Do you have books that you no longer read or need at home? Instead of letting them gather dust and take up precious space, you can make extra cash by selling them online.
How much money you can make from selling used books will depend on the types of books you have and what condition they are in.
Most sites prefer when books are in like-new condition (no missing pages, water damage, markings, or bumped corners).
College textbooks usually make the most money, which you can sell back to your college bookstore, or on sites like BookScouter or Textbooks.com.
You can also sell other books such as fiction, literature, vintage books, children’s books, graphic novels, or books that you self-publish online.
When selling books, most websites and apps will ask you to enter the book’s ISBN number to find out how much money it’s worth.
This is the International Standard Book Number, which is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books. It’s usually located on either the back cover of a book above the barcode, or inside the book on the copyright page.
I’ve recently sold over 200 books from my personal collection to declutter and make extra money. Below are some of the best legit places to sell used books.
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Table of Contents
1. Bookscouter
Bookscouter is the largest and most popular online platform to sell used books.
Instead of having to check every website manually, simply head to their website and enter the ISBN of each book you want to sell. (It’s a long series of numbers located above the barcode, usually on the back cover).
Bookscouter compares offers from 30+ book-buying vendors so you can make the most money for your used books.
Then you’ll ship your book and get paid within one to three days of receiving and checking your shipment.
2. AbeBooks
AbeBooks is an online website where you can sell books, fine art, and collectibles.
If you have a lot of books to sell, you can pay for a professional account. This allows you to list your books for sale on AbeBooks, which connects you with buyers from all around the world.
As a seller on AbeBooks, you’ll describe the book you want to sell, store, and ship the item yourself when someone buys it. You get to set your own shipping rates.
If you only have a few books to sell, then you can get cash for your books through their “book buyback” program.
AbeBooks partners with TextbookRush (if you want to sell textbooks) and Ziffit (if you want to sell new or used books, hardcovers, paperbacks, and more).
Simply enter the ISBN to get an instant price. Then you can ship your book for free and choose how you’ll get paid.
3. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a peer-to-peer platform where you can buy and sell items, such as books.
During the pandemic, I sold most of my book collection on Facebook Marketplace. It’s a great place to sell cheaper books (priced between $1 to $50 per book).
But you’ll need to be patient. Sometimes it can take weeks (or months) before the right buyer comes along to purchase your books.
This is because many people are looking for steep discounts on books. You may have better luck selling books in Facebook buy and sell groups.
Read Next: How I made $700 in one week selling my old stuff on Facebook
4. Etsy
Etsy is an online platform where you can sell handmade items, vintage items, or craft supplies.
If you want to sell books on Etsy, it must be a book that’s made by you, or a vintage book (at least 20 years old).
Popular books to sell on Etsy include:
- Custom children’s books
- Baby photo books
- Book accessories
- Fiction books
- Blank books
- Book sets and collections
- Coloring books
- Comics and graphic novels
- Craft and hobby books
- Calendars and planners
- History books
- Cookbooks
- Zines and Magazines
While it’s free to start your own Etsy shop, the site operates on a pay-as-you-go model. This means you’ll be charged a fee ($0.20 USD) every time you list a product for sale on Etsy.
Etsy also charges a small commission and standard payment processing fee.
Read Next: 20 most profitable things to sell on Etsy
5. Amazon
Amazon is a popular website to sell new and used books online, including self-published books.
To get started, you’ll need to choose a selling plan and create a seller account on Amazon. Then you can list your books for sale, set your prices, and figure out how you’ll get the books to customers.
You have the option to store, pack, and ship the books yourself each time a customer makes a purchase. This is called Fulfilled By Merchant.
Or you can send your books to Amazon, and they will pack and ship the product to each customer for you. This is called Fulfilled By Amazon.
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6. Craigslist
Selling books on Craigslist is similar to Facebook Marketplace. It can be an easy place to get rid of old books, but you may not make a lot of money for them.
To get started, you’ll need to create a free Craigslist account and select your location. You’ll make a new listing to share photos and details about the book you want to sell.
For cheaper books ($1-$2 per book), I would sell them together as a bundle. It’s not worth your time to sell individual books, unless they are rare and can command a higher price.
7. eBay
The best way to sell books on eBay is through the eBay App. This allows you to easily scan the barcodes and take photos of the books you want to sell.
Once you create your free eBay account, you can search for the book that you want to sell on eBay. This will tell you if the book is selling well and how much it’s selling for on the platform.
If a book is selling for $1 (or less), then it may not be worth your time to sell it on eBay.
Once you’re happy with the results, then you can create a listing for the book you want to sell.
You can decide if you want to accept returns or not (I recommend not accepting returns because it’s too much of a hassle with low-cost books).
Once someone buys your book, then you can package and ship the item to them.
8. Decluttr
Decluttr is a popular website where you can sell your used books and electronics.
To get started, you just need to visit their website and enter the barcode of the book you want to sell into their valuation engine. Or you can use their free app to scan the barcode for an instant price.
Then you’ll pack and ship the book to them. Once your book has been received by the people at Decluttr, you’ll get paid via direct deposit or PayPal.
They accept textbooks, children’s books, and a huge range of genres. Books must be in excellent or new condition.
9. Book Deal
BookDeal.com is another website where you can sell textbooks. This is perfect for students who want to earn more money from their college textbooks, as opposed to selling them back to college bookstores.
To get started, enter the ISBN on their website and select the highest offer based on the condition of the book. Then ship it to the book buyer to receive money.
Books must have an ISBN number and be in excellent, like-new condition. This means no water damage or ripped pages will be accepted.
10. Sell Back Your Book
If you’re looking to declutter your home and sell your used books, sellbackyourbook.com is another good website to get cash for your old books. They will buy your novels, children’s books, textbooks, and more.
To get started, visit their website and enter the ISBN in the search box. They will give you an instant price quote for your book, depending on its condition and if they are currently accepting them.
If you’re happy with their price quote, they will send you a free shipping label so you can pack and ship your book to their warehouse.
Once your book arrives, they will inspect it to ensure quality, then send you payment for it.
11. Powell’s Books
Powell’s is a bookstore that has three store locations in Portland, Oregon. You can sell your old books in-store or online through their website.
If you use Powell’s Online Buyback Program, you’ll receive payment via PayPal. If you use their in-store used book buying counters, you’ll receive payment in the form of Powell’s credit.
To get started, scan or enter the ISBNs of the books you want to sell on their website. Then you’ll get an instant quote on the titles that you wish to sell.
If you’re happy with the quote, you can box up your books and drop them off at a UPS store near you. Once your book has been received, you’ll get paid via PayPal.
12. Textbooks.com
If you have old textbooks to sell, textbooks.com is a good option to get cash for your books.
Simply enter the ISBNs of the books you want to sell on their website to get a buyback quote. Your quote is good for 30 days.
Once you’re ready, you can print a free UPS label and ship your books to them. After your book has been received and inspected to ensure quality, you’ll get paid by PayPal or check.
13. Yard sales
If you have a bunch of books that you’re looking to quickly sell, having a yard sale or garage sale can be an easy option.
You probably won’t get a lot of money by selling books at a yard sale, but you don’t have to worry about shipping costs or waiting for someone to buy them off Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
This can be a great way to declutter your book collection in a day.
14. Used book store
Another option if you don’t want to fuss with packing and shipping your books is to take them to a local used bookstore.
Depending on where you live, there may be several used bookstores in the neighborhood. Most places will make an offer based on how much they think they can sell the books for in their store.
This might mean you’ll only make a few bucks per book, depending on how many you have in your collection.
Where To Donate Used Books
If you didn’t have any luck selling your books online, at a secondhand bookstore, or at a garage sale, then you can always donate your used books.
Libraries
Libraries are always looking for book donations. They will often add them to their collection or sell them to help raise money for the library.
Little libraries have also become popular in neighborhoods throughout the city. If your neighborhood has a little library, consider dropping off your books there.
Charities
You can donate your used books to a local charity or church. Stores like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and thrift shops are always accepting free books.
Children’s Hospitals
If you have children’s books to donate, consider giving them to a local children’s hospital. Reading can be a great activity for kids to help pass the time while being in the hospital.
Schools
Some schools would love to have your free books so they can expand their library, provided they are age appropriate. Call around to local schools to see if they are accepting book donations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions and answers when it comes to selling used books online or in person.
What is the best way to sell used books?
The best way to sell used books is online, using a site like BookScouter, AbeBooks, or Amazon. You’ll get the best price for your book if it’s in excellent condition and if it’s in high demand.
How can I find out how much my books are worth?
The best way to find out how much your book is worth is look up the ISBN number on a site like BookScouter. This will tell you how much money you can get for your used book.
Is it worth selling my old books?
If you have books that are popular, vintage, and are in excellent condition, then it can be worth it to sell your books for extra cash. However, most books are sold for much less than their original retail price.
Is book flipping profitable?
Flipping books can be profitable, but it works best if you have high volumes of books to sell online. It also involves buying books at a deep discount so you can make a profit when reselling them.
