The value of a used smartphone is always going to drop, and typically, the value will decrease slightly from month to month. It is good to realize and understand this ahead of time, but in most cases, you’ll view the inevitable price drop differently depending on whether you are buying or selling.
Keep reading to learn more about the iPhone Xr price drop history, and discover the best times to buy or sell. You can also check out our iPhone Buyer’s Guide if you aren’t sure which model you want to get as your upgrade.
Will the iPhone Xr price drop in 2022?
Apple released the iPhone Xr in October 2018, and it is part of the 12th generation iPhone lineup. The 12th generation iPhone lineup also included the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XS and the XS Max were the more expensive options when these phones were originally released, which helped to make the iPhone Xr a bit more popular due to the lower price point.
The iPhone Xr launched with an MSRP of $749, and later dropped its price to $499 retail. Of course, if you’re planning to buy an iPhone Xr — you can easily find a gently used phone for even less. Due in part to the initial lower price — it is relatively easy to find cheap iPhone Xr deals on Swappa.
| July 2021 | August 2021 | September 2021 | October 2021 | November 2021 | December 2021 | |
| iPhone Xr (64GB) | $323 | $322 | $313 | $306 | $305 | $308 |
| iPhone Xr (128GB) | $363 | $353 | $346 | $326 | $330 | $324 |
| iPhone Xr (256GB) | $391 | $379 | $385 | $357 | $356 | $371 |
The value of a smartphone is always going to decrease over time. But in a bit of good news, when comparing the iPhone to other smartphones, the iPhone tends to hold its value better than the competition.
There are several factors that affect the price of a used smartphone. For example, a smartphone that is in good condition and has more internal storage capacity will be worth more than a phone that is banged up or has less storage capacity. Market demand also plays an important factor.
When reviewing pricing data, you will notice the value may (at times) increase when looking from month to month. Using the 64GB iPhone Xr as an example, the average sale price stayed the same from July through September of last year, but decreased after the iPhone 13 was released in October.
Review the current iPhone Xr price trends on Swappa.
When is the best time to buy an iPhone Xr?
If you need (or want) to replace your current phone, any time is a good time to buy an iPhone Xr — provided you are planning to buy a gently used model. That said, market demand plays a key factor in pricing. Smartphone users, especially those who upgrade every year, will often sell their current iPhone to fund their new iPhone. The greater availability means sellers often compete on price, and in at least some cases, sellers are more willing to negotiate.
You can subscribe to get an email alert every time a new iPhone Xr listing is added by clicking on the “Subscribe” button on the iPhone Xr listing page.
When is the best time to sell an iPhone Xr?
The best time to sell an iPhone Xr is now! As we highlighted earlier in this article, the average sale price for used smartphones drops slightly from month to month. Not to mention, if you let the phone sit and wait 3-6 months, the value can drop a noticeable amount. Using the 128GB iPhone Xr as an example, the average sale price for gently used models on Swappa went from $393 in November 2020 to $375 in January 2021 to $353 in April 2021 and are now $324 in January 2022. If you have an unused iPhone Xr sitting around — tap the green button below to get started selling.
When you are getting ready to buy or sell a smartphone you want to find a marketplace that meets a few requirements. You want an active marketplace, and you want a marketplace with a good community. This next piece almost goes without saying, but you also want the marketplace to be safe, secure, and easy to use.
The Swappa marketplace meets these needs. Some additional benefits that you’ll get buying or selling on Swappa include:
- A moderation team that reviews listings to make sure all devices meet Swappa’s listing requirements.
- A support team that is available 24/7/365, and aims to respond in minutes, as opposed to hours or days.
Swappa also has a “No Junk, No Jerks” policy that, as the name suggests, keeps the broken devices and the jerks out of the marketplace. Just in case you need a bit more convincing, we also encourage you to read some of the Trustpilot reviews that have been left by other Swappa users.
Snag the best deals on used iPhones wherever you go. Download the Swappa App today!
