In this post, we list the best places where you can exchange your old books for cash.
but, before we start the list…
You are reading: Places that sell books
should you sell books online or in person?
You may be wondering if you can get more money if you sell your old books in person or at a local store.
For the most part, we suggest selling online.
The main reason for this is that the online places that buy your books tend to have less overhead.
And as a result, it means they can offer you more money than a traditional place.
Of course, this is not always the case.
We’re not going to say that you’ll definitely get more sales from an online venue, rather than a local venue.
but, in many cases, you’ll make more money selling books online than in person.
where to sell your books online
When it comes to selling books online, there are two main ways to go about it.
- buyback sites: With these websites, you enter the name of the book you want to sell and get a quote. if you like the quote, you send your books to the company and get paid. this is the easiest way to sell books and the best method if you want to get cash fast.
- online marketplaces: list your books for sale with these websites and then wait for customers to buy them. This method takes more time than the previous one. but since you can set your own prices for your books, it gives you more control over how much money you make.
which one you choose really comes down to a matter of personal preference.
If you prefer to set your own price for the books you want to sell and don’t mind waiting for cash, then online marketplaces such as craigslist and ebay may be a good option.
However, if you want to get some quick cash, you’re better off going with buyback sites. they make it so easy to get cash for your used books!
the best sites to get cash for your books
Below we have listed the top book buyback websites and online marketplaces where you can sell used books.
Our list includes mostly buyback websites, because there are more of them than online marketplaces that cater to books.
We’ve also included a couple of places you can post books for sale.
1. book browser
- official site: bookscouter.com
I love this website!
simply enter the book’s isbn, then bookscouter searches over 40 different buyer sites to find the ones that will pay the highest amount for your book.
They are especially known for buying and selling textbooks.
If you don’t have time to compare prices on different sites one by one to find out which one pays the most money for old books, bookscouter should be your number one choice.
Still not convinced? Read my bookscouter review for more reasons why you should always check with bookscouter first.
2. cash4books
- official site: http://www.cash4books.net/
cash4books works differently than the site mentioned above.
Instead of creating a market to make your used books available to potential buyers, they will buy them directly from you.
however, they don’t buy just any book. they have to meet certain conditions.
To find out if your book meets your criteria, simply enter the book’s isbn in the search box provided and press enter.
then, you get an offer for the book (assuming they want it).
If you like the deal and want to sell it for the price, they’ll send you a prepaid shipping label that you can use to ship the book to them.
once they receive the book, they will inspect it and, if approved, send you payment via paypal or check, depending on your preference.
Read my cash4books review for more details and tips on how to get more money for your used books.
3. sell your book again
- official site: http://www.sellbackyourbook.com/
selling your book works similarly to cash4books.
enter the isbn and get an instant quote.
They also have a set of standards for the type of books they buy.
These are the types of books they don’t buy:
- copy for advanced readers
- review copy
- elements without isbn anywhere in the book
- offensive and explicit material.
- incomplete sets (volume 1 of a set of 2 books, etc.)
- encyclopedia sets
They also buy textbooks, except the following:
- instructor editions
- annotated instructor editions
- teacher editions
what I personally like about this is the bulk isbn option.
If you have a lot of books, it can be tedious to enter an isbn, hit enter, get a price, and then check everything again and again for each book.
With the bulk isbn option, you can enter as many isbns as you like and get an instant quote for each one at once.
They also have apps that make it really easy to sell your books at the highest price.
instead of entering isbn(s), just scan it with the app. this can greatly speed things up.
4. amazon.com
- official site: https://services.amazon.com/content/sell-on-amazon.html
although amazon is the biggest and most well known site for selling all kinds of books, I personally think you get much less for your books than other sites on this list.
That said, amazon is a trusted platform with hundreds of thousands of potential buyers.
so you have a much better chance of selling your book faster than anywhere else.
and while books can generally be sold for less, this is amazon after all. people pay a lot more for the same items just because it’s on amazon.
so it wouldn’t hurt to include your book(s) there.
As a general rule, I would only list books in mint condition on amazon.
amazon exchange
There is another way to dispose of your old books (as well as some electronic devices) on amazon and that is through the amazon trade-in program.
Unfortunately, you won’t get cash for your books. Instead, Amazon will pay you through Amazon Gift Card codes. so if you shop a lot on amazon and would like to get amazon gift cards, this is not a bad option.
5. blue rectangle
- official site: http://bluerectangle.com/
The blue rectangle is like these book buying websites mentioned above, but with even more flexibility.
You still need to check if they want your book in the first place.
the rest of the process is similar.
They also offer payments by check or paypal.
6. cky books
- official site: http://www.ckybooks.com/
Another website that buys books directly from you is cky books.
their range is more diverse, from fiction to non-fiction, religious books to textbooks, self-help books to travel books and much more.
They also cover shipping costs.
paid by paypal or check.
You can also sell movies, games, and DVDs here.
7. paperback swap
- official site: http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php
This website is designed for book owners to trade their books.
makes a list of books he’s ready to trade and waits for an interested buyer.
you will get credit after shipping that particular book to that buyer.
You can use the credit you earned to get a free book published by other sellers.
8. comic classifieds
- official site: http://www.comicbookclassifieds.com/
Do you have comics you want to sell?
sell comics on craigslist!
This amazing classified comic book has been around since 1998.
has been featured on tons of sites.
This is one of those sites where you can sell books worth a few dollars to books worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
9. decluttr
- official site: https://www.decluttr.com/start-selling/
decluttr is a great website for selling used books.
You can also sell CDs, used phones, tablets, games and DVDs there.
so if you want to get rid of a lot of stuff, this is a good place to do it.
You sell your stuff directly to decluttr, which means you don’t have to wait for a customer to buy it.
simply visit the website and select the option “sell cds, dvds, games &” books” above the search bar.
then enter the barcode of the book you want to sell.
decluttr will give you a quote for the book.
See Also: Maui Guidebooks | Best Hawaii Travel Guide Books
There is also an app available:
- download decluttr for ios devices here.
- download decluttr for android devices here.
the decluttr app is actually one of the best apps for selling things locally and online.
The app is useful because you can use it to scan barcodes. this saves you the time of having to enter the barcode of each book you are going to sell. if you plan to sell a lot of books, then the app is a real time saver!
pro tip: read my decluttr review for tips on how to get the most out of it.
If you’re happy with the offer on the books, you can submit your articles to decluttr, for free!
10. bookfinder.com
- official site: https://www.bookfinder.com/buyback/
bookfinder.com works very similarly to book scouter. so you use it to compare prices from different buyback providers.
the design of the website is much rougher than that of book scouter.
so we don’t recommend it as much.
but it’s worth taking a quick look at bookfinder to compare their offerings with those on bookscouter.
is a useful site for finding the highest buyback prices.
and has been around since 1997 and has been featured in the new york times, newsweek and forbes.
11. craig’s list
- official site: https://craigslist.org/
While there are tons of sites similar to craigslist, cl is still one of the best places to sell things locally.
If you prefer to set your own prices for the books you plan to sell, check out craigslist.
You can list and sell your unwanted books to people in your area.
Of course, you may need to meet the buyer in person or pay to ship the books to the buyer.
how to sell textbooks online
Above, we’ve mentioned tons of great places where you can sell books for cash online.
While you can also sell textbooks in the places we mentioned above, in this section we’re going to list websites and apps that are particularly good at selling textbooks.
Textbooks are a huge cost to students, so wouldn’t it be great to get some of that reimbursement?
well, you can!
You can sell your textbooks online and get back some of the money you spent on them.
Just like with normal books, when it comes to selling textbooks, there are two main ways to go about it:
- buyback websites
- online marketplaces
we discussed both selling options above.
so they work pretty much the same way for textbooks.
If you have a textbook to sell, you can put it up for sale or sell it directly to buyback websites for some quick cash.
Let’s take a look at places where you can sell textbooks online.
12. book byte
- official site: http://www.bookbyte.com/
bookbyte has been around since 1999 and is primarily focused on helping college students buy, sell, and rent textbooks cheaply.
all you need is the title of the textbook or the isbn.
Enter either of those two in the “sell” search bar to get an instant offer.
if you like the price, click “continue sale” and complete the process.
They will then email you a (prepaid) shipping label that you can print.
once they get the book(s), they pay you by check or paypal, you choose.
13. textbook buyer
- official site: http://www.textbookbuyer.com/
the website has a reputation associated with buying used textbooks for the past 10 years.
The company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Good Housekeeping magazine.
It is well known for its fair pricing policy, free shipping and fast payment.
In addition to used textbooks, they also buy new textbooks at special prices.
14. chegg
- official site: https://www.chegg.com/sell-textbooks
sell your old textbooks online with chegg.
visit the website, enter your book’s isbn number and you’ll get an instant quote for your textbooks.
If you like the quote, simply print your free shipping label and mail it to chegg. once chegg receives your books, you will be paid.
15. textbook race
- official site: https://www.firstclassbooks.com/buyback
This is another website where you can sell your unwanted textbooks for cash online.
simply enter the isbn of the book you want to sell, or you can enter multiple isbns if you have a lot of books to sell, to get an offer.
if you are satisfied with the offer, you can send your books to textbookrush.
It’s free, since the company provides you with a prepaid shipping label.
You get paid in cash, via paypal or store credit.
16. firstclassbooks.com
- official site: https://www.firstclassbooks.com/buyback
Visit firstclassbooks.com, enter the isbn of the textbooks you want to sell, click the “see prices” button, and you’ll get a quote for each book.
You can receive payment through paypal or check. After receiving your textbooks, firstclassbooks.com will usually send payment within two business days.
If you decide to sell your textbooks to the company, you can ship them for free. The website provides prepaid fedex or usps shipping labels.
17. value books
- official site: https://www.valorebooks.com/sell-textbooks
To sell your textbooks to valorebooks, visit the website and enter the isbn of the books you wish to sell.
You can enter multiple isbns in the box, then click “get quote” and you’ll get a quote for all the books you plan to sell.
if you have a lot of books, this is really useful.
you will get an instant quote. if you are happy with the budget, you can send your articles to valorebooks for free.
Payment is sent by check or PayPal.
18. barnes & noble
- official site: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/textbook/textbook-buyback.jsp
many people don’t realize that the popular book chain barnes & noble buys textbooks.
Definitely worth a look.
you will need to have at least $10 worth of books to sell to sell to barnes & noble.
To get a price on your books, just enter your isbn.
unfortunately, barnes & noble only allows you to enter one isbn at a time. if you have many books to sell, this may take longer.
if you decide you like the offer you get, you can send your books to barnes & noble, and get paid.
19. campus books
- official site: https://www.campusbooks.com/books/sell
campusbooks works similarly to bookscouter. With it, you can compare the prices of textbooks offered by different buyback providers.
While Bookscouter is designed for regular books and textbooks, Campus Books focuses solely on textbooks.
You can enter the name of the textbook you want to sell in the search bar. or you can search for titles using the isbn to ensure you are being quoted the correct buyback price on the specific book and edition you are selling.
20. textbook recycling
- official site: http://www.textbookrecycling.com/sell-textbooks.aspx
earn money for your unwanted textbooks with textbook recycling.
simply visit the website and enter the isbn of the book you wish to sell.
with textbook recycling, you can enter multiple isbns. so if you have a lot of books to sell, this is really useful.
once you’ve entered the isbn, you’ll get an instant quote for your books.
If you like the offer, you can send your books to textbook recycling. shipping is free, depending on the value of your order.
To qualify for free shipping, the value of your buyback order must be at least $50. If the final value of the buyback order is less than $50 after processing, the site says that it reserves the right to charge a shipping and handling fee of $3.95 against the buyback total.
also, in each order, the website only accepts a maximum of 10 low value books, those that are worth less than $5.
21. student2student
- official site: https://student2student.com/sellbook
This is an interesting website that cuts out the middleman, allowing students to buy and sell textbooks directly to each other.
You can sell books to students on campus.
It’s kind of like craigslist, but it’s specifically geared toward college students looking to buy and sell college textbooks.
simply enter the isbn of the book you wish to sell to get started.
If you don’t want to sell to students on campus, you can also compare textbook prices at different online buyback providers.
See Also: Kate Clayborn – Book Series In Order
then when you enter your book’s isbn, you’ll get both online and local selling options.
22. eBay
- official site: https://www.ebay.com/rpp/sell-textbooks-online
if you have textbooks to sell, you might consider listing them for sale on ebay.
no listing fee – up to 50 items!
however, you may be charged other fees, so keep that in mind when pricing your books.
The nice thing about ebay is that since it’s such a popular website, a customer is likely to see your books and buy them.
if you don’t need cash fast, then consider using ebay to sell your unwanted textbooks.
how can i sell used books for cash near me?
This is a common question people have about selling their books.
It’s the same with textbooks: a lot of people ask, “how can I sell textbooks near me?”
Earlier, we mentioned that you often make the most money selling books online, rather than in person.
But selling books online isn’t for everyone.
Sometimes you may not want the hassle of having to ship your books to the buyback provider or the customer who bought them online.
You may just want to sell your books and get cash on the spot.
If you prefer to sell used books in the store, check out the following places.
23. half price books
- official site: https://www.hpb.com/
This is a company that buys used books and textbooks.
If you’re wondering, “where can I sell books near me?” then this is a great option.
Simply take your books to the nearest half-price bookstore. if the store is interested in buying the books, you will get a quote for them.
If you like the quote, you can accept it and you will be paid in cash.
It’s a good way to get book money fast.
24. powell’s books
- official site: http://www.powells.com/sell-books
if you want to sell books locally, check out powell’s books.
only has stores in the portland, oregon area. so if you live nearby, you can sell your books in one of their stores.
Take the books to the nearest Powell’s bookstore used book counter, and if the store is interested, you’ll get an offer on them.
you will get cash or store credit.
powell books also allows you to sell your books online. you just have to enter the isbn of each book you are selling and you will get a quote.
If you like the listing, you can ship your books to Powell’s for free, since the retailer pays shipping.
Payment is sent to your paypal account.
25. used bookstores
Another option for selling books in person is your local used bookstore.
Used bookstores and thrift stores can buy you unwanted books.
just call them and ask if they buy books. if so, take them to the store and earn some money!
do an online search for secondhand bookstores and thrift stores near you, and contact a few of them to sell your books.
There are also library directories you can use to find used libraries near you. here are some to get you started:
- used books 101: http://www.usedbooks101.com/search.php
- indiebound: https: / /www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder
- the directory of the American Booksellers Association: https://www.bookweb.org/member_directory/search/ abamember
all you have to do is enter your city or zip code and click “search”. the site will show all the bookstores near you with their contact information and address.
how to make money buying & sale of used books
To make the most money selling used books, the first step is to get a book for free or for a price low enough that you can profit from selling it.
Fortunately, there are many ways to get free or very cheap books.
here are some ways you can do it…
1. friends and family
If you decide to try selling books to make some money, you need to find places to get them.
One of the most obvious places is your own bookshelves and those of your friends and family.
let your friends know you want to salvage their books, as some people just throw them away when they’re done.
You’re not likely to find rare or high-value books this way, but it should get you started.
2. garage sales
Garage sales are a useful source of cheap books.
You’ll often get a box of books for a low price, or even free if you buy something else at the sale.
Some people look for rare, good books at garage sales, but in general, books don’t sell for much, so you can build your inventory cheaply.
3. sales of goods
You can find many books for sale at estate sales.
some of them may be rare and collectible and therefore not very cheap, but if the decedent was an avid reader, the heirs will have plenty of books to get rid of and can offer them in bulk.
4. libraries
beware of book sales at the local library.
Libraries periodically sell books that no longer seem to be popular.
some are simply worn and therefore not worth buying for resale, but others that never really caught on may be in good condition.
Libraries have to sell old holdings in order to make room on their shelves for the endless supply of new books.
You can also check your local library to see if they have a book swap box. Some libraries encourage their readers to drop off finished books in a communal swap bin. people trade books for honor, so be prepared to trade a book you can’t sell for another.
5. bookstores
Similarly, bookstores often have a shelf of books that they sell at a discount, perhaps for $.25 each, because they need to make room for new books on their shelves.
Just because they’ve decided the books should be sold doesn’t mean they’re worthless to you.
6. charity and thrift stores
It’s worth checking your local thrift and charity shops to see what books they have.
The price charged for them can vary, and they may not be worth buying, but they’re worth checking out to see if you can find a bargain.
7. abandoned books
If you keep your eyes peeled, you may find abandoned books in many public places, such as on park benches or in the pocket of an airplane seat.
some people don’t like to just throw them away and hope someone else finds them and makes use of them. that person could very well be you.
A potentially higher value source of books is the college dumpster at the end of term.
Academic books are in high demand, but some students don’t have the time or can’t be bothered to find buyers for them.
Others will sell them to the campus bookstore for recycling to new students, but the amount the bookstore pays is usually much less than the value of the book, making the exercise hardly worth it.
8. editors
Surprisingly, you may find that you can get free books from publishers.
Editors are always looking for reviewers, and while they may prefer professional reviewers, they also send some copies of reviews to members of the public who request them.
For example, Bethany House has a program called the Bethany House Blogger Review Program where they give free books to bloggers in exchange for reviews.
You can find out their policy by consulting each publisher’s website.
Please note that sometimes books are marked as review copies only and are technically unsaleable. but you may get lucky and get a market-ready copy.
Of course, you must fulfill your end of the bargain and read and review the book before offering it for sale.
9. books of the month clubs
Book of the month clubs often attract new readers by offering a dozen free books when they sign up.
You should check the fine print as there is sometimes a compromise, such as buying one or two more books during the first year of membership, but even then you’ll find this to be a cheap source of books.
10. craig’s list
craigslist is one of the best sources for all kinds of free or cheap stuff, including free books.
Just keep an eye on the “free” section of your local craigslist for people posting ads wanting to get rid of old books.
final thoughts
As you can see, there are so many places where you can sell your used books.
These buyback websites also make it easy to sell used books!
Just plug in a few numbers, get a quote, ship your stuff for free, and get paid.
Try one of our best places to sell used books for cash online and start making money off your unwanted books!
And if you have any experience selling used books, or know of a great website to sell them that we haven’t listed, please share it with us in the comments section below.
See Also: Detective Books | New & Used Books from ThriftBooks