What are your used electronics really worth?
Brand, condition, and where you sell change the number more than most people expect — often by hundreds of dollars on the same device. Here’s what actually drives resale value for phones, laptops, and other electronics, sourced from depreciation research, eBay’s own seller guidance, and the EPA.
Last updated July 2026
How much is a used smartphone actually worth in 2026?
It depends heavily on the brand and condition, and the gap between brands is bigger than most sellers expect. According to SellCell’s 2026 smartphone depreciation research, recent iPhone models in good condition typically lose roughly a quarter to a third of their retail price in the first year, while comparable Samsung Galaxy flagships can lose 60% or more over the same period — Apple’s resale demand and long software-support window hold value better than any other major brand. Condition swings the number further: a cracked screen or a dented corner routinely costs $150 to $400 at trade-in compared to a clean device, even when the phone still works perfectly. The only reliable way to know your phone’s actual value is to check what the same model, storage size, and condition sold for recently — not what a trade-in site quotes or what similar phones are asking.
How fast do laptops and MacBooks lose value?
Laptops generally depreciate faster than phones, since a new generation of chips and specs can make last year’s model feel outdated even when it still works perfectly. MacBooks are the exception — Apple Silicon (M-series) models tend to hold resale value noticeably longer than comparable Windows laptops, thanks to steady demand and years of continued software support. Battery health is one of the biggest hidden factors in laptop pricing: a laptop with a visibly degraded battery typically sells for less than an identical model with a healthy one, even when every other spec matches exactly. eBay’s own guidance for laptop and desktop listings recommends pricing from what comparable specs actually sold for in the last 90 days rather than guessing, and listing the exact processor, RAM, and storage — those are the terms buyers search for. Skipping those specifics is the most common reason an otherwise-fine laptop sits unsold.
Do trade-in programs like Gazelle or Decluttr pay a fair price?
They pay for convenience, not top dollar. Trade-in and buyback services need margin to resell, refurbish, or recycle what they buy from you, so their quotes are built to be profitable for them first — that’s true even when the instant quote looks reasonable at first glance. eBay’s own seller guidance recommends checking what identical items in your condition actually sold for in the last 90 days before accepting any offer, trade-in or otherwise, since that’s the number that reflects real buyer demand rather than a buyer’s margin. The gap is usually biggest on newer, in-demand devices — a recent-generation phone or a popular laptop model — where a private marketplace sale can be worth considerably more than an instant trade-in quote, and smallest on older or damaged devices, where a quick trade-in payout may genuinely beat the effort of listing something with little demand.
Does condition and what's included change the price that much?
Yes — often by more than the age of the device does. eBay’s cell phone listing guidance recommends running a device through diagnostic software before listing so the condition grade you give buyers is accurate, since undisclosed issues are one of the most common causes of returns and disputes on used electronics. Original accessories change the number too: a phone or laptop with its original box, charger, and cable typically sells faster and for more than the same device sold bare, because buyers read it as a sign the item was cared for. Screen damage is the single biggest condition penalty — SellCell’s depreciation research puts a cracked screen or a visibly dented body at $150 to $400 off a phone’s price compared to a clean unit, even when the device otherwise works fine. Photograph any flaws honestly and describe them in the listing; buyers price in uncertainty far more harshly than an honestly disclosed flaw.
What happens to old electronics that never get resold?
Most sit in a drawer, and eventually go straight to the trash instead of getting resold or recycled. The EPA’s electronics donation and recycling guidance notes that discarded electronics are a small share of total waste by volume but a disproportionate source of the heavy metals in landfills, since components like lead, mercury, and lithium batteries don’t break down safely — and the EPA specifically encourages donating or reselling working devices rather than throwing them away, since a device that still works has real value to someone else even after you’ve upgraded. An old phone, tablet, or laptop sitting in a drawer isn’t neutral — it’s either quietly losing resale value every month, or it’s headed for a landfill instead of a buyer. Checking real resale value before recycling or trashing anything with a screen or a battery takes a few minutes and often turns up more than expected.
Is eBay or Facebook Marketplace better for selling old electronics?
It depends on the item’s size and how easily it ships. Small, shippable, brand-name electronics — phones, tablets, cameras, game consoles — usually do better on eBay, where a national buyer pool and visible sold-price history push the price closer to true market value. Bulky electronics like TVs, printers, and desktop towers often sell faster locally on Facebook Marketplace, where there’s no shipping or packaging to deal with and local pickup removes a major buyer objection. Our guide to what sells best on Facebook Marketplace covers the local side in more depth, and our pricing guide walks through finding real sold comps on eBay before you list. Listing the same item on both at once, rather than picking one and hoping, is the strategy that actually gets the most eyes on it fastest.
What's the fastest way to find out what your old electronics are actually worth?
Snap a photo. Reclaim identifies the item, grades its condition, and prices it from real-time eBay sold data instead of asking prices or a single trade-in quote, then publishes the finished listing to eBay and Facebook Marketplace in one tap under your own accounts. That means the price you see reflects what buyers are actually paying for your exact device and condition right now, not what a buyback company is willing to offer for resale margin, and it reaches two marketplaces at once instead of just one. Free to download on iOS.
The short version
Apple devices hold value better than most competitors, condition and included accessories can swing the price by hundreds of dollars, and trade-in quotes almost always undercut a private marketplace sale. Check recent sold comps for your exact model and condition before accepting any offer. Our pricing guide walks through finding those comps step by step, and our full selling guides library covers decluttering, thrift flips, and choosing the right app in more depth.
Find out what it’s really worth.
Free to download. Highly rated on the App Store.