7 Ways to Sell or Trade In Your Old iPhone

Angelo Ilumba Senior Writer

Updated 05 December 2023

Contents

In this guide:

1. Selling your iPhone to a buyback website
2. Apple's trade-in program
3. Trade in with phone carriers
4. Sell your iPhone to a brick-and-mortar store
5. Sell your iPhone on eBay or other online marketplaces
6. Sell your iPhone to a friend or family member
7. Trade in your iPhone for store credit at big retailers

Want to sell or trade in your iPhone but are overwhelmed by how to do it? Worry not, in this article we’ll walk you through several straightforward ways to unload your old device without losing out on your entire investment.

By selling or trading in your iPhone, you can cash in your hands, or credit towards your new phone. Keep reading to learn how to sell or trade in your iPhone and get the most back

1. Selling your iPhone to a buyback website

One of the best ways to get the most back for your old iPhone is by selling it to a buyback website. Buyback websites like Trademore, Gazelle and decluttr offer competitive prices for iPhones in good condition.

Our favorite buyback site is Trademore due to its simplicity. All you need to do is select your specific device, answer some basic questions about its condition, and then ship your phone off using the prepaid shipping label they provide. Once they receive and inspect your device, you’ll get paid via a Virtual MasterCard Debit Card or PayPal.

Preparing your iPhone to sell or trade in

Before you sell or trade your old phone, you’ll need to get it ready. This will involve backing it up, turning off Find My iPhone, and resetting the device back to factory settings. For detailed instructions, check out our full guide on how to prepare your iPhone before you sell or trade it in.

2. Apple's trade-in program

Another option for selling your iPhone is to take advantage of Apple’s trade-in program. Through this program, you can trade in your old device and get credit toward a new one or credit via an Apple gift card. Apple will ask you a few questions to help identify what model you have (be prepared to provide your iPhone's serial number) and get an idea about the condition of the phone. Apple will then give you an estimate of how much credit you will receive for your phone. After you ship the phone in, Apple will verify the condition and send you the credit.

3. Trade in with phone carriers

If you’re interested in upgrading to a new phone, most major cell phone carriers offer trade-in programs as well. Depending on the carrier, this could be done online or in physical stores. To determine how much they’ll give you for your device, they may ask for your phone's make and model and serial number. Keep in mind that different carriers have different trade-in policies and values may vary, so be sure to compare offers before you decide where to go.

Trade-in deals

Separate from their trade-in programs, the major carriers often (almost always) have huge trade-in deals attached to many of the most popular phones available. These deals tend to give you much more credit for your old phone than you can get anywhere else. With the right iPhone deal, there's a good chance your old iPhone 11 can get you a brand-new iPhone 14 for free.

If you're ready to trade in your iPhone for a new one, check out our guide to the best iPhone trade-in deals, or take a look at some of these deals:

Unlimited Welcome

Unlimited 5G speeds
Verizon 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices
No mobile hotspot data
Installments (36 mos)
Deal: Get $100 Verizon Gift card when you purchased this phone + $10 off this plan

$72.49/mo

+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.

+ $40 Upfront

View Plan

$72.49/mo

(plan + phone)

+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.

+ $40 Upfront

View Plan

4. Sell your iPhone to a brick-and-mortar store

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of sending your old phone off, you can sell it locally. There are several independent shops that offer cash for used iPhones. Check online or call ahead to see if they accept trades and what their policy is regarding payment.

5. Sell your iPhone on eBay or other online marketplaces

If you want to get the most back for your iPhone, selling it directly on eBay or another online marketplace is a great option. You can set whatever price you want and work out the payment details yourself. Just be sure to include lots of photos in your listing so potential buyers have an idea of what they’re getting.

6. Sell your iPhone to a friend or family member

If you have a friend or family member who’s interested in getting an iPhone, why not let them buy yours? This way, you don’t have to worry about shipping your device or dealing with buyers on eBay and Craigslist. Just be sure to agree on a fair price before you make the sale.

7. Trade in your iPhone for store credit at big retailers

Big box stores like Best Buy also have their own trade-in programs. Just like with Apple, you’ll need to have your iPhone's serial number ready and answer a few questions about its condition. The store will then give you an estimate of how much credit you can get for it. The trade-in value is generally lower than what you could get from selling directly, but it’s still a great way to maximize your return.

Angelo Ilumba

Senior Writer

Angelo is a highly experienced writer for WhistleOut, specializing in unraveling the complexities of the mobile and tech world so that readers can easily understand what is relevant to them. Angelo has been featured on several publications such as MoneyTalksNews, Yahoo Finance, NPR and more.

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