Apple Trade In or selling for cash: which fits your iPhone?

How Apple Trade In pays

Apple's trade-in page says the value goes toward a new device, or you can take it as an Apple Gift Card. If you are paying for a purchase in full and the trade-in is worth more than the price, Apple says the remainder comes as an Apple Gift Card by email. Either way, the money stays inside Apple's world: it is built to be spent on Apple products and services. That is a fair deal if you were about to buy from Apple. It is not a way to turn a phone into cash for rent, a bill or a different brand. Apple changes its program from time to time, so read the current terms on Apple's site before you decide.

In store or by mail

Apple offers both. In an Apple Store, a specialist looks at the device on the spot and you need a valid photo ID. By mail, Apple sends a prepaid trade-in kit or emails drop-off instructions, and its page says to send one device per box. Apple says online trade-ins generally take a couple of weeks, and the estimate you are given is valid for a limited window, so you need to send the device within the time shown. The nearest Apple Store is a drive from Albany, and the mail-in route means a wait before the credit shows up.

If the condition is not what you described

Apple's page says that if the device does not match what you entered, you receive a revised value. You can accept it, or reject it, which cancels the trade-in and returns your device. It also says that once you have shipped the device, the trade-in cannot be cancelled. That is the real tradeoff of any mail-in sale, with Apple or anyone else: the number is settled after the phone has left your hands. With a local meetup, you hear the number in person and keep the phone if you say no.

How selling to a local buyer works

You text or call (518) 501-0602 with the make, model and condition, or send a photo, and we tell you the same day whether it is something we can buy. We meet one seller at a time by appointment in the Albany area, or come to you anywhere in the Capital Region, and you are paid in cash before we leave. If you decline, you keep the phone and nothing was shipped. The how it works page walks through each step.

When Apple Trade In is the better pick

Choose Apple if you are buying your next iPhone, iPad or Mac from Apple the same week and want the credit applied right there, or if you would rather mail it than meet anyone. We would rather say so than pretend a cash sale always wins. Credit that is going to be spent at Apple anyway loses nothing by being credit, and the process is one you control from start to finish through a single company.

When selling for cash is the better pick

Choose a cash sale if you want money you can spend anywhere, if you are leaving Apple for another brand, if you need the money today and not in a few weeks, or if you have several devices to clear at once. We buy iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and Macs, and also phones from Samsung, Google and others, plus laptops, consoles and cameras, so a drawer of mixed devices is one meeting and not several shipments. Tell us what you have through the phones page.

Do this first, whichever way you go

Apple's own support page for trading in an iPhone or iPad lists the steps, and they are the same for a cash sale. Back up the phone, unpair an Apple Watch if one is paired, cancel or transfer any AppleCare plan, sign out of your Apple Account, and erase the phone with Erase All Content and Settings. Erasing the phone turns off Find My and Activation Lock. A phone still tied to your account cannot change hands, whoever the buyer is. The before-you-sell guide covers the steps for every kind of device.

Quick answers

Does Apple Trade In pay cash?

No. Apple Trade In applies the value toward a new device or pays it as an Apple Gift Card, according to Apple's own trade-in page. If you want cash, sell to a buyer who pays cash, such as a local buyer.

Can I trade in an iPhone at an Apple Store near Albany?

Yes. Apple says you can trade in at an Apple Store, where a specialist looks at the device and a valid photo ID is required, or by mail. Check Apple's page for the nearest store and current terms.

What happens if Apple changes the value after I mail my iPhone?

Apple sends a revised value, which you can accept or reject. According to Apple, rejecting cancels the trade-in and returns your device, and once it is shipped the trade-in cannot be cancelled.

Do I need to turn off Find My before I sell or trade in my iPhone?

Yes. Sign out of your Apple Account and erase the phone first. Apple says erasing an iPhone or iPad turns off Find My and Activation Lock, and a phone still tied to your account cannot be reused by a buyer.

Where can I sell my iPhone for cash in Albany, NY?

Cash For Electronics Albany buys iPhones for cash, in person, by appointment in the Albany area or at your door across the Capital Region. Use the quote form on the phones page or text us the model and condition.

Ready to ask about yours? Visit Sell your phone for cash in Albany: a local phone buyer near you. See our overview of who buys used electronics for cash in Albany. See our GameStop and Best Buy trade-ins. See our ecoATM kiosk or a local buyer. See our before-you-sell guide. See our what to do with your old iPhone after an upgrade. Back to all guides.