipping and pay any associated fees, including 13.25% of the final value (which brings that $550 down to about $477, more than Apple is offering but with more hassle). I’ve had success with eBay, but also a handful of flaky transactions where the buyer never paid or even responded to my messages, and then I had to list the phone again.

Another site, Swappa, lets you sell directly to another of the site’s users with a 3% fee. At the time of publication, Swappa’s average payout for an iPhone 15 is $661, which is more than Apple offers but entails a similar level of work as selling on eBay. If you just want to trade it in without the hassle, you’ll get about $384. Used-device seller BackMarket will also accept trade-ins, which is easier than having to connect with a seller, but is currently offering $460 for a pristine-condition iPhone 15.

Decide whether you want top dollar or low hassle

If your Apple device is in good shape and your priority is an easy trade-in process, sending it to Apple is likely your best bet, though it’s worth checking out the deals your mobile carrier is offering too. Selling it yourself may earn you top dollar, but you’ll have to do the work of listing it and sending it in, and you run the risk of encountering buyers who ghost or shipping hassles in the process.