How Much Is My Phone Worth? A Compare and Recycle Guide

If you're wondering how much your phone is worth, the answer depends on several factors, including its brand, model, storage capacity, age and condition.

A newer flagship phone in good condition will generally be worth more than an older or damaged handset, but even phones that have been used for several years can still have a worthwhile resale value.

The easiest way to find out what your phone is worth is to check its details and compare current recycling offers. In this guide, we'll explain what affects your phone's value, how to assess its condition and what you can do to get the best possible price when you sell.

What Determines How Much Your Phone Is Worth?

There isn't one fixed price for every phone. The value of your handset can change depending on several factors, including:

Brand

Mobile phones manufactured by reputable brands can generate higher payouts as they retain their value better over the years.

Model

A premium flagship compared to an entry level mobile phone will have more high-quality build and configurations which boost the value of the phone (similarly at launch premium models are more expensive to buy).

Storage Capacity and Specifications

How much storage your phone has will also affect its price. For example, if you have a 512GB Galaxy S24, it will fetch you more money than the 128GB variant. Other specifications can also influence demand, including the processor, camera system, display and connectivity features.

Age

Naturally, the age of a phone will of course have an impact on the overall market value. Your old handset could be worth a lot more than you’d imagine. For instance, if your phone has been on the market for 5 years, then you can expect there to be a hefty price cut compared to a 3 year old phone being traded in.

Condition

Although you can still sell a broken phone, a phone in good cosmetic condition will be worth much more.

By having this information correct in the first place, it means that you can search your phone on Compare and Recycle and get accurate estimates of trade-in options, because in order to get full working price, the device received by a recycler needs to meet the information provided in the order form.

Software Support

Software support can also affect the value of a phone. Devices that can still receive current operating system and security updates are generally more useful to buyers and recyclers than phones that have reached the end of their supported lifespan.

That's another reason why selling an older phone sooner rather than later can make sense if you're no longer using it.

Check Your Phone's Current Value

Knowing the make, model, storage capacity and condition of your phone gives you a much better idea of what it's worth. Rather than relying on an old estimate or the original retail price, compare current recycling offers to see what your handset could be worth today.

Which Phones Are Worth The Most Money

The most expensive phone of the moment will depend on how long ago it was released and software support, but historically the most valuable models are iPhones, closely followed by Samsung Galaxy S and most recently foldable smartphones. Chinese brands like Huawei and OnePlus tend to cost a lot to buy, but their resale prices drop significantly. Especially for Huawei phones after the trade ban has been introduced and Huawei phones no longer come with Android. Then, there are the budget devices like Honor, Motorola and Nokia, where the recycling prices are going to be lower in relation to their retail price due to these models being less desirable.

The higher the cost of your phone when it was bought new, the more you will make when the time comes to sell it. So, if you splashed out on an iPhone 16 Pro Max for example, the good news is that if you want to sell it in a couple years, you should get a sweet deal. But keep in mind, every new iPhone release gradually decreases the resale value of your iPhone over time.

Here’s an example: the iPhone 7 Plus came with the price tag of £719 for the 32GB version when it was first released back in 2016, which was reasonably expensive at the time, but has since significantly decreased in value dropping to under £50. Not only have other devices vastly superseded this model in terms of price (Apple have been releasing phones that cost twice the price since then), but other flagships now have a much higher resale value.

When Apple released iOS 16 in 2022, they excluded the iPhone 7 Plus from the list of supported devices, which has significantly affected its value and the number of recyclers willing to buy it. All of this is to say that if you’re thinking of selling your device and you want to get the most for it, you should do it sooner rather than later.

How to Check Your Phone's Condition

Once you know the make and model of your phone and its built-in storage capacity, your next step is to assess its condition accurately. Pay attention to the following:

Physical Appearance - Give it a good clean and ensure that you check for any visible signs of damage such as cracks, scratches or dents and assess the overall exterior of the phone.

Screen Condition (Internal) - Check to see whether there are any signs of screen burn in e.g. discoloration and touch responsiveness.

Battery Performance - This is more relevant for iPhones and means checking to see whether there is battery degradation. You will be able to check the battery health in General Settings.

Functionality - Does it power on is a crucial one. It is also worth checking your phone's microphone, camera, buttons and speakers are in working order.

Operating System and Software - This is arguably one of the most important features to check when finding out the value of your phone. By checking the operating system and software updates / capabilities, you are able to determine whether the phone can run smoothly and is up to date.

Camera Quality - Check for any cracks or scratches on the hardware that may affect the lighting, focus and overall quality of your pictures.

Repair History - It’s helpful to remember whether your phone has undergone any past repairs and if genuine parts were used, because this can impact the quality and functionality in the future.

A quick assessment of your phone can help you make sure it’s in good working condition. Power and volume buttons, touchscreen, Wi-Fi connection and camera as well as charging port functionality without a hitch are the essentials that can help get you the most cash for your phone. Evaluate the cosmetic condition as well and bear in mind, excessive wear and tear won’t be accepted by a recycler within “Working” condition as well as small dents and cracked screens.

When selling your phone at Compare and Recycle, phones are graded as ‘New’, ‘Good’, ‘Poor’ or ‘Broken’. Regardless of which condition your mobile phone falls under, you will still be able to bag a decent deal.

⭐ New: a phone in this condition has not been used and comes in a sealed original box.

⭐ Good: a phone has no hardware faults, is fully functional and may present minimal wear with room for fine scratches.

⭐ Poor: similarly to ‘Good’, this phone has no faults and is in good working order, but of course presents heavier wear and tear with more scratches, scuffs and marks.

⭐ Broken: this grade will mean that a phone has cosmetic damage beyond a few fine scratches, usually presents cracks or hardware faults or both.

Where Should I Sell My Phone?

As you are probably aware, there is no shortage of choices of where you can sell your old mobile phone. Although this can be seen as a positive, it can certainly cause a headache when trying to find the best price. It’s tempting to use an online marketplace such as Facebook or Ebay, but do you really want to respond to counteless ‘Is this still available?’ messages after which the potential buyer disappears? We thought so. Luckily there’s a much better alternative.

Compare and Recycle It

Selling your phone on our comparison site is a no-brainer and certainly has no place for time-wasters. We’ll help you to find the best deal from a network of recyclers in under 60 seconds and all you have to do is fill in your details to lock in the quote and send your phone off. Once you receive your payment, you can put the money towards your next gadget or spend it however you please.

For easier navigation, explore the different device categories available through Compare and Recycle:

✅ Sell your mobile phones

✅ Sell your tablet

✅ Sell your Apple smartwatches

✅ Sell your games consoles

✅ Sell your digital cameras.

What Should I Do Before Selling My Phone?

First things first, it’s important that you ensure your privacy and data are protected before selling your phone. By taking the time to do the necessary steps, you’re making it easier for the next person to use your phone and also making sure you have all the data you need to transfer onto your next device.

What To Do Before Selling Your iPhone

1. Back up your data.

2. Sign out of your Apple Account/iCloud.

3. Turn off Find My iPhone.

4. Remove your personal information by erasing the iPhone and restoring it to factory settings.

5. Take a note of the IMEI number if required.

6. Remove the SIM card.

7. Remove your case and screen accessories.

8. Gently clean the iPhone before sending it.

What To Do Before Selling Your Android

1. Back up your data.

2. Remove your Google account and any other relevant accounts.

3. Turn off device-tracking and factory-reset protection features where applicable.

4. Reset the phone to factory settings.

5. Take a note of the IMEI number if required.

6. Remove the SIM card.

7. Remove any expandable storage, where applicable.

8. Remove your case and screen accessories.

9. Clean the phone using a suitable product.
   

Please note that to protect your privacy, encrypt your data manually via the settings menu if you have an Android, because with Android phones factory reset doesn’t always wipe all of your data. Whereas, encryption occurs naturally with iPhones.

Once you have done this, you should have an even more accurate idea of the condition of your phone and ultimately the overall value of it too. Just remember to remove your Google, Samsung or iCloud accounts before you post your device to speed up your order processing when it reaches a recycler. If the device is locked to a cloud account, the recycler won't be able to perform tests on your phone. Removing iCloud remotely might be challenging and the worst case scenario a recycler won't be able to make an offer and you might end up in the situation requiring you to pay a return fee depending on a merchant you've chosen.

For more detailed steps to take before selling your phone, follow the link below:

What To Do Before Selling Your iPhone Or Android

Follow 10 simple steps to protect your phone, your data and your trade-in offer when preparing to sell your device.

6 MIN READ

How To Take Care Of Your Phone To Maintain Its Resale Value?

As we mentioned earlier, a new device will get the most money out of all the device categories that we have listed on our site. If your handset is still new, these are our top tips to help you to get the most money for it when the time to sell it comes:

1️⃣ Case Protection

We can’t stress this enough: put a case and a screen protector on your phone from day one. There’s simply no better way of minimising any cosmetic damage. Once you’ve added both, you’ve protected your phone against common mishaps that could reduce the value of your device in the future.

2️⃣ Prevent Screen Burn In

If you have a device with an OLED screen, these are more susceptible to burn in, which basically means pixel discolouration and is something to be aware of if you want to get the highest price at a later stage. Ways in which you can prevent this from happening include regularly changing the wallpaper, using Dark Mode if your device has this capability. You can find more tips in the blog post we linked to above.

3️⃣ Insurance

Lastly, you can get cheap phone insurance from certain bank accounts, home insurance, or even as a job perk. Accidents happen and buying phone insurance lowers the cost of repair. It ensures a professional job covered by warranty to maintain a high working price when the time comes to sell your device. Unauthorised parts fitted in a phone will downgrade its resale price, and several recyclers do not offer a working price for a device on which unauthorised repairs were carried out.

Ready To Find Out How Much Your Phone Is Worth?

Your phone's value depends on its model, age, storage capacity, condition, software support and current demand. Rather than guessing based on the price you originally paid, check the current value of your exact handset and compare recycling offers.

Find out what your phone could be worth and compare offers through Compare and Recycle.