We know you have an old cell phone taking up room in a junk drawer or perhaps you are putting up with an outdated laptop way longer than you should. Don’t just toss your old electronics; you can trade in old electronics for cash and other perks, like gift cards or discounts toward your next purchase. And unlike antiques, most tech doesn’t gain value with age, so don’t sit on your old devices!
Even broken or cracked devices might have a chance, so don’t throw in the towel just yet. We’ve rounded up the top tech trade-in places to turn your trash into treasure once more!
Amazon – Trade Almost Anything for an Amazon Gift Card
Amazon probably takes the widest variety of trade ins, and has an virtual trade assistant to help you find if your device is worth trading in. After you select which items you want to send it, Amazon will give you a free shipping label.
To make the most of your trade in, use some of your trade-in credit toward an Amazon device to save an additional 20% off – bonus if the device is also on sale. I.e. this Ring Doorbell regularly is half off plus you can get an additional 20% off when you apply some of your trade-in credit toward it.
Here are just a few of the things you can trade in:
- Phones
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Smartwatches
- Tablet and eReaders
- Gaming systems
- Headphones
- Speakers
- Security systems
- Cameras
Your iPhone 15 128GB can earn up to $275 but must be factory reset.
Best Buy – Tech for Best Buy Gift Cards
Best Buy also offers a free Best Buy gift card for tech trade in. They don’t always offer the best trade-in values up front, so make sure you are comparing their offers to competitors and pairing them with bonus trade-in offers to make your efforts stretch further. For example, the current promotion of save $50 on your next Windows 11 PC with any trade-in might sweeten your deal if you were in the market for a new computer.
Here’s what Best Buy will trade:
- Phones
- Headphones
- Tablets + eReaders
- Wearables
- Computers
- Computer Accessories (keyboards, mouse, etc.)
- Gaming Consoles
- Gaming Accessories
- Networking
Your iPhone 15 128GB can earn up to $190.
Costco – Trade in Old Devices for Groceries
Costco’s trade-in program will give you up to $2,550 in Costco Shop Card Credit and takes a wide variety of products, including:
- Phones
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Smartwatches
- Tablets
- Apple TVs
Your iPhone 15 128GB can earn back $178-274 depending on the carrier.
Costco does not take video game systems or anything related to TV besides the Apple TV. The whole process is done online through a third-party company, Phobio. You ship your device to the company for free. Then the company assesses the condition of your device and tells you the trade-in offer. If you accept, you will receive your Costco Cash Credit within 3 to 5 days; if you reject the offer, your device will be mailed back to you for free.
Staples – Recycle Old Tech for Points
Many places charge you to recycle obsolete tech or batteries, but Staples will reward you! In fact, you can receive up to $1,000 points when you recycle most tech and batteries for the first time and 500 points for the following time. Plus, earn 500 points for each ink cartridge you recycle (up to six per calendar year). The only thing Staples charges to recycle is monitors and paper shredding.
Some of the tech Staples will recycle for points:
- Adapters & hubs
- Apple AirTag trackers
- Battery backup devices
- Cable/satellite receivers
- Calculators
- Car & wall chargers
- CD/DVD/Blu-ray discs & players
- Coffee brewers (less than 40 lb)
- Computers & Mac
- Computer speakers
- Backpacks and lunchboxes
- Batteries
- Empty glue sticks and bottles
- Binders and other school supplies
Your iPhone 15 128GB can earn back points at Staples, but you might get a better deal elsewhere!
Target – Use eGift Cards on All Target In-Store Purchases
Target’s tech trade program is not as well advertised as it once was, but it is still there and you can receive a Target eGift Card for your devices. It is powered by Assurant and everything is done online. You simply find your device and answer a few questions about it, then Target will email you a prepaid shipping label to send your items in. Once your items are mailed, the condition of your items will be checked. If your devices are found to be in lower condition than you reported, then you will receive an adjusted value.
You can use your Target eGift card on all Target in-store purchases, including purchases in the Starbucks Cafe or Pizza Hut, if your store has one. If your store also has a Target Optical, you can use your trade-in credit gift card there too!
Here’s what Target’s Tech Trade Program will take:
- Phones
- Tablets
- Wearables
- MP3 player
- Video games
- Gaming consoles
- Hearables (that integrates a speaker & microphones)
- Smart speakers
Your iPhone 15 128GB can earn up to $290.
Tech Trade In FAQs
How do I know whether to trade-in my old devices or sell them on my own?
Determine the want-ability of your item. Do you have a hard-to-find vintage gaming system? If yes, then you are going to want to do more research on it and get top dollar by selling it yourself through a special platform. However, if you have an outdated iPhone no one wants, it is best to get the most bang for your buck by optimizing a store’s trade-in perks to make your money go a little further. Stores like Amazon will offer you more for outdated items as an incentive to have you then spend your perks with them.
Can I trade in a phone with a cracked screen?
Yes, many stores will still give you an offer even if your phone has a cracked screen or your device is a little rough for wear. Just be honest with the condition of your item when you fill out the online in-take form so you can receive an accurate offer from the beginning.
Can I trade in a phone or computer that doesn’t power on?
It’s possible! Before you trash it, research if you can get a little bit of money for it. For example, an iPhone 15 128 GB in good working condition would earn up to $290 at Target, but even if it didn’t power on, they would give you $52. Not too bad for something that doesn’t work!
Is it safe to trade in electronics online?
It is safe to work with established stores that you trust, such as Amazon, Costco, Best Buy, Staples, etc. However, no matter which store you work with, there are a few safety measures you need to take before you hand over your device. First, you need to back up all of your files from your old device to a new device, external hard drive, or cloud storage system. Second, you need to wipe your device – i.e. scrub all of your personal data from it. It is not enough to just delete apps. You can look up how to do it for your device’s model; don’t rely on the trade-in location to do it for you.
Can I trade in electronics to Walmart?
No. Walmart used to have a trade-in program powered by CEXChange that offered gift cards for gaming systems, voice speakers, tablets, phones, and more. However, that program ended in 2024.
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