
Sell Old Mobiles
Earn £100s for unused handsets
Do you have hidden treasure in the form of an old mobile? This is a step-by-step guide to phone recycling, to help you get the most for your unneeded handset.
How old-mobile-buying firms work
These are specialist, super-speedy, mainly web-based companies which will take an old phone and give you cash in exchange. You go to the website, enter in your mobile model and you'll be given a quote. We found one that pays £190 via Compare and Recycle for a 64GB iPhone 8.
Find the top payer for your phone
There are dozens of mobile phone recycling companies out there, and depending on what handset you have and its exact specs, prices can vary widely.
To check lots of firms at speed and ensure you find the top payer, it's best to use a comparison site. No single comparison site covers ALL the mobile phone recyclers, and the price you're offered can vary depending on the site you're checking on, so ideally search all three big ones.
Below is our suggested order, though as prices are much of a muchness and change day-to-day, as do the number of suppliers on each site, we've simply based it on the number of features each offer, such as the price guarantee. Once you've found a good price, check it against CeX and websites the below sometimes miss, such as Mazuma Mobile, before committing.
Refunds the difference if better price found
Number of sites searched: 15+
Site ratings included? Yes
Price match guarantee? Yes (see full details)
Number of sites searched: 36+
Site ratings included? Yes
Price match guarantee? No
Can you lock in quotes? Yes
Lets you lock in a quote for up to 14 days
Number of sites searched: 15+
Site ratings included? Yes
Price match guarantee? No
Then check CeX, too
Once you've found the best bid from a comparison site, it's also worth checking CeX too, as it can sometimes beat the prices offered by the sites above.
It won't send you a free padded envelope like most of the other recyclers, but it does provide a Freepost label you can print off and attach to your package (make sure you get proof of postage at the Post Office). Alternatively, you can drop your parcel off at a Collect+ point – if so, make sure you get a receipt, as this will act as proof of postage and allow you to track your package.
If you live near one of CeX's 370+ UK stores, you may find it more convenient to drop off your handset in person and get your cash in hand.
Damaged phone? You may still be able to cash it in
Most providers will look at non-working phones, offering a reduced price for these – expect to get around 10-50% of the working price. Others will at the very least recycle them for you.
Typical examples of mild 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.
To see what price you can get for a damaged phone, select the 'damaged' or 'faulty' box when searching for the best quote.
Other options to cash in your phone
Specialist phone-buying websites aren't the only way to make cash from your old mobile. While they may be the quickest and easiest route, there are other options – some of which may get you more cash:
So where do recycled mobiles go?
Getting rid of your old phone isn't just about decluttering – there are potentially noxious substances in decaying phones. It's reckoned cadmium batteries can infect the water system, while lead, brominated flame retardants and beryllium can all harm the environment if disposed of incorrectly. So even if you can't sell it, don't throw your old phone out with your household rubbish.
What happens to the phones?
Once they're tested, if the phones are decent, they're shipped abroad and flogged. For example, Envirofone sells phones in the Middle East, Far East, Africa and South America.
If it's a particularly high value phone, there's a chance these companies will sell it on eBay* to get the most money. Therefore if you find your phone is high value, as noted above, you may want to consider doing that yourself and cutting out the middleman (see the eBay Selling Tricks guide).
If your phone is of a lower value, then it'll be broken down and sold off as component parts. And if it's not worth anything, these companies will dispose of it in an environmentally-friendly way.

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