How Much Is My Old Phone Worth in the UK?

You've got an old phone sitting in a drawer. Maybe it's an iPhone 13 you replaced last year, or a Samsung Galaxy S22 with a cracked screen. You know it's worth something — but how much? And where should you actually sell it to get the best deal?

We looked at the main UK trade-in services to see how prices compare in 2026. No spin, no cherry-picked numbers — just an honest breakdown of what your phone is worth and where to sell it.

Whether you're upgrading, decluttering, or just want some cash back, this guide covers everything you need to know.

What Affects Your Phone's Value?

Four things determine how much your old phone is worth:

1. Condition. This is the biggest factor. A phone in pristine condition (no scratches, perfect screen, everything works) will fetch the full base price. One in good condition with minor wear gets around 85% of that. Fair condition — noticeable scratches, maybe a small dent — drops to about 65%. And poor condition (cracked screen, heavy damage, but still functional) sits at roughly 40%. That's a huge range, so be honest with yourself about your phone's state.

2. Storage size. Higher storage models are worth more. An iPhone 15 Pro Max with 1TB will always fetch more than the 128GB version, sometimes significantly so.

3. Model age. Newer models hold value better. Prices drop steadily with each new release cycle, typically losing 20-30% in the first year after a successor launches.

4. Market demand. iPhones generally hold value better than Android phones. Flagship Samsung Galaxy S-series hold up well too. Budget models lose value faster.

Here's a rough example using the iPhone 15 Pro Max (256GB) to show how condition affects price:

Actual prices vary by model and market conditions. Get an instant trade-in price on TechLoop to see your exact value.

See our full grading criteria for detailed condition descriptions.

Typical UK Phone Values by Model

The exact price depends on storage, colour, network status, battery health, and cosmetic condition, but these ranges give you a realistic starting point before you get a quote.

These are broad cash buyback ranges, not private-sale best cases. A private sale can sometimes beat a buyback quote, but only after you allow for listing fees, postage, buyer questions, payment risk, and the chance of a return.

The highest-value phones are usually recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel models. Older budget Android phones can still be worth selling, but once the value drops under £20 the effort may outweigh the return unless you are sending several devices together.

How Storage and Battery Health Change the Price

Storage matters most on newer flagship phones. A 512GB or 1TB iPhone Pro model can be worth noticeably more than the 128GB version because buyers actively search for higher-capacity devices. On older phones, the storage premium is smaller because the base value has already dropped.

Battery health matters too, especially on iPhones. A phone with battery health above 85% is easier to resell and usually keeps a stronger grade. A battery service warning, swollen battery, or very poor battery life pushes the phone down because the buyer has to price in a repair.

Unlocked phones are also easier to sell. Most UK phones are now sold unlocked, but if your device is tied to a network or has unpaid finance attached, that can delay or block a sale. If you are unsure, check the IMEI and confirm the phone is not reported lost, stolen, or blacklisted before sending it anywhere.

UK Trade-In Options Compared

There are several well-known places to sell your phone in the UK. Here's how they stack up:

A few honest notes: CeX is hard to beat if you want cash in hand immediately and you don't mind going into a shop. Their store credit rates are usually higher than their cash rates, so keep that in mind. musicMagpie and Mazuma are solid, established services with good reputations. Where TechLoop stands out is on payment speed — we pay the same working day we receive your device — and we accept broken phones that other services might reject.

Our advice? Check 2-3 sites before you commit. We're confident our prices are competitive, but we'd rather you make an informed choice than a rushed one.

Can I Sell a Broken Phone?

Yes — and this is where a lot of people leave money on the table. That phone with a cracked screen sitting in your junk drawer? It's still worth something.

At TechLoop, broken phones fall under our "poor" condition grade, which pays around 40% of the base price. That might not sound like much, but for a recent flagship like an iPhone 15 Pro or Galaxy S24 Ultra, 40% is still a meaningful amount of cash. Even older models in poor condition can be worth more than you'd expect.

What counts as "poor" condition? Cracked or shattered screens, dents and scratches, faulty buttons, battery issues — basically anything where the phone still turns on but has clear damage. If the phone is completely dead (won't power on at all), it may still have some value for parts, but you'll want to get a trade-in price to check.

Water damage is trickier. Some water-damaged phones still function and we'll buy them. Others have internal corrosion that makes them worthless. The best approach is to be upfront about it when you get your trade-in price — honesty avoids delays.

Phone Recycling vs Selling — What's the Difference?

These two things get mixed up a lot, so let's be clear about the difference.

Recycling means you hand over your phone and it gets broken down for materials. You typically get nothing — some recycling schemes offer a token donation to charity, but no cash payment to you. This is fine for phones that are truly ancient or completely non-functional, but it's a waste if your phone still has resale value.

Selling means your phone gets refurbished and resold, or its working components are recovered. You get paid for it. Even a phone worth just a few pounds is better off being sold than recycled for free.

Our rule of thumb: always try to sell your phone first. If no trade-in service will offer you anything for it, then recycle it. Most phones from the last 7-8 years still have some trade-in value, so you'd be surprised what you can get.

How to Get the Best Price for Your Old Phone

Five quick tips to maximise what you get:

1. Factory reset before sending. Wipe your phone completely. This protects your data and means we can process your device faster. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. On Android, Settings > System > Reset.

2. Remove your SIM and memory card. Easy to forget, but you don't want to post your SIM card. Take it out, along with any microSD card.

3. Include the original box and accessories. Got the original box, charger, or cable? Including them won't always increase your trade-in price, but it helps with processing and shows the phone was well looked after.

4. Compare prices across 2-3 sites. Check TechLoop, musicMagpie, and CeX at minimum. Prices can vary by 10-20% between services for the exact same phone. We're confident in our pricing, but always worth checking.

5. Don't wait — prices drop every month. Phone values decline steadily over time, and they drop sharply whenever a new model is announced. If you're going to sell, do it sooner rather than later. A month of procrastination can cost you 5-10%.

When a Private Sale Makes Sense

Private selling is worth considering when your phone is unusually desirable, boxed, unlocked, and in excellent condition. A clean iPhone Pro model with high storage can attract strong offers on eBay or Facebook Marketplace because private buyers are searching for that exact model.

The risk is that the headline price is not the same as the money you keep. You may lose money to platform fees, insured postage, packaging, returns, payment disputes, or the time spent answering messages. If the private sale only beats a buyback quote by £10-£20, the safer buyback route is often the better decision.

Private sale usually makes most sense when:

• the phone is worth more than £400
• it has no faults, no account locks, and strong battery health
• you already have clear photos and the original box
• you are comfortable handling buyer questions and possible returns

For damaged phones, lower-value Android models, or anything with a fault, buyback is normally simpler. The buyer already expects to inspect, refurbish, repair, or recycle the device, so you do not need to convince a private buyer to take the risk.

Quick Checks Before You Sell

Before you accept any quote, do these checks. They protect your data and stop preventable delays.

Check the exact model and storage. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About. On Android, check Settings > About phone. The difference between 128GB and 256GB can be meaningful on newer models.

Check account locks. iPhone sellers need to turn off Find My iPhone. Android sellers should remove Google and Samsung accounts before resetting. A reset phone can still be locked if the account was not removed first.

Check the IMEI. If a phone is reported lost, stolen, blocked, or still tied to unpaid finance, most reputable buyers will reject it. If you bought the phone second-hand, this is especially worth checking before you post it.

Take photos before posting. Keep a quick record of the screen, back, camera lenses, and packaging. It is useful evidence if a parcel is damaged in transit.

The Bottom Line

Your old phone is almost certainly worth more than you think. Even damaged, older, or budget models have trade-in value in the UK. The worst thing you can do is leave it in a drawer losing value month after month.

Get a trade-in price, compare your options, and sell it while it's still worth something. It takes about 60 seconds to find out what your phone is worth on TechLoop — no commitment, no personal details required.