After a large first drop, an Apple Watch loses value in steady yearly steps, and the Ultra holds its value best. As of September 30, 2026, Techtree pays $157 for an Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm aluminum, GPS) in Good condition, 39% of its $399 launch price. A one-year-old Series 11 is worth $133 (33%) and a seven-year-old Series 5 is worth $24 (6%). One year after launch, an Ultra 3 keeps 40% of its $799 price, against 22% of $249 for an SE 3.
Below, every Apple Watch we buy is set against Apple's own launch price: the Series 5 to the Series 12, the second-generation SE, the SE 3 and all four Ultras. The data is Techtree's price book and nothing else, first as a dated snapshot you can cite, then as live tables that follow our prices every day.
At a glance (Techtree, as of September 30, 2026):
- In Good condition, the entry aluminum GPS Series keeps 39% of its $399 launch price as the current Series 12, 20% after three years (Series 9) and 6% after seven (Series 5).
- At one year old, the Ultra 3 keeps 40% of its launch price, against 33% for the Series 11 and 22% for the SE 3.
- A titanium or steel case pays more only while a model is recent: $277 for a titanium Series 11 (46mm) against $171 for aluminum with cellular, but $108 for a steel Series 9 (45mm) against $106.
- Cellular adds little: a Series 11 (42mm aluminum) is worth $151 with GPS + Cellular and $133 with GPS only.
- Apple's September 9, 2026 launch barely moved our offers for the older Ultras over the next three weeks. For the Series and SE, our history cannot yet separate the launch from our own pricing changes.
- Activation Lock must be off before you ship. We cannot buy a watch that is still locked, reported lost or stolen, or has a balance owed on it.
Key findings (September 29, 2026 snapshot)
This is our price book on September 29, 2026, fixed here so it can be cited. Unless a finding says otherwise, each figure is Techtree's Good-condition offer for a model's entry configuration (the smaller aluminum case with GPS for the Series and SE, the one titanium model for the Ultra), set against Apple's US starting price at launch.
- The Ultra holds its value best and the SE the least, at every age we can compare. On September 29, 2026, one year after launch, the Ultra 3 was worth $323 to us (40% of its $799 launch price), the Series 11 $133 (33% of $399) and the SE 3 $55 (22% of $249). At four years the order held: 20% for the original Ultra, 16% for the Series 8 and 14% for the SE (2nd generation).
- The biggest gap is the first one. On September 29, 2026, less than two weeks after it reached stores, the Series 12 was worth $157 in Good condition (39% of $399), or $212 (53%) sealed in its box. The Ultra 4 was worth $412 (52% of $799). We first priced both on September 14, 2026, so these two are early readings that may still settle.
- A Series watch was worth about $19 less for each year of age. On September 29, 2026, the entry Series model went from $157 (Series 12) to $24 (Series 5, seven years older): an average of $19, or about 5 points of its launch price, per year. The Ultra averaged about $63 a year ($412 for the Ultra 4 to $161 for the original Ultra, four years older: about 8 points of $799 a year) and the SE about $7 a year ($55 for the SE 3 to $35 for the second-generation SE, three years older).
- By year three, a premium case carried little or no premium. On September 29, 2026, titanium was worth $184 to $194 more than aluminum with cellular of the same size on the Series 12 (ceramic, $314 to $324 more), $106 more on the Series 11 and $19 to $27 more on the Series 10. From the Series 9 back, stainless steel, titanium and ceramic cases were within $12 of aluminum, either way.
- Cellular added little. On September 29, 2026, aluminum GPS + Cellular models were worth between $2 less and $20 more than the GPS model of the same generation and size. At launch, Apple charged $100 more for cellular on the Series 5 and Series 6.
- The September 2026 launch barely moved the older Ultras. From September 8, the day before Apple announced the Series 12 and Ultra 4, to September 29, our Good offer for the Ultra 3 went from $322 to $323, for the Ultra 2 from $228 to $226 and for the original Ultra from $164 to $161. Each Ultra is one configuration in our quote, so these compare like with like. For the Series and SE our history cannot show what the launch did: until September 21 we offered one price for every configuration of those models. One launch: a first reading, not a pattern.
Cite this data: Techtree, "Apple Watch depreciation: how fast every Apple Watch loses value (2026 data)", price book of September 29, 2026. If you use these figures, please link to this page.
What every Apple Watch is worth today
Techtree's prices as of September 30, 2026, for a complete, working watch with its band and charger. Good and Fair are for the entry model named under each watch (every Ultra is 49mm titanium with GPS + Cellular). Share kept is the Good price as a share of Apple's launch price; Up to is the best configuration we buy in Good condition, such as a larger or titanium case. Good means light to moderate wear with no fingernail-deep scratches; Fair covers fingernail-deep scratches, major dents or mild housing damage, with no cracked glass (how we grade).
| Model | Launch price | Good | Fair | Share kept | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Apple Watch Series 122026 · 42mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $157 | $111 | 39% | $521 |
 Apple Watch Series 112025 · 42mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $133 | $108 | 33% | $277 |
 Apple Watch Series 102024 · 42mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $116 | $79 | 29% | $150 |
 Apple Watch Series 92023 · 41mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $79 | $56 | 20% | $108 |
 Apple Watch Series 82022 · 41mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $65 | $42 | 16% | $78 |
 Apple Watch Series 72021 · 41mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $47 | $30 | 12% | $56 |
 Apple Watch Series 62020 · 40mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $32 | $19 | 8% | $43 |
 Apple Watch Series 52019 · 40mm aluminum GPS |
$399 | $24 | $12 | 6% | $27 |
 Apple Watch SE 32025 · 40mm aluminum GPS |
$249 | $55 | $49 | 22% | $67 |
 Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)2022 · 40mm aluminum GPS |
$249 | $35 | $22 | 14% | $44 |
 Apple Watch Ultra 42026 · 49mm titanium |
$799 | $412 | $326 | 52% | $412 |
 Apple Watch Ultra 32025 · 49mm titanium |
$799 | $323 | $267 | 40% | $323 |
 Apple Watch Ultra 22023 · 49mm titanium |
$799 | $226 | $151 | 28% | $226 |
 Apple Watch Ultra2022 · 49mm titanium |
$799 | $161 | $102 | 20% | $161 |
Every model we buy is also in our trade-in price index, at its best configuration in Brand New, Good and Fair. To work out which Series you have, see Apple Watch Series 5 to Series 12: what each one is worth, and how to tell them apart; the four Ultras are compared in Apple Watch Ultra 1 vs 2 vs 3 vs 4. A sealed, never-activated watch is priced as Brand New, covered in selling an unopened Apple Watch.
How much value does each year cost?
Each bar is one Series generation's entry model in Good condition, as a share of the $399 Apple charged for it at launch.
As of September 30, 2026, the one-year-old Series 11 is worth $24 less than the Series 12. The two-year-old Series 10 is worth $116 and the three-year-old Series 9 is worth $79. By the Series 6 and Series 5, six and seven years old, the entry model is worth $32 and $24.
The Ultra loses more dollars because it starts higher. The Ultra 4 and Ultra 3 are $89 apart in Good condition, and the four years from the Ultra 4 back to the original Ultra cover $251. The SE loses the fewest dollars: the SE 3 and the SE (2nd generation), launched three years apart, are $20 apart.
Our reading of the price book: after the first gap between Apple's price and a used watch's value, a Series watch gives up a few points of its launch price each year (2 to 9 points per generation on September 29, 2026). These are different generations priced on the same day, not one watch followed for years, so each step also reflects what changed between two models.
Which Apple Watch holds its value best?
Set each line's watches side by side at the same age, each against its own launch price. The table shows each model's Good-condition value (entry configuration) as a share of its launch price, as of September 30, 2026.
| Age | Ultra ($799) | Series ($399) | SE ($249) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New (2026) | Ultra 4: 52% | Series 12: 39% | No new model |
| 1 year (2025) | Ultra 3: 40% | Series 11: 33% | SE 3: 22% |
| 2 years (2024) | No new model | Series 10: 29% | No new model |
| 3 years (2023) | Ultra 2: 28% | Series 9: 20% | No new model |
| 4 years (2022) | Ultra: 20% | Series 8: 16% | SE (2nd gen): 14% |
Today the Ultra keeps the largest share at every age in the table. At one year old, that is 40% for the Ultra 3 against 22% for the SE 3; at four years old, 20% for the original Ultra, 16% for the Series 8 and 14% for the SE (2nd generation).
In dollars the order flips, because the Ultra starts highest. Bought at Apple's launch price and sold after one year, today's book puts the difference at $476 for an Ultra 3, $266 for a Series 11 and $194 for an SE 3. Our reading: the Ultra returns the largest share of what you paid, and the SE costs the fewest dollars to own.
Do premium cases or cellular hold value?
Titanium, stainless steel and ceramic pay more while a model is recent. Apple sold every titanium, stainless steel and ceramic Series 5 to 12 only as GPS + Cellular, so the fair comparison is aluminum with cellular in the same size. As of September 30, 2026, in Good condition, a titanium Series 12 (46mm) is worth $391 against $197 for aluminum, and a titanium Series 11 is worth $277 against $171. Further back the gap is small or gone: a titanium Series 10 is worth $150 against $131, and a stainless steel Series 9 (45mm) is worth $108 against $106. The full comparison is in aluminum vs titanium vs stainless steel: which Apple Watch holds its value?
Cellular adds little at resale. As of September 30, 2026, a Series 11 (42mm aluminum) in Good condition is worth $151 with GPS + Cellular and $133 with GPS only, and a Series 8 (41mm) is worth $65 with cellular and $65 without. When Apple launched the Series 5 and Series 6, cellular cost $100 more ($499 against $399). The full comparison is in GPS vs Cellular Apple Watch: is cellular worth more when you sell?
What did the September 2026 launch do?
Apple announced the Series 12 and Ultra 4 on September 9, 2026, and both reached stores on September 18. It is the first launch in our offer history, which starts in June 2026, and that history can answer the question for the Ultra but not yet for the Series or SE.
- Ultra 4 $412
- Ultra 3 $323
- Ultra 2 $226
- Ultra (1st gen) $161
- The older Ultras barely moved. From September 8, the day before the announcement, to September 29, our Good offer for the Ultra 3 went from $322 to $323. Over the same three weeks the Ultra 2 stayed between $226 and $228, apart from a one-day $266 on September 13, and the original Ultra between $161 and $164.
- The Ultra 4 eased slightly. We first priced it on September 14 at $425 in Good condition; on September 29 it was $412.
- For the Series and SE, our history cannot tell. Until September 21, 2026, twelve days after the announcement, we offered one price for every configuration of a Series or SE model, whatever its case, size or connectivity; since then each configuration has its own price. That change overlaps the launch, so our history cannot show what the launch did to these watches, and this report draws no launch finding from them.
Our reading: in this launch, the new Ultra did not pull down what we pay for the older ones in the first three weeks. One launch is not a rule. Each model page charts our price for every configuration and condition over time.
What to do before you sell your watch
You can sell any of these watches as it is: there is no need to repair a cracked screen or polish out scratches. Pick the condition that matches (how we grade), such as Fair for deep scratches or Minor Damage for a cracked display that still works. We cannot buy a watch that still has Activation Lock on, one reported lost or stolen, or one with a balance still owed on it, so Activation Lock must be off before you ship.
- Unpair it from your iPhone. Unpairing in the Watch app erases the watch and removes Activation Lock in one step, and your iPhone tries to back the watch up as it unpairs. On a cellular watch, choose to remove the plan, then ask your carrier to cancel the line. How to reset an Apple Watch covers every case, including a watch without its iPhone.
- Check Find My. At icloud.com/find, make sure the watch no longer appears among your devices.
- Send the band and charger. Prices assume a complete watch. A missing band or charger lowers the offer: say so in the quote, and the offer you accept already reflects it.
- Lock your price. A quote is locked for 21 days and comes with a free prepaid shipping label. Payment typically goes out within 1 to 2 business days of inspection.
Methodology
- Source. Techtree's own price book: what we pay for each configuration and condition, reviewed daily (how we set prices). The only figures that are not ours are Apple's launch prices.
- Date. The key findings are the price book of September 29, 2026. Every other current figure renders from today's book, dated beside the byline.
- Retention. Our Good-condition offer for a model's entry configuration divided by Apple's US starting price at launch (Apple Newsroom), not adjusted for inflation.
- Like for like. The entry configuration is the smaller aluminum case with GPS for the Series (40mm, 41mm or 42mm by generation) and the SE (40mm), the model a starting price buys; Apple's store lists the Series 12 in 42mm aluminum with GPS at $399. The Ultra has one configuration, 49mm titanium with GPS + Cellular, at $799 for every generation. We never set a best configuration against a starting price.
- Condition. Good: light to moderate wear with no fingernail-deep scratches, fully working, battery health at least 80%, band and charger included (how we grade).
- Age. Years since the launch year. Year-to-year steps compare different generations on the same day, not one watch over time.
- History. Our own offers since June 7, 2026 (June 19 for the SE models): roughly weekly pricing runs until August 30, daily since August 31. Until September 21, 2026 we offered one price for every configuration of a Series or SE model (any case, size or connectivity); since then each configuration has its own price. That change came twelve days after Apple's launch, so this report draws no launch finding for the Series or SE, and every depreciation finding comes from the September 29 snapshot, not from the history. Each Ultra is one configuration, so its history compares like with like. We first priced the Series 12 and Ultra 4 on September 14, 2026, so their figures are early readings. Offers also move when we change how we price, and the history spans one Apple launch.
- Rounding. Whole dollars; shares rounded to the nearest percent.
Frequently asked questions
How fast does an Apple Watch lose value? In steady yearly steps after a large first gap. As of September 30, 2026, Techtree pays 39% of the $399 launch price for the current entry Series 12 in Good condition, 20% for a three-year-old Series 9 and 6% for a seven-year-old Series 5.
Which Apple Watch holds its value best? The Ultra. One year after launch, an Ultra 3 in Good condition keeps 40% of its $799 launch price, against 33% for the entry Series 11 and 22% for the entry SE 3, as of September 30, 2026.
How much is my Apple Watch worth? It depends on the model, case, size and condition, and the trade-in price index lists every model we buy at its best configuration. In Good condition, as of September 30, 2026, Techtree pays up to $412 for an Ultra 4, up to $521 for a Series 12 and up to $67 for an SE 3.
Does a titanium Apple Watch hold its value better than aluminum? Only while the model is recent. As of September 30, 2026, a titanium Series 11 (46mm) in Good condition is worth $277 against $171 for aluminum with cellular, but a titanium Series 10 (46mm) is worth $150 against $131.
Is a cellular Apple Watch worth more when you sell it? A little. As of September 30, 2026, a Series 11 (42mm aluminum) in Good condition is worth $151 with GPS + Cellular and $133 with GPS only.
Should I sell my Apple Watch before the new one comes out? For an Ultra, waiting through the one launch we have observed cost almost nothing; for the Series and SE, our history cannot say yet. From September 8 to September 29, 2026, our Good offer for the Ultra 3 went from $322 to $323 and for the Ultra 2 from $228 to $226. We started pricing each Series and SE configuration separately twelve days after that launch, so those watches cannot be read the same way. Our reading: each older generation sits a step lower in our book, so a watch you have already replaced is worth more to you as cash than in a drawer.
Is an old Apple Watch still worth selling? Yes, back to the Series 5, as long as Activation Lock is off. As of September 30, 2026, Techtree pays up to $56 for a Series 7 and up to $27 for a Series 5 in Good condition.
Does a scratched Apple Watch still sell? Yes. Deep scratches or dents are Fair condition: as of September 30, 2026, an entry Series 11 in Fair is worth $108 against $133 in Good, and an Ultra 3 in Fair $267 against $323.
Can I sell an Apple Watch with Activation Lock on? No. Unpair it from your iPhone, which erases the watch and removes Activation Lock; without the iPhone, erase it and then remove it from your devices at icloud.com/find before you ship. We also cannot buy a watch reported lost or stolen, or one with a balance still owed.
Sources
- Techtree prices: the trade-in price index and the model pages linked above. Key findings from the price book of September 29, 2026; history from our own offers since June 7, 2026 (one price per Series or SE model until September 21, 2026). Prices are reviewed daily and your quote is the authority.
- Launch prices and dates, Apple Newsroom: Apple Watch Series 5 (September 2019), Series 6 (September 2020), Series 7 (October 2021), Series 8 and SE (September 2022), Ultra (September 2022), Series 9 (September 2023), Ultra 2 (September 2023), Series 10 (September 2024), Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3 (September 2025), Series 12 and Ultra 4 (September 2026)
- The latest iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods lineups arrive in stores worldwide, Apple Newsroom, September 18, 2026
- Buy Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Store (42mm aluminum with GPS at $399), checked September 30, 2026
- Identify your Apple Watch, Apple Support (case sizes and materials by model; every titanium, stainless steel and ceramic Series 5 to 12 is GPS + Cellular)
- Unpair and erase your Apple Watch and What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Apple Watch, Apple Support
- Remove a device from Find Devices on iCloud.com, Apple Support
Apple facts checked against the pages above on September 30, 2026.
