Before you sell: unlock and wipe your phone
Phones have an anti-theft lock tied to your account. If you erase a phone without signing out first, the new owner can’t set it up.
iPhone
- Back up your phone, and unpair your Apple Watch if you have one.
- Sign out of iCloud and the App Store in Settings. This turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings, and remove the eSIM if asked.
- Remove the phone from your Apple Account’s list of devices.
Android (Samsung, Google Pixel and others)
- Back up your photos and data.
- Remove your Google account, and your Samsung account on a Samsung, in Settings → Accounts, before resetting.
- Then factory reset from Settings.
On every phone, take out your SIM and any memory card, and check the phone starts up showing the welcome screen. If it’s still on a payment plan or locked to a carrier, ask your carrier to unlock it once it’s paid off: unlocked phones sell for more.
Your options
Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp: no fees
Local sales cost nothing. Meet somewhere public and busy (many police stations have a safe exchange zone), and only hand over the phone once cash is in your hand or a payment has arrived in your account. See selling scams.
eBay and Mercari: the biggest audiences
eBay’s buyers search for the exact model, storage and color. It takes 13.6% plus $0.40. Mercari takes 10% and suits everyday phones. Search your model on eBay and tick “Sold items” to see what it actually sells for. See the eBay and Mercari fee calculators.
Trade-in: quick and simple
Carriers, Apple, Samsung and stores such as Best Buy run trade-in programs, often paid as credit off a new phone or a gift card. ecoATM kiosks in many malls and supermarkets pay cash on the spot. You’ll get less than selling it yourself, but there are no buyers to deal with. Get two or three quotes.
Get a better price
- Describe it exactly: model, storage, color, and whether it’s unlocked. On iPhones, include the battery health percentage.
- Be honest about wear: scratches, cracks and battery condition.
- Include the box and charger if you have them.
- Note the IMEI (dial *#06#) before you ship. Buyers can check it with the free Stolen Phone Checker, which shows whether a phone has been reported lost or stolen.
- Ship it tracked and well protected, with insurance that matches the value.
Not worth selling?
Broken or very old phones can be recycled free at many carrier stores and at Best Buy. See where to donate.