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Evening Standard

World

Saqib Shah

Upgrading to an Apple iPhone 16? These are the best places to trade in your old device

Apple Carphone Warehouse EE (Organization) MoneySuperMarket eBay Music Magpie

The sight of a shiny new iPhone 16 is sure to spark pangs of FOMO and a sudden urge to offload your perfectly good mobile.

To add to your impatience, this year’s model will boast exclusive AI software that older iPhones won’t get (apart from last year’s pricey iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max).

If you’re set on Apple’s latest and greatest, it’s time to cash in your current handset. To help out, we’ve rounded up the top places to trade it in, from the high street to the seemingly infinite sites online.

Whether you’re after cold hard cash, store credit, or just a hassle-free swap, these options will help you save big on your iPhone 16 upgrade.

Trade-in comparison sites

The first tip for a trader: start by doing your research. There are numerous companies out there looking to buy your phone, but their offered prices and the final value can fluctuate wildly.

To help you scour these countless firms in just a few clicks, you can turn to a comparison site. The names they throw up are unheard of (Handtec, anyone?), but they’re all TrustPilot verified with thousands of four-star-plus reviews.

Bear in mind, the final price probably won’t match the listed number due to things like the condition of your device, the storage space, whether it’s unlocked, etc. Plus, most of these sites require you to post your phone, but at least the postage and packaging is free.

Here are the best mobile trade-in comparison sites:

Go direct

Still feel uneasy about handing off your phone to a website you’ve never heard of? For complete peace of mind, you could trade it in with the places most people use to buy new mobiles.

An Apple Store customer unboxes their iPhone 15 Pro (Apple)

The likes of Apple, Carphone Warehouse, and Currys are all in the business of purchasing old gadgets. The same goes for the major UK mobile networks, from EE to Vodafone (and even Tesco Mobile).

These are the top places for direct trade-ins:

Apple (no trade-ins on the iPhone 15 range yet)
Carphone Warehouse
Currys
Mobile networks

High street and online trade-in sites

Then, there are the handful of better-known second-hand and trade-in outlets. You know, the ones you’ve probably spotted during a stroll down your local high street or on an ad on YouTube or TV. Maybe, you’ve even purchased a refurbished laptop or a used PlayStation game from them in the past.

These are the crop of high-profile sites that offer cash for old phones:

Sell it yourself

Another option to consider is the DIY route. There’s a high chance you’ll get even more for your old phone on an online marketplace like eBay, especially if it’s in not-quite mint condition. You now also have another option for flogging used electronics in Vinted, which recently began allowing users to sell their old gadgets.

Apple will unveil new iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches at an event this evening (September 9) (Apple)

Of course, this method isn’t ideal for those looking for a quick trade. Alas, you have to handle things like posting and packaging yourself – and create an account, if you haven’t already.

The best online marketplace for used phones:

Ebay

The best trade-in price for an iPhone 15

To give you an idea of how much you can expect to get for your iPhone 15, we’ve rounded up the best trade-in offers from some of the aforementioned sites.

All of these prices are for the standard 128GB model (or 256GB for the Pro Max) in good working condition. Of course, you can expect your iPhone 15 to fetch more if it has more storage space, and is boxed and in excellent nick (meaning zero scratches or marks).

Uberlink: £457 (via MoneySupermarket)
CEX: £365 cash
Carphone Warehouse: £325
Music Magpie: £351 (good condition)