The Honest Answer First
You’ve got an old tablet sitting in a drawer and you’re thinking about selling it. Before you spend an hour photographing it and writing a listing, let me save you some time with the reality check nobody else gives you.
If your tablet is an iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, or anything older, the resale market is not kind. We’re talking $15-40 on a good day. A Samsung Galaxy Tab from 2018? About the same. Once a tablet falls off the software update cycle, its resale value drops off a cliff.
That doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It just means you need to decide: is $25 worth the effort of listing, shipping, and dealing with a buyer? Or would you get more value by turning it into something useful?
What Your Old Tablet Is Actually Worth
These are realistic price ranges for 2026 based on what buyers actually pay. Not what listing sites advertise. Not what Apple claims in trade-in marketing. What lands in your pocket.
iPads (working condition, no cracked screen):
- iPad 2, 3, 4 (2011-2012): $5-15. Most buyback sites won’t even take them.
- iPad Air 1: $10-20
- iPad Air 2: $25-50
- iPad mini 1-3: $5-15
- iPad mini 4: $30-50
- iPad 5th-6th gen: $40-80
- iPad 7th gen: $60-100
Android tablets (working condition):
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019): $30-50
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S4/S5e: $40-80
- Amazon Fire HD 8/10 (any generation): $5-20. Fire tablets are basically disposable at these prices.
- Lenovo Tab M10: $15-30
Cracked screen or cosmetic damage? Cut those numbers in half. Some platforms still accept damaged devices, but you’re looking at single digits for older models.
When Selling Makes Sense
Sell your tablet if all of these are true:
- It’s an iPad 6th gen or newer, or a Galaxy Tab S5e or newer
- The screen isn’t cracked
- It powers on and holds a charge
- You’ll actually follow through on the listing
If your tablet is older than that, the honest math usually favors repurposing it or donating it over selling. The $15 you’d get for an iPad Air 1 isn’t nothing, but the hassle-to-reward ratio is rough.
Best Places to Sell
Comparison Sites (Easiest)
These sites compare buyback offers from multiple buyers so you don’t have to shop around.
SellCell – Compares prices across 40+ buyback companies. You pick the best offer, ship for free, and get paid. This is the fastest path from “I want to sell this” to money in your account. They typically find offers 20-40% higher than going directly to Apple’s trade-in.
BankMyCell – Similar concept to SellCell. Compares offers, free shipping, cash payment. Good for Android tablets too, not just iPads.
Direct Buyback Services
These companies buy your tablet directly. Less comparison shopping, but still straightforward.
Gizmogo – Accepts most brands. Quote online, ship free, payment within 24 hours of inspection via PayPal or check. They accept tablets in poor condition too.
BuyBackWorld – Similar to Gizmogo. Upfront price quotes, free shipping, quick payment. No surprises.
ItsWorthMore – Users report getting more than Apple’s trade-in for iPads. Worth checking if you have a newer iPad model.
Peer-to-Peer (Most Money, Most Effort)
Swappa – The best peer-to-peer marketplace for used electronics. You’ll typically get 20-50% more than buyback services because you’re selling directly to another person. The trade-off: you handle photos, descriptions, shipping, and buyer questions. Swappa verifies devices before listing, which reduces scam risk on both sides.
Facebook Marketplace – Local sales, no shipping. Good for tablets in the $50+ range where meeting in person makes sense. Below $30, most people won’t bother showing up.
eBay – The classic. Largest audience, but eBay fees (around 13%) and the return policy can be painful for sellers. Best for rare or niche tablets where the audience matters.
Manufacturer Trade-In Programs
Apple Trade-In – Apple accepts old iPads toward credit on a new purchase. Values tend to be lower than third-party buyers, but the process is dead simple. Walk into an Apple Store, hand over the device, get a gift card. For very old iPads (iPad 4 and earlier), Apple may offer nothing or just free recycling.
Samsung Trade-In – Similar to Apple’s program. Trade your old Galaxy Tab toward a new Samsung device. Better values during product launch promotions.
Amazon Trade-In – Amazon accepts most tablets and pays in Amazon gift card credit. The values aren’t great, but if you shop on Amazon anyway, the convenience might be worth the lower price.
Local Options
PayMore Stores – Physical stores in select US locations. Walk in, they appraise your tablet on the spot, you walk out with cash. No shipping, no waiting. Check their website for locations near you.
ecoATM kiosks – Those green kiosks you see in grocery stores and malls. They accept tablets but tend to offer the lowest prices of any option. The convenience of instant cash is the only real advantage.
Getting the Best Price
A few minutes of preparation can add $10-20 to your sale price.
Factory reset it. Go to Settings, find the reset option, and erase everything. For iPads: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content and Settings. For Android: Settings > System > Reset > Factory data reset. Sign out of your Apple ID or Google account FIRST or you’ll lock yourself out of the reset.
Clean it. Wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. A clean tablet photographs better and feels better in someone’s hands. Remove any case or screen protector unless they’re in good shape and add to the presentation.
Take good photos. For peer-to-peer sales, front, back, and any damage. Natural lighting. No filters. Buyers want to see exactly what they’re getting.
Be honest about condition. Listing a scratched tablet as “like new” just leads to returns and negative reviews. Accurate descriptions sell faster and with fewer problems.
Check the model number. Settings > About on both iPad and Android. The specific model affects the price significantly. An “iPad Air” could be the original (worth $15) or the 5th gen (worth $250).
When You’re Better Off Keeping It
If your tablet is worth less than $30 on the resale market, seriously consider repurposing it instead. An old iPad on the wall showing your family calendar is worth more than the $15 someone would pay for it on Swappa.
Some ideas that get more value out of an old tablet than selling it:
- Kitchen display for recipes and grocery lists
- Digital photo frame cycling through family photos
- Kids’ learning station loaded with educational apps
- Smart display showing weather and calendar in the hallway
My iPad 4 sits on the kitchen counter running a weather app and a shared grocery list. Nobody was going to pay more than $10 for it. It’s given our family two years of daily use. That’s a better return than any resale site could offer.
