How And Where To Sell Your MacBook Pro For The Most Cash

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Rapidly evolving technology quickly renders computers obsolete. Moore’s Law confirms what was shiny and state-of-the-art a few months ago has now been superseded by the latest processor or graphics chip. Regularly upgrading MacBook Pros is common and if you’ve upgraded your MacBook Pro or are thinking about doing so, why not sell your device to recoup some of your upgrade costs?

In this article, I’ll explore five popular platforms for selling Macs and provide pre-sale tips. Let’s dive in.

Where To Sell Your MacBook Pro For The Most Cash [Quick Answer]

To get the most bang for your buck while selling your MacBook Pro, consider various online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Mac Me an Offer, AppleTrade-In, Swappa, and eBay. These popular platforms provide unique opportunities to maximize your profits and reach potential buyers.

However, not all marketplaces offer equal benefits. It’s essential to research each option and understand the associated fees, selling process, and buyer demographics. By doing so, you’ll find the best match for selling your MacBook Pro efficiently and lucratively.

5 Best Places To Sell A MacBook

Because of Apple’s popularity, you have many options for exchanging your MacBook for cash. We’ll look at all the places you can sell your MacBook and estimate how much you can receive in each scenario. 

However, remember that price is only one consideration. Convenience, safety, and the market are other important factors.

For the purposes of this article, we priced a three-year-old used Macbook Pro in perfect working condition and in good physical shape–no scratches on the screen and only minor scuffs on the case. We included the original charger but no other accessories or the original box.

Know that these estimates are for comparison purposes only and prices can fluctuate on a daily basis, so be sure you do your own price comparison.

1. Facebook Marketplace

• Price estimate: $1,275.00
• Fees: None
• Pros: Popular platform; you can get top dollar if you’re patient.
• Cons: Local exchange only; the process can take longer than a trade-in program.
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/

Where once Craigslist dominated local classified ads in the online space, FB Marketplace has now become the digital swap meet du jour. You can find almost anything you’re looking for on FB Marketplace.

The biggest appeal of Meta’s market is your ability to get top dollar for your Mac. Our hypothetical MacBook was selling for around $1275. With no listing fees, FB Marketplace is by far the highest price we could find on any platform.

Unlike other platforms, you don’t have a guaranteed buyer on Facebook. Your best bet is to give an accurate description, post multiple, high-quality photos, and price the apple computer competitively.

While you can use FB Marketplace just about anywhere, you’ll likely have more success in densely populated areas because more people will see your listing.

Once you agree to a price with a seller, arrange the exchange to occur in a public place and bring a friend along. Many police stations even offer safe transaction zones where you can complete the purchase you’ve arranged online.

To list your MacBook Pro, sign in to https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/ with your Facebook credentials and click the Create new listing button.

2. Apple Trade In

• Price estimate: $800.00
• Fees: None
• Pros: The simplest and easiest way to sell your MacBook Pro; online and in-store options.
• Cons: No cash option– gift card or Apple credit only; lowest offer we found.
• Website: https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in

Apple’s trade-in program is straightforward and easy to use. Unlike with eBay and FB Marketplace, you don’t have to take photographs or write up a description of your MacBook on Apple Trade-in. Instead, you visit the trade-in site, enter your serial number, answer a few questions, and you’ll get an offer estimate.

If you accept the offer, Apple will send you a prepaid shipping label and instructions for prepping and shipping your MacBook Pro.

Once Apple receives the device, the company, known for its highest-rated service, swiftly verifies that the condition matches what you reported and issues you a gift card paid fast. This gift card is valid at apple.com and Apple Stores around the world.

Alternatively, Apple offers an in-store option if you live near an local apple store.

However, there’s a catch. The program only offers store credit, not cash. The other downside is that of all the options we sampled–including some that didn’t make this list–Apple offered the least capital for our hypothetical MacBook Pro except for one: Best Buy’s trade-in option ($550).

Although Apple’s trade-in values are generally lower compared to other options, the convenience factor is a significant advantage. So, if you’re willing to lose some money for convenience’s sake and don’t need remuneration in cash, Apple’s trade-in program might be the way to go.

3. Swappa

• Price estimate: $1,298.00
• Fees: 3% seller fee ($38.94), 3.49% PayPal instant payment fee ($45.30), plus shipping costs (approximately $35 with USPS).
• Total earnings: $1,178.76
• Pros: With lower fees than eBay, you can get more cash for your Apple device. The site is only for electronics, so the audience is more targeted than general online marketplaces.
• Cons: Smaller audience than Facebook or eBay. You must use PayPal for checkout, which charges an additional fee on the purchase price.
• Website: https://swappa.com/sell 

Swappa’s tagline is “No junk, no jerks,” and the site claims to be “the safest marketplace for used tech.” While Swappa doesn’t have the same recognition as Facebook or eBay, it has a good reputation among its loyal customers, touting a 4.8 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot.

Swappa isn’t a buyback program like Apple’s trade-in option and its setup is pretty similar to eBay. You list an item for sale, upload pictures, and write a description. When someone buys your item, they pay you via PayPal, and you ship them the item.

What separates Swappa from eBay is its “no junk” policy, which means you can’t sell anything broken. They have a full list of prohibitions, but to give you an idea, items with cracked screens, activation locks, and batteries that won’t charge are forbidden.

Lower seller fees further differentiate Swappa from eBay. Swappa charges both the seller and buyer 3%, but sellers must also use Paypal, which charges its own fees, and they must pay for shipping to the buyer. eBay’s fees at a whopping 12.9% are still almost twice as much as you’ll pay at Swappa.

4. eBay

• Price estimate: $1,165.00
• Fees: 12.9% ($150.29)
• Total Earnings: $1,014.72
• Pros: Most popular online marketplace with millions of potential buyers.
• Cons: High fees, stiff competition from other sellers drives the price down.
• Website: https://www.ebay.com/sell

Online auction and “Buy It Now” website eBay is the most popular digital marketplace in the world. With 2 billion daily transactions, there’s a decent chance someone wants what you’re selling, especially if it’s a MacBook Pro.

The only caveat is that eBay’s fees have mushroomed to almost 13% of the selling price. That’s high, but you must also consider that the e-retailer is bringing the audience to you. FB Marketplace is limited to buyers near you and Swappa doesn’t have the massive traffic of eBay. So, it gives eBay an edge.

But even without the question of fees, our three-year-old MacBook Pro was selling for around $100 less on eBay than the other two marketplace sites–almost a 9% price dip. Your results may vary, but assuming these prices as representative, you’re losing 9% off the top and then 13% at point-of-sale.

The lower prices are likely a symptom of eBay’s popularity. Sellers flock to the site, driving down prices as they look to undercut each other. If you’re going to use eBay, our advice is to price your item competitively and be crystal clear on the MacBook Pro’s condition.

5. Mac Me An Offer

• Price estimate: $995.00
• Fees: None
• Pros: Good reputation, convenient.
• Cons: Lower payout than other options.
• Website: https://www.macmeanoffer.com/

The e-commerce site buys just about any type of Apple product as long as it’s vintage, specializing in old Macs.

As of this writing, Mac Me An Offer was purchasing MacBook Pros as old as ten years, ensuring sellers get the best price for their vintage devices.

The setup is almost identical to Apple’s, except you can receive cash in the form of a Zelle transfer or a paper check once you send in the device and the company verifies its condition. You also have the option to receive macofalltrades.com credit. When you accept the site’s offer, you’ll receive a prepaid shipping label and instructions on sending in the MacBook.

The appeal is the convenience of an immediate offer. You may get less than other platforms, but in our test, Mac Me An Offer offered us almost 25% more money than Apple did. And again, we could receive that in cash instead of store credit.

What To Do Before Selling Your Mac

Once you choose a route for selling your MacBook, make sure to perform these steps prior to selling the apple computer:

• Notate your MacBook Pro’s serial number.
• Identify the exact macbook models number and specs, including screen size, year released, hard drive capacity, processor, and RAM.
• Notate and document with photos any physical defects or anything not functioning properly on your Mac.
• Turn off the activation lock (on newer Macs).
• Back up your data.
• Clear the firmware password (if present).
• Erase the hard drive and reinstall the operating system.
• Clean the apple device.
• Locate any original accessories, including the box if you still have it.
• Take multiple pictures of the apple device if you’re listing the MacBook Pro online.

Apple also provides guidance for preparing your Mac for resale here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Is the Best Place To Sell My MacBook Pro?

Best is always subjective in these cases as the ideal platform to sell your Mac depends on your priorities. Generally, convenience and potential earnings are inversely related.

If you prefer the ease and quick returns for a new MacBook Pro, choose the Trade-In program by Apple. For maximum cash, opt for Facebook Marketplace. Personally, I would select Swappa, as I’m willing to put in extra effort for higher returns. Ultimately, thorough research will lead you to the best-suited option.

Have you recently sold a MacBook? What method have you used to sell a MacBook?

Based in Norman, Oklahoma, Andrew is an ex-certified Apple technician with over fifteen years of experience in the IT world specializing in macOS and iOS. When he's not writing, he enjoys video games, reading, and really bad movies.