The Apple Airpods launched in 2016 and is now 10 years into its lifecycle. Expected trade-in value today in excellent condition: $38-$76. Fair-condition resale: $24-$48. Wireless earbuds produced by Apple. This guide covers what the Apple Airpods is worth now, where to sell or recycle one, and the best places to buy a certified refurbished unit.
Reviewed by the eCycling Central editorial team. Estimates based on apple model data + 2026 trade-in service rates from Decluttr, Gazelle, Back Market, Apple Trade In (where applicable), and Best Buy Trade-In.
About the Apple Airpods
AirPods are wireless Bluetooth earbuds designed by Apple. They were first announced on September 7, 2016, alongside the iPhone 7, and the 2016 MacBook Pro. Within two years, they became Apple's most popular accessory. AirPods are Apple's entry-level wireless headphones, sold alongside the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. (Source: Wikipedia)
Estimated Trade-In Values (2026)
| Condition | Estimated Range | Notes |
|---|
| Excellent (no scratches, full battery health, original box) | $38-$76 | Best paid by Decluttr or Back Market |
| Good (light wear, battery 80%+) | $31-$62 | Most realistic real-world value |
| Fair (visible wear, battery 70-80%, or minor damage) | $24-$48 | Gazelle is more lenient on inspection |
These ranges are calculated from apple headphones and earbuds category benchmarks. Get a live instant quote from at least two services before posting your device.
Where to Trade In or Sell a Apple Airpods
- Decluttr - fast quotes, payout within 24 hours of receipt. Best for phones and tablets.
- Gazelle - PayPal payout, more lenient on cosmetic-condition inspection.
- Back Market Trade-In (ad) - typically wins on laptops and premium models.
- Best Buy Trade-In - instant in-store quote, Best Buy gift card payout.
For a full comparison, see Decluttr vs Gazelle vs BackMarket.
Where to Buy a Refurbished Apple Airpods
Certified refurbished saves 30-50% vs new:
How to Recycle a Apple Airpods
If the Apple Airpods no longer has trade-in value (broken screen, swollen battery, dead motherboard, or simply too old for buyers), recycle responsibly:
Before recycling: factory-reset the Apple Airpods, remove any SIM or SD card, and sign out of the manufacturer cloud account.
What's Inside (Recoverable Materials)
Wireless earbuds contain 0.001-0.005g gold (across the two earpieces + case), 2-8g lithium battery per earpiece, plus neodymium magnets in the drivers. Over-ear models add 20-60g of steel or aluminium in the headband.
The UN Global e-waste definition Monitor 2024 estimates global raw-material value in e-waste at $91 billion annually with only 22.3% formally recycled. Properly recycling a single Apple Airpods closes a small part of that loop.
At an estimated fair-condition trade-in of $24-$48, repair economics for this headphones and earbud look like:
- Battery replacement ($40-$120 at an independent shop): worth doing if the Apple Airpods is otherwise functional, since it lifts trade-in to good or excellent tier.
- Screen damage ($100-$300): worth it only if the Apple Airpods is less than 4 years old and battery is healthy.
- Water or motherboard damage: rarely cost-effective. Recycle and trade up.
Related Guides
Sources
- Wikipedia summary: live fetch 2026-05-17
- Trade-in values: estimated from apple headphones and earbuds category benchmarks
- Manufacturer take-back URLs: official manufacturer recycling pages
- Recoverable materials: UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 (UNITAR/ITU) category baselines
How to Recycle or Sell a Apple Airpods (2026): complete decommissioning guide (2026-05-20)
Should you trade in, sell, or recycle?
Decision depends on device age, condition, and your trade-in willingness. Use this matrix:
| Device age | Working condition | Best route | Typical net value |
|---|
| 0-2 years | Excellent | Trade-in to manufacturer or carrier | 35-65% of MSRP |
| 0-2 years | Cracked screen but functional | eBay / Swappa / Music Magpie | 20-45% of MSRP |
| 2-4 years | Working | Music Magpie / BackMarket buyback | 15-25% of MSRP |
| 4-6 years | Working | Specialist refurbisher | 5-15% of MSRP |
| 6+ years OR broken | Any | Certified recycler (free) | $0 but avoided landfill fines |
Compare 7 buyback prices for any device in 30 seconds via our Trade-In Best Price Finder.
Data sanitisation before disposal
For data-bearing devices, the safest practice:
- Sign out of all cloud services (Apple ID, Google account, Microsoft account, Samsung account). For Apple devices, removing the iCloud lock is mandatory or the next owner can't activate it.
- Factory reset. iOS: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content. Android: Settings → System → Reset → Factory data reset. Windows: Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Remove everything. macOS: Apple menu → System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content.
- Verify the reset completed. Power on after reset - should land on setup-from-scratch screen, not your home screen.
- For sensitive data (financial, medical, regulated): software wipe is insufficient. Use a certified ITAD provider with data sanitisation standard sanitisation. Cost calculator: Hard Drive Destruction Cost Calculator.
Recyclable materials in this device
Smartphones + tablets contain (per Apple's product environmental reports + iFixit teardowns):
- Aluminium frame (1-3% recovery rate at certified processors)
- Copper wiring (60-80% recovery)
- Gold + silver in connectors (35-65% recovery)
- Lithium-ion battery (must be separated - fire risk in mixed loads)
- Rare earth magnets in speakers + haptics (limited recovery economically)
Total recoverable material value per smartphone: $1.50-$4.20 at current commodity prices (lookup: our Scrap Value Calculator).
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell a device that's still on the carrier blocklist? No - blocked devices have negligible resale value and reputable buyback services reject them. Contact the carrier to remove the block first (verify with original purchase records). If blocked due to non-payment, settle the account before listing.
What about devices with broken screens but working internals? Refurbishers like Music Magpie + BackMarket pay 40-60% of working-condition value for broken-screen devices. Worth listing - the screen swap costs them $30-$80 wholesale.
Should I remove the battery before recycling? No - certified recyclers want intact devices. Manual battery removal risks puncture and lithium-ion fire. Loose batteries also need separate stream (hazmat shipping rules).
Related tools + guides
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Device data verified against manufacturer environmental reports + iFixit repairability database + current commodity prices as of 2026-05-20. Operated by Defining Style Limited (UK Companies House 10572391, ICO Registration ZA711914).
