Apple Selling $20 OS X Lion and Mountain Lion in Online Store - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Selling $20 OS X Lion and Mountain Lion in Online Store

Apple is now offering redemption codes on its online store for both OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion for users of older Macs who have not previously purchased the software, reports TechCrunch.

Lion and Mountain Lion, which are no longer available for download directly from the Mac App Store, can be bought for $19.99 each. Purchasing either one of the older operating systems will result in an email with a content code that can be redeemed within the Mac App Store.

mountainlion

If you need to purchase Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, you may order it from this page.

The most current version of OS X is OS X 10.9 Mavericks. To learn more, please click here.

What do you receive: An email with a content code for the Mac App Store.
Note: Redemption codes are usually delivered within 1 business day but may occasionally take longer.

Previously, users were able to purchase a copy of Lion, but doing so required a phone call to Apple. OS X Mountain Lion was available via the Mac App Store earlier this week, but it has since been removed in favor of Mavericks, leaving the new online purchasing system as the only way to acquire an older Apple OS.

Customers who have previously purchased Lion or Mountain Lion can download the operating systems through the "Purchases" tab of the Mac App Store.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....

Top Rated Comments

Dewroo Avatar
168 months ago
And the reason they don't just leave it for the public in the Mac App Store along with Mavericks is......?

Costumer confusion. They wouldn't necessarily realize that Mavericks is the better and latest version. they'd see the price tag on mountain lion or lion and think "gee, since it costs more, it must be better!"
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
168 months ago
perfect for those still buying iPad 2s apparently :p
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
thank u Apple for providing best system for mac computers.

Tim u are great chairman. God bless.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
I get still offering Snow Leopard and Lion, but Mountain Lion and Mavericks share the same system requirements.
There's no reason I can think of to run (let alone spend time and money installing) Mountain Lion, now that Mavericks is out...not to mention FREE.

----------

Is there a Mac that shipped with 10.5 that can run OSXM?
Yes. In fact, there are a few models (Mid 2007 iMac, etc) that originally shipped with 10.4!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
Glad that Apple cares about legacy hardware. YOU ROCK!!!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
If my computer could not run Mountain Lion or later, I'd definitely take Snow Leopard over the half-baked Lion.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)