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Sell your old mobile

Earn £100s for old handsets

Ruby Harbour
Ruby Harbour | Edited by Chris Knight
Updated 21 November 2024

Got an old mobile lying around? It could be a hidden treasure worth £100s. While the most MoneySaving (and greenest) option is to keep using it and pair it with a cheap Sim, if you're ready to part ways with your phone and then upgrade, follow this step-by-step guide to make the most from your unwanted handset.

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How to sell your phone

Of course, it's likely more MoneySaving to hang on to your mobile and use that, rather than fork out for a new one, but if you are looking to sell, here's what you need to know. There are several different ways to make money out of old mobiles (and many work for other devices too, such as tablets):

Flog it yourself

If you're prepared to put in a little more effort and flog your handset yourself, you can quite often get a better price on eBay* – though the nature of the auction site means it's more hassle and there are no guarantees.

You'll need to list your phone or tablet yourself, and when it's sold, safely package it up and send it. If you want to give eBay a shot, it's worth having a look at what your phone will fetch on mobile phone buying companies first as a benchmark. Then set your reserve price at a level you'd be comfortable parting ways with it. See eBay Selling Tricks for more details.

If you don't want to have to post your phone, you could try listing it locally on Facebook Marketplace – as buyers will come to you to collect the phone. See Facebook Selling Tips for more.

Trade in a phone with your new provider

If you're trying to get a new phone, you could try trading it in with the company you're buying a new one from (this only really works with high street retailers).

Both Apple and Samsung offer to buy your old smartphone in exchange for a discount on a new one, as you purchase it directly with them. When we checked, Apple was offering £150 for a working iPhone 11 64GB, while the highest offer via a phone-buyer was £146.

Trading in directly with the manufacturers eliminates the need for third-party intermediaries, which ensures peace of mind knowing that your old device will be handled responsibly. See what to do before sending off your device.

See our Cheap Mobile Tips for best ways to buy or our Cheap Mobile Finder tool to compare deals.

Use a mobile-buying firm

These are specialist, mainly web-based companies which will take an old phone and give you cash in exchange. They're fairly easy to use – you go to the website, tell it your mobile model and you'll be given a quote. We found one that pays £200 for a 128GB iPhone XR.

Using a mobile-buying firm? How to find the top payer

There are dozens of mobile phone buying companies out there, and depending on what phone you have and its exact specs, the prices you get paid can vary widely.

To check lots of firms at speed and ensure you find the top payer, you can use a comparison site. No single comparison site covers ALL mobile phone buying firms, and as the price you're offered can vary, it's best to check all the big ones.

Below is our suggested order, though as prices are much of a muchness and change daily, as do the number of firms on each site, we've simply based it on the number of features each offer, such as if you can lock in quotes. 

Top sites that compare phone recyclers

TABLE_CELL_STYLE NUMBER OF SITES SEARCHED? SITE RATINGS?
 LOCK IN QUOTES? BEST PRICE GUARANTEE? (1)
Sell My Mobile* 20+ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Compare and Recycle 30+ ✔️ ✔️ ❌
Compare My Mobile* 20+ ✔️ ✔️ ❌

(1) If you're quoted a better price elsewhere within 24 hours, Sell My Mobile will refund the difference.

Once you've found a good price, check it against a few other sites often missed by the above as they can be competitive:

Be honest about your phone's condition

Most sites that sell on refurbished phones will ask you whether your handset is working or not and provide you with a quote based on that. However, firms such as Mazuma Mobile and Envirofone will ask you to select a more specific rating, either 'Excellent' or 'Fair' or 'Faulty'. To determine the phone's condition you will have to assess certain criteria such as the number of scratches and battery health.

If you make a mistake when rating your phones condition, you may end up being offered a revised quote after sending your device off. If that happens, you can either try to appeal to the firm or ask for your device to be returned to you.

It's best practice to take pictures of your device before sending it off to a mobile buying firm to avoid any disputes about the condition of your device. 

Can I sell a broken or damaged phone?

Most providers will look at broken phones if they are only mildly damaged, offering a reduced price for these – expect to get about 10-50% of the working price. Others will at the very least recycle them for you.

Typical examples of damage include badly-dented casing or a phone that won't turn on. Phones that are water damaged, physically broken or have unresponsive or cracked screens aren't likely to net you any cash. If they are too damaged, mobile phone buying companies may not accept it.

To see what price you can get for a damaged phone, select the 'damaged' or 'faulty' box when searching for the best quote.

  • How do mobile-buying firms work?

    After you've entered your details and found a price you're happy with, you'll need to post the phone to them. Make sure to check how long your selected price is locked in for, this can vary from 72 hours to 14 days. 

    You're usually sent a padded envelope or prepaid postage label for the phone, which you can return by Freepost.

    Yet most of these free postage options DON'T include insurance, meaning you send your phone at your own risk – and some won't accept responsibility if your phone doesn't arrive. If so, it may be worth paying to send the phone by recorded 'Signed For' delivery, which insures it up to £50. This normally costs a few quid though, depending on the weight of your phone. If all goes well, you should get paid on the day of evaluation.

    Before you send off your phone, make sure it's fully charged and switched off, you've wiped all data on it, removed the Sim or memory card and any case, screen protector or accessories. Make sure to remove any security or pin codes that'll hamper its testing. To do this, just opt for 'reset factory settings' on your phone's menu. Don't forget to wipe any private data. 

    Remember to be honest about the condition of your phone as you can be offered a lower price if the condition is poorer than stated. You can always decline their counter-offer, but depending on the company you might have to pay for return postage.

You've little protection if something goes wrong

If you've sent your phone to the company and something goes wrong, or the company goes bust before it has paid you, sadly you've little protection.
 

If the company goes into administration (when an insolvency firm is called in to run the company), the administrators will keep it trading, if possible. If the company isn't able to keep trading, you'll need to apply to the administrators for a refund, which can be harder. For more info, see our Administration Help guide.

Giving your phone a new lease of life

If you don't want to sell your phone, here are other ways to give it a new lease of life: 

Use your old phone as an at-home mobile bank

Having your mobile banking apps and bank cards on your phone, known as your 'digital wallet' might be convenient, but if a thief gains access to your phone and passcode, they can easily exploit it.

If you want to make use of an old phone AND make sure your finances are as secure as possible, consider removing your digital wallet and banking apps from your current phone and installing them on your at-home phone.

This way you don't run the risk of your phone being stolen while out, and can protect your financial assets and personal data from being compromised.

Repurpose your phone as a home security or baby monitor 

If you're not quite ready to let go of your old phone and it still works, you could use it as a security camera or a baby or pet monitor.

You'll need to download a monitoring app such as AlfredCamera or Luna. These apps allow you to connect your new device with your old one as long as both devices have a Wi-Fi connection. You can also use your data, but it's better to use Wi-Fi as it gives a more stable connection.

Set up the app on your old phone as the camera and access the feed via your new phone. Most monitoring apps are equipped to detect volume changes and will send alerts to your phone when you're away.

Keep in mind that your old phone's battery health may have deteriorated over time, so it's wise to keep it plugged in while in use. Additionally, keep an eye on the device to prevent overheating, especially if it's being used for extended periods.

Donate your phone

If you just want to give your phone away, there are a number of schemes to help redistribute old tech to people who need it most. Three of the largest schemes have been set up by the big mobile networks: Virgin Media O2's Community Calling, in partnership with Hubbub, Vodafone's Great British Tech Appeal and Three's Reconnected. You don't have to be with those networks to donate.

All schemes will provide you with a free returns envelope to send your device and it'll then ensure any data is wiped clean before it's rehomed. Once rehomed, each recipient gets access to free data so they can use the device.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has also provided a list of organisations that rehome old tech to those that need it. Although the information is provided by the GLA, some of the organisations listed also operate nationally. It also provides a handy table of device types each organisation is in most need of.

How to recycle electrical items

To find the nearest place to recycle your electrical items, you can enter your postcode on the Recycle Your Electricals website. This will include local council sites and also high street stores such as John Lewis and Currys.

Don't just put your old phone in the bin

Getting rid of your old phone isn't just about decluttering – there are potentially noxious substances in decaying phones. If devices are placed in landfill, it's reckoned their batteries can infect the water system, while lead, flame retardants and beryllium can all harm the environment. So even if you can't sell it, don't throw your old phone out with your household recycling or rubbish.

What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your old phone

Before parting ways with your phone, it's essential to safeguard your photos, videos, contacts, and other important data. Here we explain the steps you should take in order to protect your data... 

  1. Back up your data

    You can back up your data to the cloud using services like iCloud (for iPhone users) or Google Drive (for Android users), but you'll usually have to pay for a monthly subscription for this.

    Alternatively, you can transfer your data to another device, such as a computer or external hard drive, using a USB cable. If you're unsure how to do this, see Microsoft and Apple for more detailed instructions.

    If you already have a new phone, you can move your data for free, without the hassle of backing it up first.

  2. Remove your Sim card

    Even if you're not using the Sim card anymore, it's important to remove it before sending off your old phone. This is because your Sim card contains important information like your phone number and contacts.

    You can usually find the Sim card slot by inserting a Sim ejector tool or a paperclip into the small hole on the side of your phone.

  3. Factory reset your phone

    Performing a factory reset erases all the data and settings on your phone, essentially restoring it to its original state when you first bought it. This step is crucial for protecting your privacy and ensuring that no personal information remains on the device.

    Before doing this, be sure to back up your device first as it's not usually reversable.

    To factory reset your phone, go to the Settings menu, look for the 'Reset' or 'Backup & reset' option, and select 'Factory data reset'. If you're unsure, see Apple and Google (Android users) for more detailed instructions on how to do this.

    Even once you've erased everything on your phone, it might still have protections in place to help prevent unauthorised access to your phone if it's lost or stolen. This is known as 'Activation Lock' (Apple) or Reactivation Lock' (Samsung). See below for instructions on how to disabled these.

  4. Remove any accessories, including phone cases

    Accessories such as phone cases and screen protectors may help protect your device, but before trading in your phone, make sure to remove these and return the phone to its original condition.

    While you may no longer have a use for them, someone else might find value in your items. You can then either sell them or give them away to your local charity shop or via platforms such as Freecycle or Gumtree.

  5. Remove any accounts, including iCloud, Samsung or Google

    To help protect your data, it's crucial to remove your old iCloud or Google accounts to prevent unauthorised access to your personal information. To remove your iCloud or Google account from your phone:

    For Apple devices (iOS):

    • Go to Settings > select your name (at the top of the Settings menu).
    • Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
    • Enter your Apple ID password when prompted and tap Turn Off.
    • Select the data you want to keep a copy of on your device or choose to delete it from the device.
    • Tap Sign Out to confirm.

    For Android devices (Google account):

    • Go to Settings > Accounts (or Users & accounts).
    • Select your Google account.
    • Tap Remove account or Remove (the wording may vary depending on your device).

    Also check if you've disabled 'Activation Lock' (Apple) or 'Reactivation Lock' (Samsung)

    To help prevent unauthorised use of your phone (or iPad) if it is lost or stolen, Apple has something called Activation Lock. If this is in place, it won't be possible for the buyer of your device to use it or resell it. Even if you no longer have the phone, you can still remove this remotely. See Apple for detailed instructions on how to remove this lock.

    If your Samsung phone has Reactivation Lock enabled, make sure to disable it before selling the device. You can do this by going to the settings menu, selecting Security, and then choosing Find My Mobile. From there, you can disable Reactivation Lock by entering your Samsung account information.

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