Used Phones Are a $9 Billion Industry. Nine Platforms Are Cashing In

Phones from hundreds of models are stored at the research lab of the Israeli firm Cellebrite's technology to enable researchers to find vulnerabilities to crack into them, on November 9, 2016 in the Israeli city of Petah Tikva. It only takes a few seconds for an employee of Cellebrite's technology, one of the world's leading hacking companies, to take a locked smartphone and pull the data from it. / AFP / JACK GUEZ (Credit: Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Buying a brand-new smartphone in 2025 can easily cost over $1,000. That reality has driven millions of Americans toward the second-hand market, which now moves approximately 89 million used and refurbished phones annually in the United States. The U.S. market was valued at $8.67 billion in 2023 and is projected to nearly triple to $26.67 billion by 2032. Online marketplaces and certified refurbishers have become the dominant channels for these transactions, making digital resale one of the fastest-growing corners of e-commerce.

But not all platforms are created equal. Some prioritize sheer volume, others focus on verified quality, and a few are carving out a niche with a model unlike anything that came before. Here is a breakdown of the top five platforms dominating the U.S. market — plus four more that are worth your attention.