4 Ways to Sell or Trade In Your Old iPhone

Whether you’re in the market for a new iPhone 16 or planning to go big with the iPhone 16 Pro, don’t just toss your aging phone in a drawer when you upgrade. Sell your iPhone! That old hunk of glass is more valuable than you might think. There are quite a few services that will give you cash or store credit for a used iPhone. We’ve compared some popular options for trading in an old device. Most of these services accept Samsung and Google devices too, and all of them take iPhones.

Updated September 2024: We’ve updated phones and pricing.

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If you want the maximum resale value for your phone, make sure you take care of it. Buy a good case (check out our guide on picking a good phone case) and consider a screen protector (AmFilm protectors work well). They’ll keep your device looking new, which is the best way to ensure you get the most money possible when you sell.

Always buy an unlocked phone. This not only gives you the freedom to switch carriers, but you’ll get more for it when you go to sell it. Though the first few generations of iPhones had hardware that tethered them to carriers, for the past decade all iPhones in the US will work on any wireless network. There’s no reason to chain yourself to one carrier. Generally, unless a carrier tells you a phone is unlocked, it probably isn’t, especially if you buy it on a payment plan.

The last thing to do before you run off to cash in your old phone is to back up all your data using iCloud. Be sure to check the option to backup your Messages so iCloud will store your text messages, which sometimes include photos and videos you haven’t saved to your Camera Roll. Remember to unpair your Apple Watch if you have one, and wipe your phone’s data as well.

Gazelle is the old hand in the world of used phones. The company has been buying phones since 2006 and has the simplest process. It also doesn't require you to create an account just to get a quote on your phone.

You fill out an online form and answer some questions about your device—whether it works, which carrier it’s tied to, and whether there’s any cosmetic damage. You’ll then get an offer based on the answers you give. If you accept the offer, Gazelle will send a box complete with a shipping label, and you’ll ship the phone in for inspection. Once the company has looked over your device and verified that it’s in the condition you said it was, you’ll be paid—usually in seven to 10 days. Payment can be in the form of a check, PayPal, or Amazon gift card.

A factory-unlocked, 128-GB iPhone 15 in pristine condition will get you $390. A 128-GB unlocked iPhone 14 will net you about $300. Gazelle sometimes runs promotional offers around new device launches, so keep an eye out to snag the best deal.

An eBay clone of sorts, Swappa seeks to eliminate some of the problems associated with eBay: high seller fees, poor seller-buyer communication tools, and too many poor-quality devices. You won’t be able to sell your iPhone here unless it’s in good shape, fully functional, and undamaged. You'll also have to create an account and link it to your Paypal account before you can even see an offer.

So long as your phone meets Swappa’s listing criteria and you’re willing to put in a little effort, this is where you’ll get the most money for your old device. As you would on eBay, you’ll need to put together a listing with photos. Be sure to take the case off your phone, and be honest about the condition. Remember to factor in shipping when setting your sale price. Note that Swappa now requires you to link a Paypal account.

Currently, Swappa says iPhone 15s are selling for around $668. An iPhone 14 is somewhere between $318 and $483, depending on the storage capacity, condition, and how quickly you want to sell it.

If your iPhone is damaged or the battery no longer holds a charge, uSell will still buy it. Of the send-it-in-style services, uSell offers the most for damaged devices. We were offered $245 for an iPhone 15 that doesn’t even power on. A factory-unlocked, 128-GB iPhone 14 that’s been damaged can get you $220, which isn't bad.

Apple’s Trade-In program doesn't always offer the best prices, but if you’re buying a new iPhone, Apple will quickly apply your credit to the new device. Otherwise, you get a gift card to apply to anything in the Apple Store. Apple pays top dollar only for absolutely pristine phones. At the time of writing, an iPhone 14 in good condition will get you up to $430, while an iPhone 13 can go for up to $370.

We don’t recommend it, but if you’re the sort of person who must upgrade to a new iPhone every year, you might save some money using Apple’s iPhone upgrade program. Like a lease, you perpetually pay for your phone every month but get a new one after 12 months, which makes it cheaper than buying a new unlocked phone every year.

• Best Buy: Best Buy offers trade-ins online or in participating stores. It won’t take damaged devices, and you won’t get cash, just store credit. But if you need something from Best Buy anyway, it’s a relatively no-hassle option, especially if you go the in-store route.
• Carrier trade-ins: Your service provider probably has a buy-back program of some sort, especially if you’re upgrading to a new iPhone. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile will buy back your device, though generally for far less than the other options in this list.
• eBay: There’s always eBay. While personal experience has soured me on eBay lately—buyer scams seem to outnumber legitimate buyers—it is still one of the most popular places to sell things online. The site even has a special form for selling your iPhone.
• Amazon and others: There are other device-centric swapping sites like GadgetGone. Walmart and Amazon also have device trade-in programs, but none of them offer as good a deal as the options above.
• Decluttr: Decluttr is a solid way to get fast cash for your phone. It never paid as much as others, but it was simple and fast. Unfortunately, the WIRED Gear Team has had some bad experiences with the service, so we hesitate to recommend it. Still, bad experiences can happen with any of these companies. If you aren’t happy with the offers you’re getting from these other services, Decluttr might be worth a try.