How to save money on new Apple devices

Main points

• Apple offers a trade-in program for Apple and certain non-Apple devices.
• You can get an estimated value for your device and choose store credit or an Apple gift card.
• You can mail your device or take it to an Apple Store.

When you buy yourself a piece of new technology, like the latest and greatest iPhone, the only thing you want to do for a long time is use it. There’s nothing better than checking out new features and learning about shiny new devices.

However, once the initial excitement wears off, it’s worth going back to your old phone, tablet, or laptop. Now the question is – what should you do with it?

Fortunately, many manufacturers and retailers these days offer trade-in programs that take care of your old equipment for you, and in the process you can get a nice discount on new technology – it’s definitely a win-win situation. Of these programs, Apple’s trade-in program is probably the most well-known, allowing you to get your Apple device out of your hands.

Especially now that the latest M3 MacBook Air has hit the shelves, it’s a great time to trade in your old laptop and buy a shiny new laptop at a great discount. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s trade-in program.

What to do with your old technology?

Some people tend to keep it in a drawer just in case, others throw it away (if you do, remember to recycle your electronics). Of course, you can also pass it on to your children or friends.

You also have to remember that your old technology still has quite a bit of value. Electronics don’t age as fast as they used to, and a cell phone or computer that’s been used for two or three years is still in prime condition.

Therefore, you can also sell your old equipment and get some money back from it. Of course, selling it yourself is the way to get the most money back, but some people don’t have the time or patience to do that. If you don’t feel like doing that, you can also opt for a trade-in program where you trade in your old device for a discount on a new one.

How does Apple trade-in work?

Apple offers one of the most popular trade-in programs. The way it works is very simple. When purchasing a new device on the Apple website, you have the option to exchange your current device for a new one. Interestingly, Apple offers trade-ins on Apple devices and even some devices made by other manufacturers (although their trade-in values ​​are much lower than comparable Apple products, so keep that in mind).

Once you decide that you want to trade in your device, you will need to provide more information – its serial number and the status of the device. Based on this preliminary information, Apple will provide you with an estimated value for the phone. If you agree to a trade-in, you can also choose how to get that value—as store credit for a new device or as an Apple gift card.

The rest of the trade-in process is pretty simple. With your new device, you will receive instructions on preparing your device for trade-in. You can mail it or bring it to an Apple Store. You’ll need to log out of your iCloud account and back up your data, but you’ll receive an email with detailed instructions on how to do everything (if this doesn’t sound familiar).

After bringing your device to an Apple Store or mailing it in, you must wait approximately 2-3 weeks for your device to be inspected and the final trade-in value confirmed. In another 3-5 days, you should receive your credit card or gift card.

How often do Apple trade-in prices adjust?

Of course, as technology advances and Apple introduces new devices to the market, trade-in values ​​are bound to change, as well as the devices accepted into the program.

Generally speaking, you can expect trade-in values ​​to change in the days or weeks following each of Apple’s major hardware announcements. This means that once new Apple products become available, the company may quickly change trade-in values ​​to reflect the new product mix.

Interestingly, this does not mean that all prices will drop immediately. For example, the most recent adjustment occurred on March 7, 2024, and while some items decreased in value, some, such as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, increased slightly in value.

When it comes to dropping a device entirely, a good rule of thumb is this: If Apple stops supporting software updates for a device, you can expect it to be dropped from the trade-in program soon as well. It might take a generation or two if a particular device is particularly popular, but it’s a good general rule to keep in mind.

What equipment can be traded in?

Apple’s trade-in program is robust and offers credit on many devices. What’s obvious is that you can easily trade in your iPhones and Macs, the two main categories of products sold by Apple, but that’s not all.

Other Apple products are eligible for trade-in. The other two major categories of devices that make Apple’s ecosystem so powerful are the iPad and Apple Watch, which can be traded. If you want to update your ecosystem, you can earn store points in almost every part of it.

Keep in mind that Apple allows you to trade in devices that are still supported, meaning they can still get operating system updates. If your device is discontinued, you will not receive any store credit.

Apple products that cannot be traded are mostly accessories, such as AirPods, Apple Pencil, AppleTV or HomePod. With these, the only official way is to recycle them, so if you want to make some money from your old Apple accessories, eBay or similar sites are the way to go.

Interestingly, Apple also lets you trade in certain Android devices, most of which are from Google or Samsung. So if you want to switch from Android to iOS, you can do it while earning some store points. Keep in mind, though, that Android phones are worth pretty little in Apple’s trade-in program, and you can get a lot more by selling them elsewhere. The same goes for iPhones, of course, but the price difference for Android devices is much greater.

It’s also worth noting that the company offers free recycling for your electronics, even if your device doesn’t qualify for Apple’s trade-in.

If you have a device that Apple doesn’t accept, it’s probably not worth it because you can get some money for it elsewhere. If you’re replacing a fairly old machine, this is probably the easiest and least labor-intensive recycling process.

Which Apple devices are worth the most when you trade them in?

When your Apple devices are traded in, their value depends on several factors. The most obvious thing is their age. Generally speaking, the older the equipment, the less valuable it is. However, some other factors affect its price:

• Specific model – The iPhone 14 Pro Max will generally be a better value than the iPhone 14, even if they were released at the same time.
• storage –An iPhone 14 with 512GB of storage will be more valuable than the same phone with 128GB of storage under the same conditions.
• Specification — This mainly applies to Mac. There are a variety of CPU, GPU, and RAM models to choose from, each of which affects the trade-in price.
• Health status – This mainly applies to your iPhone, as a cracked or badly scratched screen will cost you much less than a phone in pristine condition, but this applies to all other devices to some extent as well.

How much is my iPhone worth on an Apple trade-in?

Here are the values ​​of all iPhones eligible for trade-in. As you can see, the most valuable right now is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but you can still trade in your old one, or even the historic iPhone 7.

How much is my Apple Watch worth on an Apple trade-in?

You can also trade in your Apple Watch for a new one. You’ll get the most points if you decide to cash in on an Apple Watch Ultra (1st generation), but the trade-in program accepts devices as old as the Apple Watch 4.

How much is my Mac worth on an Apple trade-in?

When it comes to Macs, there’s a big difference in price because the specs of these devices are more diverse than the Apple Watch or iPhone. Generally speaking, you’ll get the most from a top-spec Mac Studio, but each category will vary greatly depending on your device’s processor, GPU, RAM, and storage.

How much is my iPad worth on an Apple trade-in?

You can also trade in your old iPad for a new one. The iPad Pro will be the best value right now, but keep in mind that the prices below are for newer iPad Pro models. You can also expect to trade in the 2018 or 2020 versions, which will cost less. The same applies to other iPad models, with many models of the same name often having different trade-in prices.