Refurbished iPad: where to buy and what you need to know

Buying a refurbished iPad or a second-hand model is a tempting way to save money and a smart choice if you choose the right retailer and know what to look out for. Bought brand new, iPads can cost upwards of £1,000 and even the cheapest one costs more than £300.

There are second-hand retailers where you can buy direct from the previous owner, such as eBay and Gumtree. But a refurbished iPad is different. It means the iPad has been checked over to make sure it works as well as a new one and they often come with a guarantee.

Refurbished iPads are available from numerous retailers, including Back Market, Music Magpie and even Apple itself. Choosing a refurbished tablet means you can save money and have the piece of mind that comes with a warranty. Savings will vary, but we've seen refurbished iPads available for £200 less than the equivalent new one.

Cheaper iPads await, so strap in and we'll tell you which retailers to check, what to look out for when you buy refurbished and how much you stand to save.

Which iPad should I buy? - with four options from the Mini to the Pro, use our guide to help you decide

Refurbished iPad: where to buy a refurbished iPad

There are plenty of options when it comes to getting a refurbished iPad. The most logical place to go would be Apple itself, but this may not be where you get the best saving, so it's worth shopping around.

Price is a big consideration, but you should check the warranty, too. Refurbished iPads have been checked over to make sure they work well, and may have had some repairs done too. Ultimately, though, they are preowned, so it's worth trying to get the longest warranty you can.

We've listed several retailers where refurbished iPads are available. As you can see, one year is the standard warranty - so don't go lower than this.

Buying a refurbished iPad from Apple

When you're buying a refurbished iPad it makes sense to go to the source. Who better to refurbish an iPad than the people who made it in the first place?

There's a huge range of iPads available in the refurbished section of Apple's online store, but not all types were available at time of writing, so it's worth checking back periodically if the screen or storage size you're after isn't available.

Unlike some other retailers which grade iPads based on the amount of superficial damage they've suffered, Apple simply replaces the outer shell so there shouldn't be any dents, scratches or 'Happy Birthday, Love Gran xxx' engravings on the back.

The battery is replaced, too, but the screen isn't, so there's a chance there could be some scuffs there.

How much discount can you expect on a refurbished iPad from Apple?

There are close to 100 refurbished iPads available so we can't list them all, but we have picked out a few so you can see how much money you could save.

The majority of the iPads up for grabs are from one or two generations before the current one, which makes sense given Apple likely gets many of these from its trade-in program.

• £939 - iPad Pro 12.9-inch fourth generation, 512GB hard drive, wi-fi only. The equivalent fifth generation iPad Pro is £1,299.
• £439 - iPad Air fourth generation, 64GB hard drive, wi-fi only. The equivalent fifth generation iPad Air is £569.

These aren't like-for-like comparisons since they aren't from the same generation, but the differences between the fourth and fifth generation isn't dramatic. In our testing we didn't find that newer iPads eclipsed older ones - to find out more, see our Apple iPad reviews.

The savings are significant though. You can expect to get up to 20% off the price of a new iPad by choosing the previous generation from Apple.

See the full range of Apple's refurbished iPads

Buying a refurbished iPad from Back Market

There's been plenty of advertising for refurbished tech retailer, Back Market, but is it worth doing some shopping there?

The main difference between Back Market and Apple is how far back the models go. When we checked (October 22), some iPads are available from as early as 2013 and while prices are low on these models they aren't supported by Apple with software updates any more and we wouldn't recommend buying them.

Apple supports its devices for five years, so bear that in mind when you buy.

Back Market isn't doing the refurbishing itself. It works with other companies and flags who did the refurbishing on the listing page of the iPads. Some are familiar, such as Mazuma, while some aren't, such as InnoVent Leasing Limited. Back Market says it takes care in vetting these refurbishers though and only one in three make the cut.

Back Market grades its devices by condition, so you can pay less for an iPad in 'Fair' condition, a bit more for one in 'Good' condition and even more for one in 'Excellent' condition.

What's the difference between a fair, good or excellent condition refurbished iPad?

Back Market describes the conditions in the following way, we've lifted these descriptions directly from its website:

• Fair. Screen: May have micro-scratches which are hardly noticeable when the screen is turned on. Body: Has visible scratches and/or dents
• Good. Screen: Perfect condition. Body: May have micro-scratches, visible from 20 cm away
• Excellent. Screen: Perfect condition. Body: May have barely visible micro-scratches, not noticeable from 20 cm away

How much discount can you expect?

We looked at a 2021 64GB iPad, which is the latest version (as of October 2022), to see how much you could save. 

It costs £319 to buy new from Apple, but a good condition one from Back Market is £290. Weirdly though, an excellent condition one is £340 - so you're not getting a saving there at all.

We also checked a 2020 iPad Air, 64GB, which is the predecessor to the most recent model from 2022.

A good condition one is £513 and an excellent one is £496.27. We're not sure why the better condition one is cheaper, but hopefully Back Market would honour the price. A new iPad Air from 2022 is £569, so you can make a decent saving if you don't want the very latest features.

See all of the refurbished iPads available from Back Market

Buying a refurbished iPad from The iOutlet

As with Back Market, when we checked the site (October 22) The iOutlet sells some iPads that have stopped getting software updates from Apple. So keep an eye on the release date of the iPads while you're browsing and use our free tablet security tool to check it's still getting updates if you're not sure.

The iOutlet has a large range and it grades its tablets from A+ to C. The majority were older models, with very few from 2020 onwards.

These ratings are broadly the same as the good, fair and excellent we saw on Back Markets listings. An A+ is pristine, A grade is near perfect condition, B will have some scuffs on the case with a scratch-free screen, while C might have some bigger dings on the case and small scratches on the screen.

How much discount can you expect on a refurbished iPad from the The iOutlet?

Since The iOutlet doesn't have many recent iPads, as of October 22 when we checked, it's difficult and unfair to compare the prices to the latest ones available new.

There are several iPads available for under £200, but many aren't supported by Apple so we wouldn't recomend buying them.

There was one latest generation grade A iPad Pro 12.9-inch, with a 256GB hard drive available for £850, which £150 cheaper than buying one new. So there are good deals to be had, but when we checked, there weren't too many recent iPads to choose from.

Take a look at all The iOutlets refurbished iPads

Buying a refurbished iPad from Music Magpie

iPads from Music Magpie are certified refurbished and have a 12-month warranty. What that means is the iPads go through a 70 point check to make sure they're up to scratch (some may also have scratches).

It lists iPads by generation, so it's not always easy to see when each one came out. Use our tablet security tool to check if the iPad you're looking at is still getting security updates.

Tablets are graded good, very good or pristine and the ratings are near enough the same across all the retailers. 

A 'good' iPad shows moderate signs of wear, a 'very good' one shows light signs of use, and a 'pristine' one is, well, pristine.

How much discount can you expect?

Music Magpie has a good range of recent iPads so it's simple enough to compare pricing.

A pristine condition iPad Mini 64GB costs £470 on Music Magpie and it's £479 new from Apple, so the saving isn't impressive. The same iPad Mini rated good costs £394, which is an £85 saving. 

Similar savings are available on the latest iPad Air (2022). A very good rated Air is £494 and the tablet new is £569 through Apple.

See the full range of Music Magpie's refurbished iPads

There are discounts on new tablets, too. Check our best tablet deals to see the best ones we've found this month

Refurbished iPad: What to check on your refurbished iPad

The most important thing is how old the iPad is and whether it's still supported by Apple. Officially, Apple supports iPads for five years with software and security updates, but it often goes beyond that.

Still, if you're looking at an iPad more than four years old we'd err on the side of caution and give it a miss, assuming you want to use it safely for more than a year.

We recommend buying internet-connected devices that are supported by security updates because they become a risk without them. It becomes easier to hack devices and gain access to your data when devices aren't being updated with security software. Our free tablet security tool will tell you if it's still supported.

Keep an eye on the condition, too. Don't be wowed by a low price and miss that it's a low grade and likely to be dinged and scratched. If you want a refurbished iPad that looks new, then check the grade. The retailers we saw used terms like 'A' or 'Pristine' to flag new-looking tablets.

Warranty is important, too, but there seems to be a consensus that one year is the way to go. All the retailers we looked at offered this on all their iPads.

Double check it comes with a power cable, too - you don't want to excitedly receive it only to realise you can't use it until you buy a charger.

What if you're shopping for a second-hand iPad?

If you're eyeing one up in a second-hand shop, such as CeX or Cash Convertors, then ask to look at and try the device. 

Retailers should be making sure the devices work, but you should check a few things yourself.

• Look for small cracks or chips on the screen
• Check the charging and headphone (if there is one) ports work
• Take a picture and video to make sure the camera lenses are fine
• Play some music to make sure there's sound coming from all the speakers
• Check that it doesn't have someone else's iCloud account on it

Is it safe to use a refurbished iPad?

It's highly unlikely that any retailer would load a used iPad with spyware or any kind of malicious software. It wouldn't be worth the cost to their reputation, but if you're concerned then buy with Apple directly.

We saw on Back Market's website how seriously it takes the refurbishing process by only working with credited refurbishers, with most not making the cut.

Always check the device has been factory reset though, particularly if you're buying second-hand and not refurbished.

We test more than just iPads. If you prefer Android or Windows tablets then head to our tablet reviews to see what's on offer

Refurbished iPad vs second-hand

If you buy a second-hand iPad, you're essentially getting it the way the previous owner left it. It may have had some cursory checks to make sure everything's working, but there will be no repairs and no replacement parts to help it run better. Often a second-hand one won't have a warranty, particularly if you're buying direct from the seller as you do on eBay or Gumtree.

Refurbished tablets have been thoroughly checked by the retailer, or a refurbisher the retailer works with, to make sure they work well enough to sell. You get a one-year warranty for the most part, and if you buy from Apple you'll even get a new battery and body.

Refurbished tablets are often graded, so you get a clear idea of the sort of condition the tablet you're buying will be in.

Since most of these retailers operate online, you'll also be able to return the iPad if you aren't happy with it.

Refurbished iPad: setting up your refurbished iPad

Setting up a refurbished iPad is much the same as setting up a new one. You'll need an iCloud account to back up your data and pictures. You can set that up ahead of time or when you get your iPad.

When you turn it on, it should be the same experience as buying one new and the Apple setup wizard will take you through the various steps.

The only difference may be that you need to install some software updates. Since you're probably buying an older iPad it may now have the latest version of iPadOS. 

It's always worth setting up the Find My iPad function, too. It means you can track missing Apple devices if you lose them or they're stolen. 

How to set it up

1. Have a look in your settings, tap your name then select 'Find My'
2. If you want friends of family to see the device then select 'Share My Location'
3. Next, tap 'Find My Device' and the turn it on
4. If you want to be able to see the device when it's offline then select 'Find My Network' too.

If all this iPad info has whetted your appetite, then see which is right for you in our guide to choosing the best iPad