An apparatus for assessing a magnetic bearing of a vacuum pump, in particular a turbomolecular pump , said magnetic bearing having a plurality of magnetic elements to rotatably support a rotor at a stator, wherein the apparatus comprises: a measurement device which is configured to acquire measurement values of the magnetic field strength at a plurality of predetermined positions of a respective one of the plurality of magnetic elements , and an evaluation device which is communicatively connected to the measurement device and which is configured: to receive, for each of the magnetic elements , the measurement values of the magnetic field strength acquired by the measurement device , to determine magnetization properties for each of the magnetic elements based on the measurement values of the magnetic field strength, to receive predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , to determine at least one resulting force, which is exerted by the magnetic elements on the rotor , based on the magnetization properties of each of the magnetic elements and based on the predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , and to determine and output an assessment of the magnetic bearing based on the resulting force, characterized in that the evaluation device is further configured to determine the at least one resulting force in dependence on an axial displacement of the rotor with respect to the stator and to assess the magnetic bearing based on the dependence of the resulting force on the axial displacement of the rotor with respect to the stator. wherein the apparatus comprises: a measurement device which is configured to acquire measurement values of the magnetic field strength at a plurality of predetermined positions of a respective one of the plurality of magnetic elements , and an evaluation device which is communicatively connected to the measurement device and which is configured: to receive, for each of the magnetic elements , the measurement values of the magnetic field strength acquired by the measurement device , to determine magnetization properties for each of the magnetic elements based on the measurement values of the magnetic field strength, to receive predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , to determine at least one resulting force, which is exerted by the magnetic elements on the rotor , based on the magnetization properties of each of the magnetic elements and based on the predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , and to determine and output an assessment of the magnetic bearing based on the resulting force, to receive, for each of the magnetic elements , the measurement values of the magnetic field strength acquired by the measurement device , to determine magnetization properties for each of the magnetic elements based on the measurement values of the magnetic field strength, to receive predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , to determine at least one resulting force, which is exerted by the magnetic elements on the rotor , based on the magnetization properties of each of the magnetic elements and based on the predefined geometric data of the magnetic bearing , and to determine and output an assessment of the magnetic bearing based on the resulting force, characterized in that the evaluation device is further configured to determine the at least one resulting force in dependence on an axial displacement of the rotor with respect to the stator and to assess the magnetic bearing based on the dependence of the resulting force on the axial displacement of the rotor with respect to the stator. <EOS>