Sell Your Used Microphone — 0% Fees

A used microphone typically sells for £25 to £150, and on WishThrift it costs you nothing to list — no fee, no commission, so you keep the whole amount you agree. Microphones sell on connection type above all, and the distinction that matters is whether it plugs straight into a computer or needs an audio interface.

The short version

Typical range: £25 – £150 — see the full microphone value guide
What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
Category: Electronics

Before you photograph it

Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.

Establish whether it is USB or XLR, and whether it needs phantom power.
Record a short test clip and note any hiss, crackle or intermittency, which usually means a cable or connector fault.
Gather the stand, shock mount, pop shield and cable, since accessories are a real part of the value.

The photographs that sell a microphone

Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.

The microphone whole, on its stand or mount
The connector, showing USB or XLR
All accessories laid out together
The model marking, plus any dent, worn grille or damaged cable

Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.

Writing the title and description

Brand, model and connection: “Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone, XLR” or “Blue Yeti USB Microphone, with Stand”. USB versus XLR is the hard filter. Say dynamic or condenser, since condensers need phantom power and suit different uses.

Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:

Brand, model, and dynamic or condenser
Connection type, and whether phantom power is required
What accessories are included — stand, shock mount, pop shield, cable
Whether it has been tested and any noise or intermittency

What buyers will actually ask

You will receive the same three messages about a microphone. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.

“Is it USB or XLR?”

State it clearly. A buyer expecting to plug straight into a laptop cannot use an XLR mic without an interface, and that is a real additional cost.

“Does it need phantom power?”

Say so for condensers. Without a suitable interface or preamp the mic simply will not work.

“Does it have any hiss or crackle?”

Record a test and listen on headphones. Intermittent noise usually means a cable or connector fault and it must be disclosed.

Pricing it so it actually sells

Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.

The microphone value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.

What you keep, compared

On a £87 sale — roughly the middle of the range for a microphone — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:

Where you sell it	Fee	You keep
WishThrift	£0	£87
Poshmark	−£17	£70
eBay	−£12	£75
Mercari	−£9	£78
Etsy	−£6	£81

Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.

Timing and getting it to the buyer

Steady year round with a lift in September and January. Well-regarded models hold value strongly because microphones barely age.

Pack the capsule protected — condenser microphones are shock sensitive. Include the shock mount and any case, which are model specific and expensive to replace.

WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? It takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and there is no commission when it sells — create a free account or see how selling works.

Frequently asked questions

What is a used microphone worth?

Typically £25 to £150, with industry-standard models holding value far better than most electronics. See the microphone value guide.

Do microphones wear out?

Dynamic microphones are extremely durable and classic models are routinely used for decades. Condensers are more delicate but still long lived. That durability is why used mics sell well and is worth saying.

What is the difference between USB and XLR?

USB microphones plug straight into a computer and need nothing else. XLR microphones need an audio interface or mixer, which is an extra purchase. Say which yours is in the title.