Used MacBooks in the US typically sell for $270 to $1,200. Condition matters less here than the chip inside: the move to Apple Silicon split the second-hand market sharply, and the two halves price very differently.
What MacBooks are worth in the US
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | $1,211 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | $1,030 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | $787 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | $545 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | $303 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Apple Silicon chips, which hold value far more strongly than the Intel generations
- 16GB or more of memory, since it cannot be upgraded later
What pulls it down
- High cycle counts or a battery already flagged as needing service
- Any dent to the lid or base, which buyers read as a drop
Selling a MacBook in the US
Peer-to-peer payment apps dominate private sales, and buyers will usually offer one before they offer cash. Sales tax does not apply to a private sale between individuals.
The US resale market is enormous and highly local — most transactions still happen between people within driving distance of each other, and buyers expect to collect rather than wait for a courier.
Demand rises through the spring cleaning season and again around college move-in in August, when furniture and small appliances move fastest.
Working out what yours is worth
- Hold Option and click the Apple menu > System Information > Power for the cycle count
- Compare against sold listings for the same chip, not just the same screen size
Getting it ready
- Check Battery Health under System Settings and note the cycle count and whether it says Normal or Service Recommended.
- Sign out of iCloud, iMessage and Find My, then erase all content and settings so Activation Lock is cleared.
Photograph
- The lid and base corners, where MacBooks scuff and dent first
- The keyboard and trackpad straight on, plus the screen off-angle to reveal any staining or delamination
Put in the description
- Battery cycle count and health status
- Whether the charger is included and whether it is the original Apple one
Year, size and chip, in that order: “MacBook Air M1 2020, 13-inch, 8GB 256GB”. The chip generation is the single biggest price driver — Apple Silicon commands a large premium over Intel — so never leave it out. Add the cycle count if it is low, because buyers of used Macs genuinely look for it.
Sells quickly year round, with a lift each September when students buy and again when Apple announces new models and owners upgrade. Well-described Apple Silicon machines often sell within days.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the $1,211 a buyer pays is the $1,211 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in the US
The United States is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United States with their own page for MacBooks.
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Houston
- Phoenix
- Philadelphia
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- Dallas
- Austin
- San Jose
- Jacksonville
- Fort Worth
- Columbus
- Indianapolis
- Charlotte
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Denver
- Washington
- Nashville
- Boston
- Las Vegas
- Portland
- Detroit
- Memphis
- Louisville
- Baltimore
- Milwaukee
- Albuquerque
- Fresno
- Tucson
- Sacramento
- Kansas City
- Mesa
- Atlanta
- Omaha
- Colorado Springs
- Raleigh
- Virginia Beach
- Long Beach
- Miami
- Oakland
- Minneapolis
- Tulsa
- Bakersfield
Common questions
Where can I sell a MacBook in the US?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Peer-to-peer payment apps dominate private sales, and buyers will usually offer one before they offer cash. Sales tax does not apply to a private sale between individuals.
Which chip does it have?
State it exactly. Apple Silicon models are worth substantially more than Intel ones of the same year, and buyers know this well.
Does battery cycle count matter when selling a MacBook?
Yes. Under about 300 cycles reads as light use and supports a full price. Once the battery is flagged for service, buyers price in a replacement.
Should I wipe my MacBook before selling it?
Always. Sign out of your Apple account, erase the drive and reinstall macOS. A machine still linked to an old account is effectively unsellable.
More: how to sell a MacBook, what MacBooks are worth, or Electronics across the United States.