Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Apple 38 38 people found this article helpful The Best Trade-in Programs for Your iPhone, iPad, or Laptop of 2023 Gazelle is the best overall trade-in program By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Twitter Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 11, 2023 Fact checked by Patrice Williams Fact checked by Patrice Williams Temple University Patrice J. Williams is a lifestyle and travel content creator and fact checker and author of thrift shopping book Looking Fly on a Dime. lifewire's fact checking process We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Tweet Share Email Apple iPad Macs Getty Images / andrii zakoliukin While the best bang for your buck is selling your device yourself, electronics trade-in programs can be convenient for those who don't have the time to sell, don't want to deal with the hassle of selling, or want the safest overall option to receive cash for their iPhone, iPad, or laptop. Trade-in programs tend to make the process simple, either by mailing you packaging to send your device in or letting you print out a mailing label to ship it for free, with cash or store credit provided after the device arrives. Here are some of the best trade-in programs for iPads, iPhones, laptops, and more currently available. Best Trade-in Programs for Your iPhone, iPad, or Laptop of 2023 Best Overall Trade-in: Gazelle Best Trade-In for Store Credit: Amazon Best Trade-In for Apple Products: Apple Best for Gamers: GameStop Best In-Store Trade-In: Best Buy Best Trade-In Shopper: Flipsy Expert Tip In preparing this list, we used an iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi only with 16 GB of storage to compare prices across the most popular programs. Prices of other electronics will vary, so you may want to check several trade-in programs for the best price. Best Overall: Gazelle Gazelle Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: CashTurnaround Time: 3-5 daysShipping: Free Why We Chose It Gazelle makes trading in your used devices easy with mail-in services and cash offers rather than store credit. Pros & Cons Pros Accepts cellphones, tablets, and broken iPhones Payment by Amazon gift card, Paypal, or check Free shipping Cons Doesn't buy e-readers like Kindle or Nook Doesn't buy non-Apple laptops or desktops Overview Gazelle has stepped up its game recently, going from middle-of-the-pack to one of the best places for trading in your electronics. Users can mail their device in via Gazelle's website for evaluation and payment after confirmation. You can get a better deal with other sites if you're willing to take in-store credit rather than cash, but if you want money in your hand, Gazelle has risen to the top. Best for Store Credit: Amazon Amazon Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: Amazon credit Turnaround Time: Immediate offers become available for use within 10 daysShipping: Free Why We Chose It Amazon's device trade-in program offers store credit that can be used towards all of the site's many items, plus discounts on new qualifying Amazon products. Pros & Cons Pros Free shipping with a printable label Accepts Kindle e-readers, tablets, cellphones, and other electronics Immediate trade-in offers Cons No trade-ins for laptops or desktops 10 business days to process payments Overview Amazon doesn't offer cash for your devices, but considering the wide range of products sold by the largest online retailer, Amazon credit is the next best thing. On top of your trade-in credit, you'll also receive a discount toward qualifying new Amazon devices. All credits and promos are automatically applied to your account. While you don't get credits immediately, you will be provided with an offer for your device. Once you ship it in, Amazon verifies its condition and applies the offer to your account automatically within 10 days. This trade-in service generally offers as much or more than other trade-in programs, and it does a fairly good job on the customer service side. Best for Apple Products: Apple Apple Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: Apple gift card or creditTurnaround Time: 2 to 3 weeks for mail-in orders Shipping: Free Why We Chose It Apple's device trade-in program has the best value for Apple products, offering store credit and gift cards towards purchasing new devices from the company. Pros & Cons Pros Accepts Apple and other brands Recycles other brands if a trade-in isn't offered Pre-paid trade-in kits and shipping labels Cons Accepts limited manufacturers and models for trade-ins Payment by Apple Store Gift card or as store credit toward an Apple device Trade-in process takes two to three weeks by mail Overview Apple has one of the best iPad and iPhone trade-in programs around. The trade-in actually offers more value than Gazelle or Amazon, but Apple pays out in-store credit toward a purchase or Apple Store gift cards only. This makes it an excellent choice if you're planning to upgrade to the latest and greatest Apple gadget, but not if you're looking to buy a non-Apple product with the money. Once you get a quote for your device on Apple's website, you'll receive instructions to transfer your data and wipe your current device for a secure trade-in. After Apple receives your device in the mail, the company will issue store credit or a gift card to use toward new devices. Best for Gamers: GameStop Game Stop Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: GameStop credit or Visa prepaid card Turnaround Time: Immediate offer in-store Shipping: N/A Why We Chose It GameStop allows users to trade in their devices for store credit or a Visa prepaid card. Values are low for prepaid cards, but GameStop's store credit offers are a great value for gamers to purchase new games and accessories instead of keeping unwanted devices. Pros & Cons Pros Trade in games, electronics, consoles, and more Many locations throughout the U.S. Cons No mail-in service available Only GameStop credit and Visa prepaid cards available for payment Some trade-in offers available to PowerUp Rewards members only Overview If you're a gamer, GameStop is a good option. Its baseline store credit isn't as good as you might find with Amazon, and you won't get the cash Gazelle gives you, but if you join the PowerUp Rewards program you'll get some decent deals. GameStop has lots of locations throughout the U.S., and some offer Visa prepaid cards instead of store credit (you won't get nearly as much value for your trade this way, though). Users can get an offer via the website, then bring their devices to a local store to receive their credit. Best In-Store: Best Buy Best Buy Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: In-store creditTurnaround Time: Immediate for in-store trades, several business days for mail-in tradesShipping: Standard ground shipping costs Why We Chose It Best Buy offers trade-ins by mail, but this company's in-store credit program is great for users to purchase a large range of new tech items on the same day. Pros & Cons Pros Accepts a large variety of devices Trade in devices at a local store or by mail Pre-paid shipping labels Will recycle devices with no trade-in value Cons Trade-ins are limited to three of the same item in a 12-month period Part of your offer includes the cost of shipping Offers less value than other sites on this list Overview 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. If you have a Best Buy around the corner, this may be the fastest of the bunch if you plan on trading in a device and upgrading to a new one. Mail-in trades are not as desirable, as Best Buy does not offer free shipping. Since the offer prices are lower than other companies, it's best to use this program to purchase new items from the store (especially if you'd like to buy them on the same day). Best Trade-In Shopper: Flipsy Flipsy Learn More Key Specs Trade-In Value: Check, PayPal, store credit, VenmoTurnaround Time: 1-3 daysShipping: Free Why We Chose It If you're unsure of the best value for your specific device, Flipsy is a great place to start: This online trade-in shopper helps you find different options by providing a list of vendors. Pros & Cons Pros Finds the best prices for your trade-ins from over 15 sites Lists the best places to donate used cell phones Displays device condition, payment type, and processing time Cons Does not take trade-ins Not a reseller; brokers for other vendors It doesn't list all trade-in services Overview If you want to get the absolute best price for your trade-in, you 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 Flipsy comes into the picture. It's not a trade-in program, but it searches trade-in programs for the best price. Unfortunately, it can't search every service, so you won't see price comparisons from retailers like Amazon or Apple. Final Verdict Gazelle is our best overall pick when it comes to trade-in companies for iPads, iPhones, laptops, and more. Gazelle makes it easy to get cash for your old devices. While some other companies offer a better value for in-store credit, Gazelle is the best choice for convenience and cash value to use your payment on any items you'd like. Compare the Best Trade-in Programs for iPhones, iPads, or Laptops Company Trade-In Value Turnaround Time Shipping Gazelle Best Overall Cash 3-5 days Free Amazon Best for Store Credit Amazon credit Immediate offers become available for use within 10 days Free Apple Best for Apple Products Apple gift card or credit 2 to 3 weeks for mail-in orders Free GameStop Best for Gamers GameStop credit or Visa prepaid card Immediate offer in-store N/A Best Buy Best In-Store In-store credit Immediate for in-store trades, several business days for mail-in trades Standard ground shipping costs Flipsy Best Trade-In Shopper Check, PayPal, store credit, Venmo 1-3 days Free FAQ Where Is the Best Place to Trade In Apple Products? The best trade-in value for Apple products typically comes from Apple itself. The company offers higher trade-in values than many others, and while it only issues store credit or gift cards as payment, this option is best for purchasing new devices. If you'd like to receive cash for your Apple products, companies like Gazelle are a better pick. How Much are iPads Worth to Trade? The trade-in value of iPads depends on the device model and issue dates of the newest iPads. Values drop for older devices as new devices are released. According to Apple, most iPads have trade-in values between $160 and $445. How Do I Get the Most Money for My Old iPad? Selling your iPad yourself is always the best way to get the most money for an old device. However, if you don't want to sell your iPad online or locally, you can use trade-in programs through companies like Gazelle, Apple, GameStop, Best Buy, Amazon, and more to receive cash or store credit for the device. Can Old iPads Be Traded In? Yes, old iPads can be traded in. Many companies only offer store credit for trade-in devices (often a better value than cash), but you can also receive cash for old iPads through companies like Gazelle. Methodology To find the best trade-in companies for iPads, iPhones, laptops, and other devices, we researched top options and compared them based on their trade-in value, average turnaround time for mail-in orders, and in-person trade options. Additionally, we compared shipping rates and options for cash or store credit. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies