The short version
- Typical range: £200 – £900
- Biggest single factor: condition — see the table below
- Category: Electronics
- Cost to sell on WishThrift: nothing, at any price
What a used MacBook is worth by condition
Condition does more to the price than anything else. These figures are worked from the top of the range for MacBooks, so treat them as a starting point and adjust for the specifics of yours.
| Condition | Typical price | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £900 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £765 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £585 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £405 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £225 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
These are the five grades WishThrift listings use, and sellers set the grade themselves — see what each condition grade means. Figures are shown in pounds as a reference point. On WishThrift prices display in your own currency, and sellers set their own asking price.
What raises the value of a MacBook
- Apple Silicon chips, which hold value far more strongly than the Intel generations
- Battery cycle count under roughly 300, which buyers read as light use
- 16GB or more of memory, since it cannot be upgraded later
- Original charger included — replacements are expensive enough to matter
What lowers it
- Intel-era models, which have fallen away as software support narrows
- High cycle counts or a battery already flagged as needing service
- Sticky or unresponsive keys on the butterfly-keyboard years
- Any dent to the lid or base, which buyers read as a drop
How to work out what yours is worth
- Hold Option and click the Apple menu > System Information > Power for the cycle count
- Note the exact chip, memory and storage from About This Mac
- Compare against sold listings for the same chip, not just the same screen size
Once you have those three answers you can place your own MacBook on the table above with reasonable confidence. If it sits between two rows, price it toward the lower one — items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully.
Ready to sell it? Listing on WishThrift is free, there is no commission, and you keep the full amount you agree with the buyer — see how selling works or create a free account.
Frequently asked questions
What is a used MacBook worth?
It depends far more on the processor than the year. Apple Silicon models hold value strongly, while comparable Intel machines sell for a fraction of what they once did.
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 value guides: electronics guides · all value guides · browse live electronics listings.