LAST UPDATED: July 7, 2026

Written by a reseller who has listed and sold new and used appliances across eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist for more than ten years. 

Disclosure: this post is published by Spocket and includes one link to Spocket's own dropshipping tool. Every other marketplace named below is included because it is where buyers actually shop, not because of any partnership.

Whether you have an extra one lying around in your garage or you run a company with new inventory, you can easily sell your used air conditioners on a few sites that cater to millions of consumers daily. Homeowners are always looking for budget air conditioning options before the summer arrives. HVAC businesses are interested in parts, and scrap dealers will buy your old unit just for the copper.

The true issue is not whether anyone wants your AC unit. It is who can offer you the best price for your unit quickly without making the shipment a total nightmare. The following is everything you need to know from where to post your unit, how to price by BTUs and age, the importance of disclosing the refrigerant, and how to package your heavy unit for shipping. This is also the answer for how to sell an AC unit online if you have little time.

Where to Sell Used Air Conditioner Online?

Selling a used air conditioner online the quickest way is by listing it on either eBay or Facebook Marketplace for greater exposure, or on a cash buyer in your vicinity for same-day pickup.

This comes with a trade-off between time and reach. Using a national marketplace will mean higher exposure, but will also imply stiff competition, additional seller’s fees, and a bigger package that needs to be shipped. The local platform does not have any shipping cost nor any fees, but restricts you only to buyers in your vicinity. Individuals looking for platforms on which they can sell their used air conditioners usually begin with a national marketplace and then further filter out their choice depending upon shipping distance.

Compare the Top Platforms to Sell an AC Unit Online

Here are the top platforms to sell an AC unit online in 2026.

1. eBay

Reach potential customers throughout the country and provide for both fixed price and auction sales.

Pros: The largest customer base for both new and secondhand equipment, protection built in for buyer and seller, and useful for parts selling as well.

Cons: Value added fees reduce profit, high freight expenses when dealing with central pieces, and competition from full-time dealers.

2. Facebook Marketplace

Best choice if you have to get paid for your AC unit right away without any transportation whatsoever.

Pros: no listing fees, buyers are nearby which means delivery is not required and messaging is a convenient way to respond instantly to inquiries.

Cons: no transaction protection, there is always bargaining and no-shows are common.

3. Amazon

Designed for the sale of newly purchased units by the company, rather than one old AC unit.

Pros: customers already have trust in the checkout process, and the search interest in new air conditioners is significant.

Cons: there are tough approval and categorization criteria, and it is not appropriate for an old item.

4. OfferUp and Craigslist

Local classifieds for bulkier items no one is willing to ship.

Pros: quick local sale, no problem with shipping, and bulkier items in less than perfect condition that look good enough in pictures but can't withstand shipping still sell.

Cons: limited customer base compared to eBay, safety issues should be considered because of face-to-face transactions.

5. HVAC Resale Sites

The best place to sell a used AC unit if your buyer is a contractor rather than a homeowner. HVAC specific resale sites include the likes of HVAC Trader and Surplus Group.

Pros: buyers already know BTU, SEER, and refrigerant terminology, so listings close faster. 

Cons: a smaller audience overall, and some sites charge a membership or listing fee.

Quick Answer: Where to Sell Used Air Conditioners Online Today?

For most sellers, eBay and Facebook Marketplace together cover the fastest path to sell used air conditioner online, one for national reach and one for local pickup, with HVAC specific sites as a third option for contractor buyers.

Pro Tip: List the same unit on two platforms at once, one national and one local, and remove it from both the moment it sells so you are not fielding messages about a unit that is already gone.

If you are past selling a single spare unit and want to move new air conditioners at volume instead, an eBay store paired with a dropshipping supplier lets you list current models without holding inventory yourself. Spocket dropshipping connects sellers to US and EU suppliers with no minimum order quantities, 2 to 7 day shipping, and a 7 day free trial, so you can test demand for a model before committing to stock.

Is Your AC Unit Worth Selling?

Even an air conditioner that does not work any longer retains some value for spare parts and/or metal scrap, which means that in most cases, the answer is a 'yes.'

The buyer’s offer depends on 4 things: the kind of an AC (whether it is a window, portable, mini split or central unit), its cooling capacity (BTU), the age and condition of the equipment. An air conditioner that is 5 years old, has clean coils and a working compressor can be sold very quickly. A 15yo central AC that has a damaged cabinet can be sold for a bit smaller price.

Who Buys Used Air Conditioners?

• Homeowners and renters seek inexpensive cooling prior to a heat wave, typically purchasing from local markets.
• Contractors specializing in air conditioning systems who purchase operational units for parts, training purposes, or frugal customers.
• Local retailers dealing with appliance stores refurbishing the unit and then selling it for less money.
• Copper buyers or scrap buyers interested in buying the aluminum and copper from the unit regardless of whether the compressor is functional or not. As per an HVAC scrap and recycling guide in 2026 issued by National AC Scrap, while copper constitutes only 8% to 12% of the weight of the unit, it forms 50% to 70% of the total scrap value, hence it pays to disassemble the unit rather than just sell the unit for parts.

Even if the air conditioning unit does not work, there is still money to be made from it. The refrigerant must first be removed. According to the regulations set forth by the Clean Air Act, Section 608, deliberate venting of refrigerants during repair and disposal activities violates the law; thus, the refrigerant has to be recovered before recycling the metal. After accomplishing this task, almost all scrap yards buy the copper coil, aluminum fins, and copper windings of the compressor.

How Much Can You Sell a Used AC Unit For?

A  window or portable air conditioner unit usually goes for between $50 and $300, a mini split air conditioner between $300 and $1,200, and a used central air conditioning unit goes for hundreds or thousands, depending on the make and model and how old it is.

The selling price of a working used AC unit is normally at 30% to 60% of the original retail price, but that drops much faster when it starts using an older refrigerant type.

Anything that is still using R-22 refrigerant will be cheaper because the manufacture of R-22 refrigerants was phased out in the US on January 1, 2020, and production of R-22 refrigerants can now only be done using recycled or reclaimed materials.

However, units that use R-410A refrigerants also have a market value, although this refrigerant too has been phased out under the 2020 AIM Act and buyers are increasingly interested in the type of refrigerant than the brand of air conditioner.

• Window units, 5,000 to 12,000 BTU: $50 to $150 used, more for a top brand in excellent condition.
• Portable units: $100 to $300 used, since these ship easier than a window unit and hold value longer.
• Mini split systems: $300 to $1,200 for the full indoor and outdoor set, depending on capacity and age.
• Central air systems: several hundred dollars and up, priced mostly by tonnage, SEER rating, and how many years of service remain before the average 15 to 20 year lifespan that the Department of Energy cites for residential central air conditioners runs out.

Pro Tip: Search sold listings, not just active ones, before you set a price. Active listings show what sellers hope to get. Sold listings show what buyers actually paid.

How to Prepare and List Your AC Unit?

A unit that has been tested, cleaned, and photographed clearly sells faster and for more than one listed with no cleanup and a single blurry photo.

The 5-Step AC Resale Checklist: Test, Clean, Price, List, Ship

1. Test. Run the unit for at least an hour and note cooling performance, noise, and airflow. A buyer will ask if it works, and a short video showing it running answers that question before they even message you.
2. Clean. Remove dust from the filter, coils, and housing. A clean unit photographs better and signals that it was cared for.
3. Price. Check sold listings for the same brand, BTU rating, and condition, then set a number close to that range instead of guessing.
4. List. Write a title with the brand, BTU rating, and condition, add clear photos from multiple angles, and disclose refrigerant type and any repairs up front.
5. Ship or arrange pickup. Choose the method that matches the unit's size and your buyer's location, then pack it properly if it is going in a truck.

Disclosure matters when selling a used air conditioner more so than most other used products, since the refrigerant has an effect on the value and legality of the product. Indicate which refrigerant you have on your unit, whether it is R-22, R-410A or a low GWP refrigerant. If you have the manufacturing date on the plate, be sure to disclose it. If there is still some time left before the manufacturer’s warranty expires, indicate that as well.

How to Ship a Heavy Unit or Arrange Local Pickup?

Padded boxes through regular delivery services can be used for small windows and portable air conditioners, while central and mini-split units should almost always be offered either locally or by freight services.

1. Measure and weigh the unit, and then get quotes from two or three carriers, because the shipping costs vary quite a bit for anything that exceeds 50 pounds.
2. Box it up using the original packaging, if you still have it, or use a heavy duty double-walled box with foam/bubble wrap around all corners/vents.
3. Tape all seams shut with shipping tape, then write "fragile" on the box and indicate which way the box is supposed to be positioned.
4. Take a picture of the box prior to delivery to the carrier, just in case you need it to prove the condition for a claim for damages.
5. If the item is too big or heavy to ship economically, change to local pick-up and meet at a public, well-lit place, or have someone else there if the buyer comes to your place.

Pro Tip: When your central air system is included in the sales package, you should only price local pickup. Local pickup will continue to be the quickest way to sell AC unit for cash, and the freight charges may outweigh the value of the unit itself.

Conclusion on Selling a Used AC Unit Online

To sell used air conditioners online, there are many sites you can find, but which one you use all depends on the size of the air conditioner and the distance you want to ship it. eBay and Facebook Marketplace take care of most sellers; for those in the HVAC business, the best place would be an HVAC-specific site, while a broken one can fetch money if taken to a licensed recycling company after removing the refrigerant from it. If you are looking for the best US and EU dropshipping suppliers to dropship used AC units, try Spocket.

Test the unit, clean it, price it against actual sales rather than estimating prices, list the type of refrigerant used in it, and package it properly as it is worth a lot if only it reaches the right person. 

When asked about the best way of selling an AC unit online in one single sentence, here it is: match the platform according to the size of the unit and list the refrigerant before the buyer asks for it.

Sources

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, AIM Act refrigerant phase down and 2023 Technology Transitions rule
2. National Association of Home Builders, EPA refrigerant rule update, 2026
3. U.S. Department of Energy, average lifespan of residential central air conditioners
4. National AC Scrap, HVAC scrap recycling guide, 2026