The Best Trade-In Programs for Your iPhone, iPad or Laptop

Gazelle has stepped up its game in recent years, going from a middle-of-the-pack to one of the best overall places for trading in your electronics.  You can get a better deal with other sites if you are willing to take in-store credit rather than cold, hard cash, but if you want money in your hand, Gazelle has risen to the top. 

• Gazelle offered $135 for the iPad Air 2

Amazon doesn't offer cash for your device, but considering the wide range of products sold by the largest online retailer, Amazon credit is the next best thing.  They'll generally offer as much or more than other trade-in programs and do a fairly good job on the customer service side.  

• Amazon offered $125 in credit for the iPad Air 2

Check Out Amazon's Trade-In Program

Believe it or not, Apple has one of the best iPad trade-in programs with their Computer Reuse and Recycling program. The trade-in actually offers more value than Gazelle or Amazon, but Apple pays out in store credit. This makes it an excellent choice if you are planning to upgrade to the latest and greatest Apple gadget, but not quite the right choice if you are looking to buy a non-Apple product with the money.

• Apple offered $190 for the iPad Air 2

Glyde isn't actually a trade-in program, but they've tried to make the process of selling your iPad similar enough that they deserve a mention on this list. If you like the prospect of getting higher cash for your iPad, but you find eBay a little imposing, Glyde could be your solution.

They've simplified the buy-sell process, even suggesting a good price for your iPad. You can choose to sell it for slightly higher than suggested, which may take longer to sell, or slightly cheaper to get your money faster. 

• Glyde suggested we sell our iPad Air 2 for $166 of which we would keep $137.

If you are a gamer, GameStop may be your best option. The baseline store credit isn't as good as you might find with Amazon and you won't get the cash Gazelle will give you, but if you belong to one of their paid memberships, they'll actually give you more store credit than customers without a membership.

• Gamestop offered $120-144 for the iPad Air 2 depending on membership level.

Best Buy's trade-in program is middle-of-the-pack, with prices slightly lower than what you can get from other trade-in companies on this list.  They also deal in store credit rather than cash.  But since you probably have a Best Buy around the corner, this may be the fastest of the bunch if you plan on buying a gadget from the electronics giant.

• Best Buy offered $120 for the iPad Air 2

If you want to get the absolute best price for your trade-in, you will need to shop all of the trade-in programs.  Just because one may offer more for an iPad Air 2 doesn't mean they offer the best for an iPhone 6 or a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone.  

That's where Flypsy comes into the picture.  Flypsy isn't a trade-in program. They search trade-in programs for the best price to help you get more for your money.  Unfortunately, they can't search every service, so you won't see price comparisons from Gazelle, Amazon or Apple. 

YouRenew's focus on the environment sounds nice, but they make this list as a warning rather than a recommendation. YouRenew's program stinks of a way to take advantage of those who want a 'green' alternative.

Here's the thing: All trade-in programs are 'green' ways to cash in on your device. Trade-in programs are recycling at its finest: someone else buys your electronics and uses it. Pushing the 'green' angle is irrelevant.