How to Sell a Smartphone Online Safely
Phones lose value faster than almost anything else you own, which makes timing the most important decision in selling one. This guide covers when to sell, how to check what yours is actually worth, the data wipe you must not skip, and how to avoid the scams that target phone sellers specifically.
What this covers
Key takeaways
- Phones depreciate fastest immediately after a new model launches. Sell before, not after.
- Battery health is the number buyers ask about most. Include it in your title.
- Sign out of your cloud account before wiping, or the phone stays activation-locked and worthless to the buyer.
- Unlocked phones sell for more and to more people than network-locked ones.
- Never post a phone before payment has cleared — this category attracts specific frauds.
When to sell — and why it matters so much
Phone values do not decline smoothly. They step down sharply at predictable moments, and the largest step is when the manufacturer announces a successor.
Illustrative pattern of smartphone value retention over time. Actual figures vary by brand, model, storage and condition — flagship models from major brands typically hold value better.
If you are upgrading anyway, selling in the weeks before a launch rather than the weeks after is frequently worth a meaningful amount. Waiting for a “better time” almost never works in this category — there isn’t one.
A phone sitting unused in a drawer loses value every month. If you have replaced it and are not keeping it as a spare, the best day to sell is today.
What affects a phone’s value
| Factor | Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Model and age | Major | The dominant factor by a wide margin |
| Storage capacity | Major | Higher capacities hold value noticeably better |
| Network lock | Major | Unlocked sells for more, and to everyone |
| Battery health | Significant | Below roughly 80% and buyers factor in a replacement |
| Screen condition | Significant | Cracks reduce value sharply, even when functional |
| Body condition | Moderate | Dents and deep scratches matter more than light wear |
| Original box and accessories | Moderate | Complete packages command a premium |
| Colour | Minor | Unusual colours can narrow the buyer pool slightly |
Checks to run before listing
Find the exact model and storage
Check Settings rather than guessing. “iPhone 13” and “iPhone 13 Pro” are different phones with different values, and 128GB versus 256GB is a real price difference.
Check battery health
On iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health. On most Android devices this is in Settings or via the manufacturer’s diagnostics app. Buyers will ask, so lead with it.
Confirm it is not network-locked
Insert a SIM from a different network, or check with your carrier. If it is locked and you have finished your contract, most carriers will unlock it free — and it is worth doing before you sell.
Verify there is nothing outstanding
A phone still on a contract or instalment plan may be barred later, leaving your buyer with a brick. Settle it first.
Test everything
Both cameras, speaker, microphone, charging port, wireless charging, face or fingerprint unlock, every button. Note anything that does not work.
An iPhone signed into iCloud stays Activation Locked, and an Android signed into a Google account stays FRP-locked. In both cases the buyer cannot use it, and you will be dealing with a refund request. Sign out before you factory reset.
Wiping your data properly
Order matters here. Doing these in the wrong sequence is what leaves phones locked.
- Back up first — photographs, messages, authenticator apps
- Move your authenticator to the new phone before wiping, or you may lock yourself out of your own accounts
- Sign out of your cloud account — iCloud on iPhone, Google account on Android
- Sign out of other accounts — banking, email, social, password manager
- Remove the SIM and any memory card
- Unpair from your watch if applicable
- Then factory reset from Settings
- Confirm the reset by powering on to the welcome screen
Do not set the phone up again after wiping. Handing it over sitting on the initial setup screen proves to the buyer that it is clean and unlocked, and it is the single quickest way to build trust at handover.
Pricing realistically
Search sold listings for your exact model, storage and condition. Compare like with like — a boxed, unlocked 256GB in excellent condition is a different product from a bare 128GB with a scratched screen.
Also check what the current generation costs new. If the latest model has dropped in price, every older model must follow it down.
List your phone free
No listing fee, no commission. Reach buyers across 238 countries in minutes.
Photographs for phones
Phones are small, detailed and easy to photograph badly. Six to eight images, in daylight, against a plain surface.
- Front, screen powered on and showing the home screen — proves it works
- Back, showing the camera housing
- Both sides and the bottom edge with the charging port
- All four corners — where damage concentrates
- The battery health screen
- Any crack, scratch or dent, close up
- Box, charger, cable and anything else included
A black screen hides cracks and dead pixels, and buyers know it. A powered-on display is the fastest way to signal that you have nothing to conceal.
Writing the listing
Title: Make + Model + Storage + Colour + Network + Battery.
iPhone 13 Pro 256GB Graphite, unlocked, battery 91%
Description should state:
- Exact model, storage and colour
- Network status — unlocked or which carrier
- Battery health percentage
- Screen and body condition, honestly, with any damage described
- Whether it has ever been repaired, and whether parts were original
- What is included — box, cable, charger, case
- Confirmation it has been factory reset and signed out
- Why you are selling
Scams that target phone sellers
Phones are compact, valuable and easy to resell, which makes this category a focus for fraud. The patterns are consistent.
| Scam | How it works | Defence |
|---|---|---|
| Verification code request | “Buyer” asks you to read out a code to prove you are genuine — it is a 2FA code for your own account | Never share a code with anyone, for any reason |
| Fake payment screenshot | Shown a convincing confirmation that no payment has been made | Only your own bank showing cleared funds counts |
| Courier collection | Remote buyer sends their own courier, payment reverses afterwards | Do not release until funds are cleared and irreversible |
| Swap at handover | Buyer inspects, hands back a different or damaged phone | Note your IMEI beforehand and check it before accepting payment |
| Overpayment | Sends too much, asks for the difference back | Never refund an overpayment — cancel entirely |
Dial *#06# to display it. Photograph it. At handover, check the IMEI on the device still matches before you accept payment — it takes ten seconds and defeats the swap scam entirely.
Safe handover
Meet in public, in daylight
A café is ideal — the buyer can sit and check the phone properly without pressure.
Let them test it thoroughly
A genuine buyer will want to check the cameras, speaker and charging. Encourage it.
Verify the IMEI still matches
Before money changes hands, not after.
Wait for cleared funds
Cash counted, or a transfer showing in your own account. Not a screenshot.
Hand it over at the welcome screen
Wiped, signed out, SIM removed.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth selling a cracked phone?
Yes. Cracked phones sell readily for parts or repair — just describe the damage accurately and price accordingly. Do not try to hide it.
Should I include the original box?
If you have it, yes. Complete packages command a premium and cost you nothing to include.
What battery health is too low to sell?
Nothing is too low, but below roughly 80% buyers will factor in a battery replacement. State the figure clearly and price to match.
Should I unlock it before selling?
If your contract has ended and your carrier will unlock it free, yes. An unlocked phone reaches every buyer rather than one network’s customers.
Can I sell a phone still on a contract?
Settle the outstanding balance first. A phone that gets barred after sale leaves your buyer with a useless device and you with a dispute.
How do I prove it is not stolen?
Offer the original receipt where you have it, and be willing to let the buyer run an IMEI check. Genuine sellers have no reason to refuse.
The short version
Sell sooner rather than later. Check battery health and put it in the title. Sign out of your account, then factory reset, then leave it at the welcome screen. Photograph the screen switched on. Note your IMEI. And never release the phone before the money has cleared.
Sell your phone with no commission
Free to list, free to sell, and you keep the full sale price.
Or start by browsing the marketplace to see comparable items.
