Best Refurbished & Open-Box MacBooks Under $500 (199 Deals)
Condition mix
199 open-box and refurbished MacBook deals are live under $500 for shoppers in the US right now.
199
Live deals
44% off
Avg. discount
$130–$499
Price range
$367
Typical price
What's in this collection
124 MacBook Pro (Intel)
$156–$499
59 MacBook Air (Intel)
$130–$475
10 Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)
$353–$495
6 MacBook (12-inch, Intel)
$198–$436
OpenBoxFox Picks
Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13.3-inch - Apple M1 Chip: 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU - 8GB - SSD 256GB - Space Grey - Very Good - Standard Battery
Apple M1 chip, 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD in Refurbished - Very Good condition — Apple Silicon outperforms every Intel MacBook here and gets macOS updates for longer.
View dealApple MacBook Air (2020) 13.3-inch - Apple M1 Chip: 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU - 8GB - SSD 128GB - Space Grey - Good - Standard Battery
Apple M1 chip, 8GB RAM / 128GB SSD for $353.99 — the most machine per dollar in this collection.
View deal
Apple MacBook Pro (2020) 13.3-inch - Intel Core i5 2.0GHz - 16GB - SSD 2TB - Silver - 4 Thunderbolts 3 Ports - Good - Standard Battery
2TB of storage and 16GB RAM — the most space available in this collection right now.
View dealPicked automatically from listed specs, condition grade and price — not hands-on tested.
Prices and availability update hourly from live inventory.
Buying guide curated by the OpenBoxFox team, last reviewed August 27, 2026.
199 live US listings.
Buying a refurbished Apple laptop
Most listings here are Intel-based MacBooks from 2014–2020 — Apple's newer M-series (Apple Silicon) chips generally hold resale value much longer, so they're a small minority under $500 (a handful of 2020 M1 MacBook Airs, usually near the top of this price range). That's not a knock on the Intel models: a well-maintained one from this era still handles browsing, email, documents and light multitasking well. What matters most at this price is condition grade and battery health — "Very Good" listings typically show only light cosmetic wear with a battery that still holds a reasonable charge, while "Good" listings may have more visible wear and shorter battery life per charge. If you plan to run modern creative or dev tools, check the exact year, chip, and RAM/storage configuration in the title before buying — an M1 Air or a recent 16GB Intel model will feel noticeably more capable than an older 4GB base config.
Every listing on this page is pulled directly from the retailer's live inventory feed and refreshed hourly — condition grades are assigned by the seller, not by us, so we show them exactly as listed rather than re-grading them ourselves.
Which one should I buy?
- Tight budget, just need it to work: look for the lowest-priced MacBook Air with at least 4GB RAM — it's the lightest and cheapest option here, fine for browsing and documents.
- Want more headroom for photo or light video editing: a 13-inch MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM and a larger SSD will hold up noticeably better than a base Air.
- Want the newest hardware available at this price: look for one of the small number of M1 Apple Silicon MacBook Airs that appear near the top of this price range — they outperform every Intel model here. Otherwise, favor a recent Intel year (2018–2020) with the highest RAM/storage you can find under $500.
- Not sure where to start: the "OpenBoxFox picks" above are a reasonable default — Best Overall is the strongest machine by processor first, then RAM, storage and condition; Best Value is the most of that per dollar; and Most Storage is the option with the most space.
What do the condition grades mean?
- Very Good
- Light cosmetic wear only — minor scuffs on the case, screen and keyboard show no significant wear. Battery typically still holds a reasonable charge for the machine's age.
- Good
- Moderate cosmetic wear — visible scratches or scuffs, possibly some screen wear. Fully functional, but expect shorter battery life per charge than a Very Good unit.
- Used
- Sold as-is by the retailer without a formal refurbishment grade — condition varies more than the graded tiers above, so read the specific listing's description closely.
Grades are assigned by each seller, not standardized across retailers — treat them as a strong signal, not a guarantee, and check the specific listing for seller-provided detail.
Before you buy: a quick checklist
- Confirm the RAM and storage in the title meet your actual needs — these can't be upgraded after purchase on most MacBook models.
- Check the retailer's return window and warranty terms on the specific listing before buying.
- Note the year and screen size — a 2014 and a 2018 model can list at a similar price but perform very differently.
- If battery life matters to you, favor "Very Good" condition listings over "Good" or "Used" where available.
- AppleCare and Apple's own warranty typically don't transfer to third-party refurbished sales — confirm with the seller if this matters to you.
MacBook FAQ
What's the cheapest MacBook right now?
Prices on this page start at $130 and stay under $500 — every listing is open-box or refurbished with the seller's condition grade shown up front.
How should I compare these macbooks?
Compare the exact specifications and current selling price, then check the retailer’s condition description, warranty and return terms.
Where can I see all Laptops, not just those under $500?
Browse the full Laptops category for every brand, price point and condition.
Can I get an M1 or M2 MacBook under $500?
Occasionally — a small number of 2020 M1 MacBook Airs do turn up under $500, usually near the top of that range, but they're a minority of the listings here. Most of this collection is still Intel-based (2014–2020), and M2/M3 models don't yet appear at this price.
What's the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro listings here?
Most listings at this price are Intel-based: the Air is thinner and lighter with integrated graphics only, while the Pro adds more processing headroom and, on some configurations, a dedicated graphics chip — useful for light photo or video editing. A small number of M1 Airs also appear near the top of this price range and outperform any Intel model here.
Is a 2014–2018 MacBook still worth buying in 2026?
For everyday use — browsing, email, documents, streaming — yes, especially at this price. It won't keep pace with modern professional workloads, but hardware from this era is well understood and parts/support are still widely available.
How much RAM do I need in a MacBook?
4GB is workable for basic browsing and documents but will feel constrained with many tabs open. 8GB is comfortable for everyday multitasking and is the sweet spot in this price range. RAM cannot be upgraded after purchase on these models, so buy the amount you actually need.
Is it safe to buy a refurbished MacBook?
Generally yes, provided the listing shows a clear condition grade and the retailer has a return policy — both of which are shown on every listing here. Refurbished doesn't mean broken; it typically means a previously owned or open-box unit that's been inspected and graded before resale.
Related laptops collections: Laptops under $400