You can turn your old phones and unused tablets into cash in minutes by consulting our picks for the best places to sell electronics. Our recommendations can help you avoid having to meet potential buyers or deal with the back and forth of negotiating, as you’d have to do with Craigslist or Swappa (although those are useful services).
There are plenty of companies where you can sell electronics, places that’ll happily buy old fitness trackers, smartwatches, gaming console, laptop, digital camera and other electronic equipment. In exchange, they’ll send you cold hard cash, often in the form of a gift card or PayPal transfer — not too shabby for that MacBook gathering dust in your closet. You can even sell your old electronics without having to visit a physical location such as a pawn shop, which is a bonus during the pandemic. And you won’t have to worry about paying for shipping or shouldering the cost of a fee, which is somewhat commonplace with services that sell electronics and old equipment.
The prices offered with trade-in programs on an old device are usually a little lower than what you could sell electronics for, but the reduced price is worth forgoing the headache of trying to sell on your own. Some places will even take broken items, of course at a much lower cost than a gadget that is still in good working order.
Read on to see the best places to sell electronics and gadgets, unless it’s one of these seven used items — those things you should probably never buy or sell.
Turn those old phones into cash.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Amazon Trade-In
Payment method: Amazon gift card
Turnaround time: Two business days after Amazon receives the item
Amazon’s trade in program works a lot like its retail store. You do an easy search for an electronic item, enter any necessary details (storage, screen size and so on) and then select the device’s condition. Amazon will then make an offer for your electronic gadget and, if you accept it, provide a free shipping label for the item.
The number of items Amazon accepts spans across a wide spectrum, including video doorbells, wireless routers and other home security devices.
Once you ship the item, Amazon will inspect it to ensure the item matches your original description. If it all checks out, your Amazon account is credited with an Amazon eGift card for the offer amount. If the item is in better condition than you described, Amazon’s customer service promises to pay you more.
If you’d rather trade-in a device in person, Amazon has a list of locations, where you can take Amazon devices and select phones. Amazon states that even nonworking devices can be accepted.
The drawback? Your money is locked to your Amazon account.
Apple Trade In
Payment method: Apple Store gift card
Turnaround time: Instant if done in an Apple Store. Two to three weeks if done online
Apple’s trade-in program will take devices from a wide range of companies, not just its own. Currently, Apple will accept your laptop, smartphones, tablets, watches and “other” devices and old equipment. If the company doesn’t have a trade-in offer for your device, like iPods or AirPods, Apple will recycle it free of charge.
Apple states it will take two to three weeks to complete the online trade-in process. If you want to place your order for a new device right now, the company will credit your payment method with the trade-in value once it’s processed. Alternatively, if Apple Stores are open in your area, you can visit the store and get an instant store credit for your trade-in. It’s especially helpful with the launch of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
Using Apple’s trade-in service makes sense if you’re already planning on buying a new iPhone or Mac. It’s not a worthwhile option for someone who wants to buy the latest Samsung Galaxy phone, for example.
Best Buy Trade-In Program
Payment method: Best Buy gift card
Turnaround time: Instant if done in store. Seven to nine business days if mailing in an item.
Getting a quote from Best Buy is as simple as picking a product category, manufacturer, model and condition. Once you’ve filled out the questionnaire, the tool will estimate the unwanted device and give you an instant quote. The offer amount, if you choose to accept it, will only be awarded as store credit in the form of a Best Buy gift card.
The company lists just a handful of stores that don’t participate in the trade-in program,
Best Buy’s payment turnaround time is slower than other services, but the company accepts a wider variety of gadgets — matching nearly every type of electronic device it sells, including various laptop options, smartphone options, wearables, digital camera options, and game consoles. You can trade in your gaming system, video games, and an iPhone or iPad at the same time, for example.
Old laptops shouldn’t just collect dust.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
BuyBackWorld
Payment method: PayPal, direct deposit, BuyBackWorld gift card, prepaid debit card or check
Turnaround time: 48 hours after passing inspection
BuyBackWorld will buy a wide range of products including phones, tablets, iPods, cameras, game consoles, computers, headphones, drones and, well, you get the point. You can even get a custom quote for products that aren’t listed on the site.
After getting a quote and selecting how you want to be paid, send your item(s) into BuyBackWorld. Once they receive your shipment, they’ll inspect your items and you’ll get paid. If the quote is adjusted after inspection, you’ll have the option to accept the new offer or have your device returned to you.
More ways to trade in your phone
Best trade-in options for iPhones and Android phones How to sell your old phone: Learn these 6 tips now to get the most cash
How to make the most money from old gadgets
The best ways to sell or trade in your old iPhone in 2021