![7 places to sell your iPhone for the most money [Updated May 2020]](https://swappa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Where-to-sell-iPhone-v2.jpg "7 places to sell your iPhone for the most money [Updated May 2020]")
[Update May 9, 2020: We added three new iPhones and updated the pricing information to show you how much more you can get when selling your used iPhone for cash on Swappa.]
With the inevitable wave of new technology each passing year, many of us upgrade our smartphones and tablets in order to stay current. And in typical Apple cadence, all signs point to a new set of iPhones arriving later this year. The September 2020 iPhone 12 launch is rumored to bring all sorts of new features such as 5G connectivity, a faster processor, updated cameras, and more. Sounds great, right? Well, the only problem is price. Luckily for us, selling your old iPhone is a great way to make a little extra cash, while giving your device a fresh start in a new home.
Whether you want to sell your current iPhone and upgrade to a newer model or you have an older iPhone that’s just gathering dust, the choices on where to sell your iPhone can be overwhelming. To make things easier, we put together a list of the most popular places to sell your iPhone and how much you can expect to make at each one.
Read on to compare 7 of the most popular places to sell your iPhone and find out which one’s best for you.
Table of Contents:
How much is my iPhone worth?
Before you decide to sell your iPhone, it’s important to know where it will fetch the most money. Selling your iPhone directly to another human being is different from selling it to a buyback company, which itself is different from trading it in for an Amazon or Apple Gift Card. These are all fundamentally different business models, and your choice in where to sell will greatly influence how much cash you get for your used iPhone.
Selling it directly to another human being will always get you the most money, and you’ll be paid in cash rather than store gift cards. The problem with this is that there are many potential scams and risks — unless you go through a trusted marketplace with an expert moderation team and hand-screened listings like Swappa. On the flip side, buyback and trade-in programs are generally safe and convenient; but as you’ll see below, these middlemen generally only pay you half as much as you’d get by selling directly.
To help you choose the best place to sell your used iPhone, we’ve researched current prices and offers from seven of the most popular places to sell used tech:
As you can see above, Swappa is far and away the best option when trying to get the most money for your old iPhone. Not only is it free from junk and scams, but you can make more than twice as much cash than you would selling elsewhere.
It doesn’t matter which model, color, or storage size you have; selling on Swappa lets you maximize your moola. This is because the Swappa Marketplace allows you sell to buyers directly. Since there are no pesky middlemen getting in the way, you always get top dollar for your used iPhone. That means more potential buyers and more money in your wallet.
Where can I sell my iPhone?
Swappa
We’ve already established that Swappa gets you the most cash for your used iPhone. But there’s much more to it than that! Swappa is a safe and easy-to-use marketplace for buying and selling all sorts of used tech. Whether you want to buy a used iPhone, sell a preowned Android phone, or you’re in the market for a new MacBook, chances are that you can find what you’re looking for on Swappa.
Benefits of using Swappa
Unlike the other guys, Swappa sets itself apart by making sure that the buying and selling process is as smooth as silk. Each listing is screened by our expert moderation team before it goes live to make sure that buyers get a fully functional, gently used iPhone that’s ready for activation on whatever network they choose. And now with Swappa Local, you can sell your iPhone near you. With Swappa, you can buy and sell wherever’s most convenient for you — either online or in person.
Confident buyers mean more sales. And without a greedy middle-man taking a cut, this amounts to cheaper phones for buyers and more money for sellers. Win-win! So it should come as no surprise that Swappa sellers earn more than twice the money they would make selling elsewhere. And don’t forget: Sellers don’t pay any fees, and get paid as soon as their item is purchased.
Drawbacks of using Swappa
Given how Swappa is a people powered, user-to-user marketplace with excellent moderation to keep you safe, we’re really grasping at straws to come up with any drawbacks. However, if you’re looking to sell an iPhone with a cracked screen or one that doesn’t power on, Swappa is not the place. Swappa’s expert moderation team ensures that only fully-functional devices without any cracks or major damage make it to the site.
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Selling on Swappa helps you get up to two times as much cash for your used iPhone. Swappa is without a doubt the best place to sell your used iPhone if it’s fully functional and you are looking for a hassle-free way to make the most money for your used iPhone. Jump to how much is my iPhone worth.
SELL YOUR USED IPHONE ON SWAPPA
Apple iPhone Trade-In Program
Apple’s Trade-In Program is another way to sell your phone — either online or in person. After answering a few quick questions about the condition of your phone, Apple will give you a quote for what they’ll pay you for. We’ve already taken an in-depth look at the Apple Trade-In Program and how it works, so be sure to check it out if you want to learn more.
Benefits of Apple’s Trade-In Program
Like much of the Apple user experience, getting rid of your old phone using the Apple Trade-In Program is easy. You simply bring in your device for evaluation and you are given a quote. If you’re happy with what Apple offers, they give you an Apple gift card and you go on your merry way.
Drawbacks of Apple’s Trade-in Program
Unfortunately, the only way to get paid when using the Apple Trade-In Program is by getting an Apple gift card. In other words, you can’t get cash for your used phone, and you’re stuck with a gift card that’s only good in Apple stores. In addition, the gift card’s good for only half of what you’d make by selling on Swappa.
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The Apple Trade-In program is a convenient way to sell your iPhone if you frequently visit Apple stores and you don’t mind getting paid in the form of an Apple gift card. Just keep in mind that you can make nearly twice as much by selling your used iPhone for cash on Swappa.
Best Buy iPhone Trade-In Program
The Best Buy Trade-In Program works very similarly to the Apple Trade-In Program. Both stores will take your used iPhone and pay you in the form of a gift card to their respective store. Answer a few questions about the condition of your phone, and Best Buy will make you an offer based on your iPhone’s trade-in value. Phones with broken screens and major damage are not accepted at Best Buy’s trade-in program, however they will recycle broken phones for you.
Benefits of Best Buy’s Phone Trade-In Program
Just like Apple’s program, the Best Buy Trade-In Program is available both online and in retail stores. Best Buy makes it easy and safe to get paid for your old phone.
Drawbacks of Best Buy’s Trade-In Program
The biggest drawback of Best Buy’s Trade-In Program is that you don’t get cash for your used iPhone. Instead, you’re given a Best Buy gift card that you can only use in their retail stores or website. In addition, Best Buy typically offers only about half of what you can make by selling on Swappa.
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Best Buy is a safe and easy option if you’re looking to get rid of your old iPhone. But since you are only paid in the form of a gift card, the Best Buy trade-in program only makes sense if you’re planning on upgrading your old iPhone to a new iPhone at a Best Buy store. And don’t forget that you’d make nearly twice as much selling your used iPhone for cash on Swappa.
Gazelle
Gazelle is an online store that buys and resells used iPhones and Android phones. After answering a few questions about the condition of your iPhone, Gazelle gives you a quote. After accepting their offer, you ship your phone to Gazelle, where they inspect it against the information you provided. If everything looks good, you get paid. If it doesn’t match your description, you get a new offer, or they can return your device.
Benefits of Selling Your iPhone on Gazelle
Just like the Apple Trade-In program, Gazelle makes it easy and safe to sell your used phone. Thanks to the online questionnaire, you have a good idea of what you’ll make selling your iPhone. In addition, Gazelle accepts phones that are cracked or aren’t fully functional. So if you have a device that won’t power on, Gazelle may be a good option for you.
Drawbacks of Using Gazelle To Sell Your iPhone
Unfortunately, like all used phone resellers, Gazelle is a middleman that takes a large chunk of the profits. Gazelle makes its money by reselling the phones that you sell them, which means that it is in their best interest to give you the least amount of money for your used iPhone. As a result, used iPhones sold to Gazelle fetch on average less than half of what you would get by selling on Swappa.
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Gazelle is a safe and easy way to sell your iPhone if it is broken and if you’re okay getting less than half of what you would on Swappa. Alternatively, you can get your iPhone fixed through the Swappa Repair Network and then make more money by selling it on Swappa.
UpTrade
Uptrade is another online storefront that buys and resells used iPhones and Android phones. Just like Gazelle, you answer a few questions about your phone and you get a quote. Afterward, you ship your phone to UpTrade. And once everything is processed, you eventually get paid.
Benefits of UpTrade
UpTrade is a simple and easy way of selling your used iPhone and for cash. Because of the online questionnaire that you fill out before getting a quote, you have a good idea of about how much money you should expect when selling your phone. In addition, UpTrade states that if your phone ends up selling for above market value, they may issue a second payment in addition to the quoted amount.
Drawbacks of UpTrade
Unfortunately, like all online stores that profit from buying and selling your used electronics, UpTrade is a middleman. Since they make money on every phone that they resell, it is in their best interest to buy your used iPhone for as little money as possible. And while it sounds great that UpTrade issues an additional payment for devices that sell above market value, there is no oversight as to what exactly “market value” means or whether you’ll actually get an additional payment.
In addition, it takes over two weeks to get paid on UpTrade. Normally, you are paid 14 days after the device inspection is complete. However, you can opt to get paid 2 days after inspection — if you pay an ‘Immediate Payment Fee.’
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UpTrade takes a slightly different approach to buying and reselling used phones. However, it is ultimately another middleman that means less money for you and higher prices for potential buyers. That said, UpTrade could still be a good option if you want to get rid of a device that won’t power on or has other major damage. But if you have a device that meets our listing criteria, you could make over 60% more by selling on Swappa.
Glyde
Glyde is yet another online store that buys and resells your used phones. Similar to Gazelle and UpTrade, you first fill out a simple questionnaire that asks about the general condition of your device in order to get a quote. From there, you ship your device to Glyde — and if everything checks out, you will be paid within 14 days.
Benefits of Selling Your iPhone on Glyde
Glyde makes it simple to get rid of your old device. After filling out the questionnaire, you’re given a quote so you know how much money to expect. In addition, Glyde accepts phones in all conditions, so you can sell your iPhone even if it has a broken screen and can’t power on.
Drawbacks of Using Glyde
Just like the other online stores that buy and resell your used iPhones, Glyde is a middleman. This means that they take a large cut of what you’d otherwise make if you sold direct to the buyers. As such, it’s only a viable option if you have a broken device that you need to get rid of.
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Since Glyde accepts phones in any functional condition, Glyde is a safe and easy option for selling your used iPhone if it has a cracked screen or doesn’t power on. But if you have a fully functional device that meets our listing criteria, you could get over 80% more by selling your used iPhone for cash on Swappa.
Decluttr
Just like most of the other sites on this list, Decluttr is a business that buys and resells your used phones. In order to do so, you go to the ‘Sell My iPhone’ tab, and get a quote for your phone in a couple of minutes by entering information about the phone and its condition. After you ship the phone to Decluttr, they assess it and if it meets the same condition you described it in, you get paid.
Benefits of Selling Your iPhone on Decluttr
Decluttr is another safe and easy option for those looking to get rid of their old iPhones. Just like the other phone resellers on the list, Decluttr you get a quote after filling out a questionnaire about your iPhone. This lets you get a good idea of what you’re going to get if you sell on Decluttr.
Drawbacks of Using Decluttr
You guessed it — we’re dealing with another middleman. Once again, this means that Decluttr is taking a large cut of what you’d otherwise make if you sold direct to a buyer. Because of this, Decluttr is only a viable option if you have a broken device that you’re trying to get rid of.
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Decluttr is a good place to sell your iPhone if it’s not working and you are okay waiting a few days to get paid. But if you’ve got a device that powers on and meets our listing requirements, you could make 50% more by selling your used iPhone for cash on Swappa.
When should I sell my iPhone?
No matter which iPhone you have, the best time to sell your old iPhone is NOW. Although Apple iPhones tend to hold their value better than most other smartphones, their value still depreciates over time. This means that you’ll get the best price on your used iPhone if you sell sooner rather than later.
It’s also better to sell your device before a new iPhone is released. Remember the upcoming iPhones that are slated for release later this year? If you wait until after they are released, your iPhone will almost certainly sell for less. This is because Apple typically discounts the price of older models by around $100, almost instantly dropping the value of used models in the process.
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After taking a look at all the popular options, it’s clear that Swappa is the best place to sell your used iPhone for cash. If you want to sell a fully functional device without any major damage (small scratches and wear marks are fine), selling on Swappa will get you the most money. So what are you waiting for? Click on the button below to start selling on Swappa and make the most money for your used iPhone.
SELL YOUR USED IPHONE ON SWAPPA
Storage size
- iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, and iPhone 6S Plus based on 16 GB
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus based on 32 GB
- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max based on 64 GB
Swappa prices based on unlocked phones in ‘Good Condition’ that were recently sold as of May 9, 2020
Decluttr prices based on unlocked phones in ‘Good Condition’ on May 9, 2020
Apple values based on results from May 9, 2020:
- Question: Is your iPhone in ‘Good Condition’? Answer: Yes
Best Buy values based on results from May 9, 2020:
- Question: Does your device have any screen damage, cracks or LCD bruising? Answer: No
- Question: What is the condition of the item? Answer: Good
- Question: Are the lock/master reset code cleared? For the Apple iPhone, the Find My iPhone Activation lock has been disabled by clicking on the Erase All Content and settings and entering the Apple ID. Answer: Yes
- iPhone X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7 device values on Verizon. Others are based on unlocked values.
Gazelle prices based on unlocked phones that power on, the screen fully lights up, there are barely visible scratches, with no cracks — found on May 9, 2020
