With the announcement of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus right around the corner, you’re probably thinking about selling your existing iPhone before the new models arrive. If you want the best value for your current phone, then you’ll need to act fast as resale prices will drop once the new iPhones are announced next week. Prices will plummet even further when the new phones go on sale at the end of the month.
To help you get the most money for your existing iPhone, we have compared the resale prices from the most popular auction sites, classified and trade-in sites, which allow you to lock in prices and get quick cash for your phone. Prices are based on a good condition space gray iPhone with mid-tier storage (32GB for iPhone 5s and 64GB for iPhone 6/6 Plus).
Gazelle
Gazelle wants your old iPhone and is offering the best trade-in price, better than your carrier or Apple, for your iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. This offer lasts until September 9th when the new iPhone is expected to be announced. Gazelle also gives you 30 days to send your item, allowing you to lock in a price now and use your iPhone up until the new one arrives. Pricing varies based on model and capacity with newer and higher capacity models worth more. The carrier also makes a significant difference with Verizon phones fetching the highest price. For example, an iPhone 6 Plus 64GB in good condition is worth $461 if it is on Verizon, but only $372 if it is on T-Mobile. The prices below, and in the rest of this post, are for Verizon models.
Terms: Gazelle will ship a box with a label or provide a label if you have a box. You ship the device and they will evalaute its condition before issuing a payment. You have 30 days to send in a device.
Payment: Options include a check by regular mail, an Amazon gift card, an instant PayPal payment or a charitable donation.
Prices: Gazelle offers the best prices among trade-in services, especially if you are looking to offload a Verizon iPhone model.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – $461
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon) – $401
- Apple iPhone 5s (32GB – Verizon) – $201
NextWorth
Similar to Gazelle, NextWorth will allow you to lock in a quote for your iPhone for 30 days. NextWorht’s checkout process is a bit more detailed than Gazelle’s, requiring you to answer several questions about the phone’s condition. Also similar to Gazelle, NextWorth’s prices vary according to the carrier with Verizon again coming out on top as the iPhone models with the highest buyback price.
Terms: NextWorth will provide a shipping label for you to send your iPhone to them within 30 days of requesting a quote. Following inspection, the service will send out a payment within one business day.
Payment: Options include a check by regular mail, a Discover prepaid card, a Target gift card or PayPal.
Prices: NextWorth trails Gazelle for prices, but it beats out Apple and other retailers. It gets bonus points for its quick payment once a device has been evaluated.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – $445
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon) – $385
- Apple iPhone 5s (32GB – Verizon) – $172
Amazon
Amazon runs an online trade-in service that’ll provide an Amazon gift card in exchange for your phone. Just go to the trade-in store and search for the iPhone model you want to sell back. Amazon’s navigation is a bit more confusing than other retailers since it ties into its retail store.
Terms: Amazon will provide a shipping label for you to send your iPhone within 7 days of requesting a quote. Amazon will evaluate the condition of the device and send along payment shorty after the device is evaluated. If the trade-in price is lower than the original estimate, Amazon provides you with the option to accept the lower quote automatically or opt to return the device for free.
Payment: The only payment option is an Amazon gift card,
Prices: Another middle of the road payment option, an Amazon trade-in is useful if you shop with them online.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Unlocked) – $436
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Unlocked) – $394
- Apple iPhone 5s (32GB – Unlocked) – $252
Best Buy
Unlike its competitors which are online-only, Best Buy accepts iPhone trade-ins both online and in their retail stores. You can get an estimate of your phone first online and then complete the transaction in the store for the fastest payment.
Terms: Best Buy provides the option to trade-in a phone at a Best Buy retail store or send it in for free using a label supplied by the retailer.
Payment: Option only includes a Best Buy Gift Card.
Prices: Best Buy offers a decent payout, but it can’t compete with market leader Gazelle. Best Buy’s biggest advantage is that you can go into the store and get instant credit that can be used right away to purchase a new phone.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – $400
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon) – $400
- Apple iPhone 5s (32GB – Verizon) – $200
Staples
Staples’ trade-in program is powered by Clover Wireless, which handles the device evaluation and payment process. The service requires you to either send in your device and receive a Staples eCash card via email or bring it into the store for instant store credit.
Terms: Staples will provide a shipping label for you to send the iPhone into the trade-in center, where it will be evaluated. You have 30 days to send in your device. Upon evaluation, Staples will send an eCard within 15-30 days.
Payment: The only payment option is a Staples gift card.
Prices: Staples also accepts both online and in-store trade-ins, but it pays less than Best Buy. Use it only as a last resort or if it is the closest retailer near you.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – $350
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon)- $330
- Apple iPhone 5s 32GB – Verizon) – $195
Apple
Apple introduced a Reuse and Recycling program several years ago to allow customers to recycle their old iPhones. The service will pay cash in the form of an Apple Store gift card for newer models that are in functional condition. Older or non-functional iPhones can be turned in for proper disposal and recycling, but not for cash. This service is available both online and in stores.
Terms: Apple will provide a shipping label for you to send the iPhone into the trade-in center, where it will be evaluated. You also can visit an Apple Retail store.
Payment: Option only includes an Apple Store gift card for online trade-ins or instant store credit for in-store trade-ins
Prices: Apple is lowest priced of all retailers and online services. It also doesn’t accept all the iPhone models, excluding the newer iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at this time. That exclusion may change once the new iPhone is launched.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – Not Accepted
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon)- Not Accepted
- Apple iPhone 5s 32GB – Verizon) – $165
eBay
eBay is the largest online auction site and will provide you with the highest price for your used iPhone. The selling process is simple — just list your phone, watch the bids come in and ship off the phone when you are done. Unfortunately, there is some risk as eBay has its fair share of scammers who use stolen credit cards and hijacked accounts. Protect yourself by using PayPal for payments, sending only to the confirmed address on the PayPal payment and using a shipping method that provides both a tracking number and a signature upon delivery. eBay also is pricey as you pay fees to eBay for the sale and fees to PayPal for processing the payment.
Terms: You are responsible for negotiating the sale and shipping the item according to the terms of the auction.
Payment: Payment is received before the item is shipped
Prices: eBay is a great place to sell a phone, offering higher prices and a wider pool of potential buyers. High seller fees and PayPal fees take away from the final value of the device and are a discouragement to some.
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB – Verizon) – $722
- Apple iPhone 6 (64GB – Verizon) – $540
- Apple iPhone 5s (32GB – Verizon) – $260
Classifieds
Craigslist and other classifieds, like Uncle Henry’s in Maine, are a convenient way to sell your old iPhone. Prices usually are on the higher end of the scale and you have the advantage of being paid in cash with minimal fees (most services are free). The biggest risk is your safety with some people using the classifieds to arrange a sale only to steal the item you are trying to sell. To minimize your risk, you should arrange to meet in a public place during the daytime and bring a friend if needed. You also should keep sales local and not send off your device as most of those offers are scams.
Terms: You are responsible for negotiating the sale and meeting locally to sell the item.
Payment: Payment is received before the item is delivered, usually the transaction is done in person.
Prices: Craigslist prices vary by region with metropolitan areas offering higher value and quicker sales of a phone. There are no fees and usually you are paid in case, which are two major advantages to using Craigslist.
Family or Friends
Giving your old phone to your family and friends is an easy way to sell your device with minimal risk of theft or fraud. The recipients likely will be happy to get a new used phone and you can help them with the transition process if needed.
Tip for Jailbreakers
If you’ve got a jailbroken iPhone then you could sell it for a premium to someone looking for a jailbroken device. You can use Cydia Impactor, which allows you to return the device to stock Apple iOS software without the need of restoring your device. So you can sell your iPhone on iOS 8.4 0r lower, giving the buyer the opportunity to jailbreak it.
What are you going to do?
Trade-in services are an easy way to get cash for your old iPhone without having to deal with Craigslist no-shows and eBay scammers. Their convenience comes with a cost, though, as they don’t pay as much as a private sale. Nonetheless, there are many people who prefer the easy money and locked-in prices of the trade-in services.
What are you going to do when the new iPhone comes out? Are you keeping your existing iPhone or will you upgrade? If you plan to upgrade, what will you do with your old iPhone? If you do trade-in your iPhone, don’t forget to prepare your phone properly by backing it up, erasing it, and turning off activation lock using our handy guide.
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