There are a number of reasons why you would look at MacBook trade-in values. Perhaps you’ve had a model for years and you’ve finally gotten around to upgrading to a new model. Maybe you’ve just found that it isn’t to your liking and just wanted a better laptop. Or maybe you just prefer working on a desktop iMac – some people just don’t want to work on the road.
With that in mind, MacBook trade-in still fetches a pretty high amount on the market. Even older models can get a decent value, provided it’s still in decent shape without any major damage. So how much can you get for one these days? Let’s take a closer look!
Contents
What To Do Before Starting With MacBook Trade-In
Retailer MacBook Trade-In: Is It Worth It?
What If You Want Cash For Your MacBook?
What To Do Before Starting With MacBook Trade-In
Before you go rushing off to cash in on that MacBook trade-in, there are a few steps you need to take to get it prepared.
Check Over Your MacBook For Any Potential Damage
First, you’ll need to go over what kind of condition it’s in. Whenever you trade in anything, whether at a retailer or sending it in to an online service, they’re going to look it over for defects. So you’ll want to check and make sure it’s in the best condition possible.
Follow these steps before you complete your MacBook trade-in.
For instance, if it’s got a crack on the screen (it happens, accidental drops and all), or if the L key suddenly stopped working, you’ll want to make note of it. Otherwise, if you don’t, whoever’s performing the estimate during your MacBook trade-in will find it, and its worth will drop significantly. So be honest when you’re going over its defects, no matter how small you think they may be.
Make Sure You Include the Power Cord – and It’s Working
In addition, make sure you’ve got all the components. Whatever the computer came with, you’ll want to include it. This means the power cable.
It’s usually close to your MacBook anyway, unless you wrapped it up and stuck it in a drawer somewhere in favor of another power solution, such as a Thunderbolt dock. That said, you’ll want to dig it out and test it to make sure it still works. You can simply plug it into an electrical outlet, and then see if it lights up (usually green, or orange if your device needs charging).
If it does, go ahead and wrap it up and keep it with the MacBook. Its trade-in value will be worth much more with it than without it!
Don’t Forget To Factory Reset It and Deactivate Its Services
Finally, there’s the most important part of what to do when you perform a MacBook trade-in – reset the computer! You’ll want to make sure it’s back to factory settings, not only out of convenience for the next person that uses it, but also for your own security. After all, you don’t want just anyone rifling through your old Halloween photos, do you?
Make sure you perform some sort of back-up first, be it to an external drive, the iCloud or to another computer. Once that’s done, make sure you’re signed out of iCloud so it isn’t locking the MacBook, then proceed to System Preferences and go to Erase All Contents and Settings.
Now, be sure you perform any back-ups first, because once this data is gone, it’s gone for good. It may take a little bit of time, but, eventually, your MacBook will be reset back to the day you initially got it. Now it’s all set for trade-in!
Retailer MacBook Trade-In: Is It Worth It?
As you know, most retailers offer some sort of trade-in program for store credit. This includes Best Buy and Apple. It’s a bit more limited than the mobile market, however. GameStop, for example, won’t do anything with MacBooks. ecoATM, Verizon and T-Mobile won’t take them either, as they normally deal with mobile devices, such as phones and iPads.
So, with limited choices, is it worth trading in to these retailers? Well, kind of. It depends on certain circumstances. Let’s look at each retailer.
Best Buy
The good news is that Best Buy takes all three brands of MacBook – the original, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And they take a pretty wide variety, including older models that date back all the way to 2015!
After selecting your MacBook trade-in, you’ll need to answer a couple of questions. For instance, what condition is the computer in? You can go between good, fair, poor and broken. From there, you’ll also be asked if the power cord is included. (This is why we noted that it was so important above.) Finally, it’ll ask if you logged out of all Apple services.
Now, when it comes to the actual trade values, they vary. For instance, the Apple MacBook Pro 2020 edition, with 13” display with touch bar, will net you $475 if it’s in good shape. However, older models don’t fare as well. A 2015 MacBook Air with a 13.3” display, for instance, will only get you $100 in good condition.
And if your MacBook trade-in is, ahem, less than sufficient, you’ll get much, much worse value. In fact, older models that are in terrible shape, or even have a slight defect, will net you a big goose egg. Best Buy will take the computer to recycle for you, but…that’s about it, really.
So is Best Buy worth it? Really, if you have a higher-end model you’re getting rid of and you were just going to use the credit for something else in the store, it is. And it’s one of the few retailers that offers trouble-free in-store trade in. However, if you have an older model or prefer cash, you might just skip it.
Apple
Of course, Apple takes in its own devices, so MacBook trade-in is fairly easy with them. In fact, they offer fairly good trade-in values, going as high as $35 for original MacBook models; $530 for MacBook Air; and $1415 for MacBook Pro. This depends on the model and condition, of course.
Alas, there are a couple of things to consider. First off, it’s store credit only. And keep in mind this is limited to Apple products and services. Whereas at Best Buy, you could use the credit on TV’s, video games or whatever else they sell, you can only use the credit on iTunes, Apple devices and other goods of that nature. That’s about it.
Apple usually only takes trade-ins in person these days. To do that, you’ll need to book an appointment with your closest Apple store. Keep in mind that it could take a bit to set one up, due to these COVID-laden times. However, once you’re set, a representative will be happy to help you with your trade-in!
If you can wait a little bit for an appointment, and you’ve been yearning for something new from Apple, trade-in just might be worth it. However, if it’s cash you’re after – or you just don’t have that much patience – you may want to consider an alternative.
What If You Want Cash For Your MacBook Trade-In?
These days, a lot of people prefer cash over trade-in credit when it comes to getting rid of older devices. You can use cash on pretty much anything – from food, to movie tickets, to whatever you feel like buying. No limitations here. But how do you get the most cash out of your older MacBook?
eBay
The auction site eBay is worth some consideration. Even if your MacBook has bit the dust, you can actually get a few dollars out of your device on this site – which is more than we can say for Best Buy. The only catch is that you have to be accurate with your listing, explaining what does or does not work. Otherwise, the buyer can file a claim, and there goes your moolah.
eBay offers auctions galore with working and non-working MacBooks galore, along with parts and any components you may be missing – like a power cord! You can even find the original MacBook if you wanted, in pretty close to perfect shape. Selling is pretty effective here, but, again, make sure you’re detailed with what you’re getting rid of.
Facebook Marketplace/Craigslist
Here’s another way you can get cash for your old device, by using either Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. It can be an easy way to sell your device to someone that needs it more than you, while you pocket a few dollars in the process. There’s just a few things to keep in mind.
First, you need to be very detailed in your description, just like eBay. If the L key is jammed, make sure you note that. Otherwise, your buyer is going to be angry with you, and there goes your rating with other buyers for future items.
Not to mention there’s security to consider. Some folks just aren’t trustworthy out there, and they may try to meet with you in a shady place to rip you off. Make sure you meet somewhere in public, preferably during the daytime.
If you do this, you can get a reasonable amount of money from your MacBook, at least a few hundred – depending on condition, of course. But in these COVID times, you may just want to play it safe with an online site that’s dependable when it comes to paying top dollar for your older MacBook. Now, does such a site exist? Why, it sure does!
GadgetGone!
There are various sites out there that will give a reasonable amount of cash for your device, like Gazelle and GadgetGone. However, with our many recommendations by past consumers and trouble-free payout system, GadgetGone can assure you both a great amount, and valued efficiency!
Like Best Buy, we take all models – Air, Pro and original – and your MacBook trade-in can be worth quite a bit! For instance, for a 2019 MacBook Pro 16” with Touch Bar in good shape with the original charger, we give as much as $1,000. In cash! That will take care of any bills you may need to pay, or just get you something nice around the house.
Have an older model? We take those, too! For an early 2015 model with a 256GB drive in good shape with charger, we give $225. Even if it’s not in the greatest of condition, we’ll still give a solid amount, around $84.
What’s more, it’s easy to send in! Once you lock in your quote, simply use the free shipping label we provide, package up your MacBook (carefully, please) and ship it to us. Give us a few days and we’ll have different payout options for you, be it PayPal, an Amazon gift card or a good old-fashioned paper check. The choice is yours!
If you’re curious, check out what we offer for MacBooks, or reach out to our helpful team for assistance. We’ll turn your MacBook trade-in into easy money, and send you on your way to spending it on whatever you want. Just be careful with the L key on your next model, okay?
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter for more helpful tech tips, future special offers and behind-the-scenes GadgetGone goodness! (Plus, we have a dog!)
We can buy your old MacBook!
Lock in your iPhone’s high resale value today.
Our no-obligation quotes are simple, fast, and hassle-free.