Buying a new iPhone, iPad or Mac can be an expensive business, and is getting more expensive with today’s component shortages. But if you don’t mind trading in your previous device then you can make a decent saving on the cost of its replacement. We explain how Apple trade in works and why it’s something you should definitely consider. Trade-in prices are even increasing because of those tech shortages.
Some examples of Apple’s increased trade-in prices include:
We also look at some of the alternative trade in services, since it’s not only Apple who accepts an old iPhone, Mac, iPad or Apple Watch in exchange for a new one.
Apple trade-ins cover a wide variety of devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
Apple doesn’t take iPods or Apple TVs, but it will recycle them for you for free. On its Apple recycling page the company says that it “lets you recycle any Apple device and devices from Apple-owned brands at any Apple Store and online. We’ll make sure it’s recycled responsibly or given a chance to be used again. You can bring your batteries and old Apple-products to any Apple Store, and we’ll recycle them responsibly, free of charge.”
As you might expect, the amount on offer varies depending on the device you want to trade. The newer the product, and the better its condition, the more you can expect to get for it. Obviously, if your device is a few years old it’s likely its condition won’t be so great and you won’t get as much money for it.
You can get money for trading in an old Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch. Trade in an old MacBook Pro and you could save as much as $855/£665, an old iPad Pro could save you up to $720/£645, and an Apple Watch Series 9 could get you $135/£110 credit.
In the US you can even get up to $305 if you trade in an old Google Pixel 9 Pro. Apple also offers trade in on other Android devices from a variety of manufacturers, such as Samsung, Google and Huawei, although at the time of writing tablets, PCs and other smartwatches were only available for recycling.
You can check the latest trade-in prices on Apple’s U.S. website here and the U.K. Apple site here.
Just be aware that this is a trade-in deal, so you won’t get any cash in exchange for your old device. Instead, Apple will either credit the amount against a new purchase or give you an Apple gift card of the same value.
As of August 2026 you can save up to $720/£680 on the price of a new Apple product if you exchange an iPhone 16 Pro Max, while switching an aging iPhone 8 will save up to $40/£40.
As of August 2026 you can save up to $720/£645 on the price of a new Apple product if you exchange an iPad Pro, while switching an iPad will save up to $260/£275. The exchange price is dependent on the age of the iPad, so a newer model will get you more credit.
As of August 2026 you can save up to $165/£145 on the price of a new Apple product if you exchange an Apple Watch Series 10.
As of August 2026 you can save up to $885/£665 on the price of a new Apple product if you exchange a MacBook Pro, while switching a Mac mini will save up to $480/£310. The exchange price is dependent on the age of the Mac, so a newer model will get you more credit.
To find out how much your device is worth, go to the Apple Trade-In page where you’ll see all the details and be able to get an approximate valuation. Of course, this will be confirmed when you either bring your device to the Apple store or send it in by the post.
