When a new phone arrives, the old one often ends up in a drawer. It sits there for months, or sometimes years, quietly losing value while you get used to not having it. The truth is that used phones retain meaningful value for longer than most people realise — particularly iPhones and Samsung Galaxy flagships — and getting a reasonable price for your old device is very achievable if you know what you are doing.
This guide covers everything from working out what your phone is worth, through preparing it to sell, to choosing where to sell it and staying safe in the process.
Step 1: Work Out What Your Phone Is Actually Worth
Before you do anything else, spend ten minutes checking prices across several platforms. Do not rely on a single site — prices vary more than you might expect. The main places to check are:
Music Magpie and Envirofone: These are cash-buy services. You enter your phone model and condition, they give you an instant quote, and if you accept, you send the phone in and get paid. The prices are typically lower than selling privately, but the process is very easy and completely safe.
CEX: CeX will give you cash (or higher-value store credit) for phones. You can check their current buy prices on their website before walking in. Prices fluctuate based on their current stock.
eBay completed listings: Search for your phone model on eBay and filter by “sold listings” — this shows what phones have actually sold for recently, not just what sellers are asking. This is the most accurate picture of real market value. eBay prices for private sales are typically higher than trade-in sites, but there is more effort and some risk involved.
Facebook Marketplace: Check what similar phones are listed for locally. You can also see how long listings have been up — if every listing has been sitting for weeks, that tells you the price expectations may be too high for the local market.
Comparing across these will give you a realistic range: what you can get quickly and easily at the low end, and what you might achieve with more effort at the high end.
Step 2: Be Honest About Your Phone’s Condition
Condition is the single biggest factor — after model and storage capacity — in determining your phone’s resale value. Trade-in and cash-buy sites have specific condition categories: mint or like new, good, fair, and poor or broken. Each category commands a significantly different price.
Be realistic. Small scratches on the back that you can only see in direct light are one thing. A clearly scuffed frame, screen scratches visible in normal use, or any chips in the glass are another. Being honest about condition when getting a quote protects you from having the offer revised downward when the company receives and inspects the phone — which is genuinely frustrating and time-consuming.
Here is a question worth asking yourself if your phone has a cracked or damaged screen: is it worth repairing before selling? The answer depends on the repair cost relative to the value difference between conditions. A screen repair on a two-year-old iPhone might cost £80 to £100. If that repair moves the phone from “poor” to “good” condition on a trade-in site and adds £120 or more to the offer, the maths works in your favour. If the difference is only £50, it does not. Come into GenioTech for a free assessment — we will give you an honest view on whether a repair makes financial sense before you commit.
Step 3: Wipe the Phone Properly — This Is Critical
This step is the most important thing people skip, and skipping it can cause real problems. Before your phone leaves your hands, you need to remove your personal data and — crucially — deregister the phone from your Apple ID or Google account.
For iPhones: Go to Settings, then your name at the top (your Apple ID), then scroll down and select the device, then choose “Remove from Account.” Alternatively, go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings — this will prompt you to turn off Find My and sign out of your Apple ID automatically during the reset process.
This matters enormously because of Activation Lock. If you do not sign out of your Apple ID before wiping an iPhone, the phone remains locked to your account. Even after a full factory reset, the new owner will be prompted to enter your Apple ID password before the phone can be used. A locked iPhone is essentially unsellable to a private buyer and will be rejected or quoted at almost nothing by trade-in services. It is the single most common reason people lose significant money when selling iPhones.
For Android phones: Go to Settings, General Management (or similar, varies by manufacturer), Reset, Factory Data Reset. Before doing this, remove your Google account from the device: Settings, Accounts, Google, then remove the account. This prevents Factory Reset Protection (Android’s equivalent of Activation Lock) from requiring your Google credentials after reset.
After wiping, confirm the phone is set up as if it were brand new and asking you to choose a language — that tells you the process worked correctly.
Step 4: Choose Where to Sell
Now you know what your phone is worth and it is properly prepared. Here are the main options:
Trade-in with your carrier or Apple: The most convenient option but consistently the worst prices. You will typically receive less than you would anywhere else, sometimes significantly less. The only advantage is zero hassle.
Cash buy sites (Music Magpie, Envirofone, Decluttr): Quick, safe, and straightforward. Get a quote, send the phone, get paid. Prices are below private sale value but the process is simple and there is no risk of scams or complicated negotiations. Good for phones that are a few years old or in lower condition.
CEX: Walk in with your phone, get an instant cash offer or higher-value store credit. Transparent pricing available online before you visit. Fast, reliable, and you can walk out with money immediately.
eBay: Typically the highest prices for popular models in good condition. eBay’s buyer protection is strong, which means buyers are confident purchasing through the platform. The downsides are the fees (eBay takes a percentage of the sale), the effort of creating a listing, and managing communication with buyers. You also need to post the phone securely.
Facebook Marketplace: Can achieve good prices, particularly for local cash sales. The advantage is no fees and the possibility of meeting locally to avoid postage. The risks are higher than other platforms, and you need to be careful.
Staying Safe When Selling Privately
Private sales — whether on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or face to face — carry more risk than selling to a business. Here are the main things to watch for:
Fake payment confirmations: A scammer may send a fake email that looks like a PayPal or bank transfer confirmation. Always log into your actual account and verify money has arrived before handing over the phone. Never rely on a screenshot of a payment.
Overpayment scams: Someone sends you more than the agreed price and asks you to refund the difference — typically by bank transfer. The original payment then reverses (it was fraudulent), and you have lost both the phone and the money you sent back. Walk away from any buyer who wants to pay more than the agreed price.
Payment method: For private sales, cash (in person) or PayPal Goods and Services are the safest options. PayPal Friends and Family offers no buyer protection and no seller recourse if there is a dispute — avoid it. Bank transfers are irreversible and offer no protection if the buyer claims the item was not received.
Meeting in person: Choose a public place — a café, a shopping centre, anywhere busy and with people around. Many police stations in Scotland now offer a safe transaction zone specifically for this purpose. Never invite someone to your home.
What to Include in the Sale
Including the original box and accessories adds perceived value and in some cases real value, particularly for higher-end models. Apple packaging in particular is something buyers expect for premium phones. All cables and any in-box accessories should be included if you have them. If you have a screen protector and case, you can include these as a bundle or sell them separately.
A Final Note on Timing
Phone values drop sharply in the weeks around major new model announcements. If you are planning to sell an iPhone, doing so a month or two before Apple’s September event will typically get you a better price than waiting until after the new models are announced. The same principle applies to Samsung and other manufacturers — sell before the hype around the next model builds.
If your phone has a damaged screen and you are weighing up repair versus selling as-is, pop into GenioTech at 29 Hilltown — we will give you an honest assessment of whether the repair makes financial sense. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and there is never a charge for advice. You can also contact us or check our services page if you want to know about repair costs before you visit.