How to sell your Kindle: the best way to sell on your Amazon ereader

If you’re here, it’s likely your Amazon Kindle ereader is gathering dust in a drawer somewhere in your house and you’re wondering how it’s best to rid yourself of the device.

The good news is you can make some cash out of selling on your Kindle and if you read our guide we can help you make the most money possible out of your Kindle sale.

There are lots of things you need to know including how much you should estimate it to be worth, some tips on how to sell it and where’s best to trade your Kindle in.

When is it best to sell my Kindle?

The newer your Kindle is, the more money you're likely to make from your sale. The likelihood is though you've been reading from your Kindle for a few months or even years, so that's unlikely to be the case.

Older devices usually go for less money, but the good news is most Kindle devices sell well anyway with people selling on all models of the Amazon ereader including the original model from late 2007.

How much will I get if I sell my Kindle?

We can't confirm how much you'll make when you sell your Kindle, but there are a variety of factors that will affect how much it's worth.

The first factor is what model of Kindle you own - the Kindle Oasis is the most expensive model, followed by the Voyage, Paperwhite and then the Kindle

There's only one version of the Kindle Oasis and the Voyage, while there are three generations of the Paperwhite and eight versions of the cheapest model simply titled "Kindle".

Depending on the age of your device, it could be worth various amounts of money. For example, we've seen the first generation Paperwhite sell on eBay for around £50 while the newest model sold for about £90.

It also depends on the condition of your Kindle too. If your Kindle is covered in dents and scratches it'll be worth less than if you were selling it like new in its original box.

What to do before selling your Kindle?

Work out the condition of your Kindle

How damaged is your ereader? If you can tell you've dropped it down the stairs a few times it’ll be worth less than if it looks brand new. Luckily Kindle devices are quite sturdy so you shouldn’t be too disappointed with the condition of your device.

Make sure you're honest about the condition of your Kindle. If it’s scratched, let whoever is buying it know that so they won’t be disappointed and want a refund at a later date.

Do you still have the packaging?

If you have the packaging for your Kindle, it may sell better than if you’re selling it on without its original box. Buyers generally find it better if the device comes in its original box and with its original accessories.

You’ll want to find the charger for your Kindle if you still have it and make sure it’s part of the package when you finally sell on your Kindle.

If you don’t have any of this stuff, don’t fret. Just be warned it may be worth a little less than if you had all the original accessories.

Reset your Kindle

Your Amazon account and therefore your book collection is available on your Kindle if you’ve used it in the past, so it’s a very good idea to remember to reset your Kindle before packaging it up.

To do this you’ll want to hit the cog in the top left hand corner on your Kindle, press 'All Settings' and then 'My Account'. In the next menu you want to press 'Deregister Device' to take your account off the Kindle. 

Now you’ve done that whoever buys your Kindle won’t be able to purchase lots of embarrassing books using your Amazon account.

How do I sell my Kindle?

Recycling services

Websites such as MusicMagpie, Compare My Mobile and Decluttr all specialize in buying your devices and selling them on to other people.

You can use these as each will be able to take your Kindle off your hands, but it won’t give you as much money as if you were to sell it directly through other means. If you want to make more money, use the options below.

Car boot sale websites

If you want to keep your sale local, you can use car boot sale-style websites such as Gumtree or Shpock to be able to sell on your Kindle. These services allow you to meet up with the person buying your Kindle and hand it over in person.

The benefit of this is there are no charges directly from these selling services so you get whatever money you decide to sell your Kindle for.

There’s also now Facebook Marketplace that allows you sell your device to someone in your local area without having to sign up for a separate account.

Auction websites

If you want to put your Kindle in front of the most eyes possible you may want to opt to sell your ereader on eBay. 

Generally most people head straight to eBay to buy their second hand tech, and if you’re willing to add on a delivery charge and pay eBay's listing fee then it should allow you to make a quick and easy sale.

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.