Refurbished

Studio Display XDR

Yes, refurbished Apple products come with a warranty. Unlike used devices sold on classified sites, refurbished products are backed by a professional warranty. The specific terms vary by refurbisher, but every product listed on RefurbMe comes with at least a 30-day warranty.

For the full list, compare warranty policies across all refurbishers on RefurbMe.

A refurbished warranty typically covers hardware defects and malfunctions:

• Battery, screen, and logic board failures
• Speaker, camera, and microphone issues
• Connectivity problems (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular)

It does not cover accidental damage (drops, spills) or cosmetic wear consistent with the device's grade. For details, see what a refurbished warranty covers.

Yes. If you buy from the Apple Refurbished Store, you can add AppleCare+ for the same price as a new device. Several third-party sellers also offer optional warranty extensions at checkout. You can also consider third-party insurance for broader coverage including accidental damage.

RefurbMe is totally free to use. You can browse, compare, and set up alerts for refurbished Apple products without paying anything.

Everything you do on RefurbMe is free:

• Browsing and comparing refurbished product listings across multiple sellers.
• Setting up product alerts to get notified when a specific product drops in price or comes back in stock.
• Reading our help center and blog for guides on buying refurbished Apple products.
• Accessing price history and seller comparisons to make an informed decision.

There are no premium tiers, subscriptions, or hidden fees.

RefurbMe earns revenue through affiliate marketing partnerships with refurbishers. When you click through to a seller's website and complete a purchase, RefurbMe receives a small commission from that merchant. This commission is paid by the seller and does not increase the price you pay.

You can learn more about this in our article on RefurbMe's business model.

• We do not sell or share your email address.
• We do not store any payment information. Your purchase is completed directly on the refurbisher's website.
• There are no sign-up fees, and creating an account to manage alerts is optional and free.

Refurbished means a product has been professionally inspected, repaired if needed, and restored to full working condition before being resold. A refurbished device was either pre-owned, returned during a trial period, or used as a display model. Unlike used products, refurbished items go through a structured process that ensures they work like new.

Every refurbished device goes through a multi-step process before it reaches you:

The term "refurbished" is sometimes used interchangeably with "renewed," "reconditioned," or "remanufactured." These labels vary by seller, but the underlying process is similar.

Refurbished products are sold by professional refurbishers, and you can expect:

• A warranty (typically 12 months, sometimes extendable).
• A return policy (usually 14 to 30 days).
• Savings of 15-40% compared to buying new.
• All previous user data wiped clean.
• A device that is 100% functional.

No. A used product is sold as-is by its previous owner with no guarantee of functionality and no warranty. A refurbished product has been professionally tested and repaired, comes with a warranty, and is backed by a return policy. Learn more about the difference between used and refurbished.

Refurbished Apple products come from two sources:

• Manufacturer refurbished (Apple Store). Apple refurbishes its own returned and defective products. These are sold in Excellent condition only with new batteries and original accessories. Learn more about what manufacturer refurbished means.
• Third-party refurbishers. Independent sellers like Back Market, Amazon Renewed, and others source, inspect, and resell devices. They offer a wider range of cosmetic grades and often deeper discounts.

You can compare refurbishers on RefurbMe to find the best deal across all sellers.

Buying refurbished lets you get a fully functional Apple product at a fraction of the retail price. It also helps reduce electronic waste by giving devices a second life instead of sending them to landfill.

There are two main differences between a new device and a refurbished product: price and cosmetic condition.

The main difference between a new and a refurbished product is its price (up to 90% cheaper). Refurbished Apple products are 100% functional, and all components work like new. A refurbished device was either pre-owned or used as a display item. However, refurbished products go through the same testing process as new devices do, so any defect is found and repaired, and any faulty part is replaced. They work as well as new products but have a discounted price because of their refurb tag.

Aside from price, a possible difference between new and refurbished products is their cosmetic condition. Note that this solely concerns the cosmetic appearance of the device since a refurb is thoroughly cleaned. There are 3 levels of refurbished cosmetic condition you can choose from Grade A (Excellent), Grade B (Good), and Grade C (Fair). Depending on your choice, you will get a more or less perfect-looking device. 

If your new Apple device breaks and Apple gives you a replacement, you're getting a refurbished device. That’s right; you literally can’t tell the difference between new and refurb in this case. Apple refurbishes its own products and classes them as excellent (Grade A).

We have curated an article on New vs Used vs Refurbished products where we explain the difference in detail. You can check out the article here.

Buying refurbished Apple products is one of the most impactful choices you can make as a consumer to reduce your environmental footprint. Every refurbished device that finds a new owner is one less device manufactured from scratch and one less device in a landfill.

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide. By choosing refurbished, you directly help reduce e-waste:

• Over 50 million metric tons of e-waste are generated globally each year, and only a fraction is properly recycled.
• A single smartphone contains dozens of rare earth minerals, heavy metals, and plastics that can leach into soil and water when improperly disposed of.
• Buying refurbished extends the useful life of an existing device by 2-5 years, keeping it out of the waste stream.

Manufacturing a new device is the most carbon-intensive part of its lifecycle. When you buy refurbished, you skip that step entirely:

• Producing a new iPhone generates roughly 70-80 kg of CO2. Refurbishing an existing one produces a fraction of that.
• A new MacBook generates approximately 200-400 kg of CO2 during manufacturing. Buying refurbished avoids nearly all of that footprint.
• Refurbished products also save water, rare minerals, and energy that go into producing new devices.

The circular economy keeps products in use as long as possible rather than following a "make, use, dispose" pattern. Refurbished products are professionally inspected, repaired, and restored to full working condition, complete with a warranty and return policy. Every refurbished purchase signals demand for sustainable alternatives, encouraging more sellers to invest in refurbishment.

For a deeper look at the environmental benefits, read our guide on the environmental impact of buying refurbished Apple products.

The right to repair movement is pushing for laws that make it easier for consumers and independent shops to repair electronics rather than replace them. This directly supports the refurbished market by ensuring devices can be restored and resold. We wrote a full piece about it and why it matters.

Every refurbished purchase counts. By choosing a refurbished iPhone, MacBook, or iPad instead of buying new, you are directly reducing demand for raw materials and keeping a perfectly good device in circulation. You can compare refurbished Apple products across dozens of sellers to find the right device at the right price.