Apple has shipped a handful of AirPods, each one promising better sound quality and smarter noise cancellation, and somewhere along the way, we kept buying.
Look in your junk drawer right now. There’s a good chance you’ve got two or three pairs of pods sitting in there doing absolutely nothing.
Turns out you can sell them without dealing with endless lowballers on local marketplaces or settling for trade-in programs that pay in store credit instead of actual cash.
In this article, I’ll break down what really drives your AirPods’ value and where to sell them for the most cash.
Realities of selling your Apple AirPods.
A few things decide how much you’ll get for your AirPods:
- Model and generation: Newer models like the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max hold their value far better than older standard AirPods.
- Condition: This is the biggest driver of your final offer. AirPods in excellent condition (look brand new, no scratches, battery health above 85%) command the strongest offer.
- Completeness: Buyers expect both earbuds and the charging case. A missing piece cuts into your payout or can stop the sale altogether.
Even if your AirPods don’t meet the excellent standard, you can still sell them. It affects the final quote, not your ability to sell. The exceptions are AirPods with water damage or ones that won’t turn on, which most buyback platforms, The Whiz Cells included, won’t accept.
Finally, you need to unpair your AirPods from your iCloud/Find My app and perform a factory reset. The reset isn’t one-size-fits-all, since different AirPods models each have their own way of doing it. I won’t rehash it here because How to Prepare Your AirPods for Sale: The Quick Checklist already walks you through it.
Get these steps right and you’re more than ready to make the sale. What’s left is finding a buyer worth selling to.
Where can you sell your AirPods for cash?
The Whiz Cells is the best place to sell your Apple AirPods for the most cash.
The Whiz Cells is a direct buyback platform that has paid out over $49 million for phones, tablets, audio devices, and smartwatches since 2012, with free shipping on every order.
Selling takes three steps: get a quote, ship your AirPods, and get paid. Payment is issued within 24 hours of receiving your device, often the same day, and you can choose PayPal, bank transfer, Visa card, gift card, or check. Your quote is locked for 20 days, so there’s no rush to ship.
The Whiz Cells is BBB accredited, with 310+ reviews on Trustpilot and 300+ on Google.
When I compared AirPods quotes across top buyback platforms, The Whiz Cells paid 34% more on average, including 35% more than BuyBackWorld and 22% more than ItsWorthMore. See a snippet of price comparison below, and you can check out the full comparison here.
Payout comparison of AirPods across top buyback platforms.
| Device Model | The Whiz Cells | BuyBackWorld | ItsWorthMore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple AirPods Max | $175 | $120 | $165 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 2 | $46 | $35 | $40 |
| Apple AirPods 4th Gen (ANC) | $45 | $25 | $35 |
Quotes pulled September 2026. All AirPods were quoted for excellent condition.
How to sell your old AirPods: Step-by-Step
- Go to The Whiz Cells
- Navigate to Sell Your Audio, and click on Apple.
- Choose the Apple AirPods model you’ll like to sell.
- Confirm the device condition and whether or not the device is paid off.
- Lock in your quote, get an offer, and click checkout.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to ship your AirPods for free.
- Get paid within 24 hours of your AirPods arriving.
Conclusion
Now you see selling your AirPods for top cash isn’t complicated after all. Keep them in good shape, unpair and reset them, then get a quote from The Whiz Cells. It takes a few minutes, and those pods aren’t getting any more valuable sitting in your drawer.
Frequently asked questions on selling AirPods for cash
Where can I sell my old AirPods for the most money?
The best place to sell your Apple AirPods for the most money while still enjoying fast payment is The Whiz Cells. It paid about 29% more on average than BuyBackWorld and ItsWorthMore across the models we compared, with payment issued within 24 hours of receiving your device.
Can I sell my AirPods without the charging case?
No. The charging case is what charges and pairs your AirPods, so buyers treat it as part of the device. Without it, your AirPods won’t qualify for a quote.
Can I sell AirPods with a weak battery?
Yes. A worn battery lowers your offer, but it won’t stop the sale. AirPods with water damage or that won’t turn on aren’t accepted.
How fast will I get paid for my AirPods?
The Whiz Cells issues payment within 24 hours of receiving your AirPods, often the same day.
