5 Best Places to Sell an Old Cell Phone for the Most Money

Today we have a guest post for you from Kathleen Garvin with The Penny Hoarder.

Maybe you have an old cell phone lying around. Or maybe the recent Apple event has you looking to upgrade. (I’m still sorting through my feelings on Face ID.)

Either way, there’s money to be had for selling your old devices.

I got my first smartphone, a lime green iPhone 5C, in October 2013. I had it for three years and seven months — which feels like a decade in cell phone years — before upgrading to the iPhone 7 this past May.

Aside from a small chip and slight scratch on the screen, my old phone’s in pretty good condition. But at the moment, it’s in a cracked Otterbox collecting dust on my nightstand.

It’s time to look into selling it.

But where? Thanks to the internet, there are more options now than ever.

Plus, what’s better than making money at home?

5 Places to Sell Your Cell Phone for Money

Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck or just looking to unload your phone for some extra cash, check out these five options.

1. Gazelle

Gazelle buys smartphones and other devices. To use the service, search for your phone on the website. (Note: If the item does not show up on the website, then Gazelle won’t accept it at all.) Then, choose the network, storage capacity and condition: broken, good or flawless.

Side note, how do you mention “flawless” as an option and not have a Beyonce GIF anywhere on the page?

(But I digress. Image credit: Giphy.com)

Make sure you’re accurate when it comes to the item and its condition. Otherwise, you’ll receive a revised offer upon receipt.

After Gazelle makes you an offer, it’s good for 30 days. Shipping is free, and Gazelle will send you a box to pack your phone in.

The quicker you send it in, the quicker you’ll get paid, according to the Gazelle website. You can receive payment via PayPal, a check or an Amazon gift card.

As of September 2017, my Apple iPhone 5C (16GB) in good condition received an offer of $5. Womp, womp.

(Image credit: Gazelle.com, September 2017)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list the item? No

• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No

• Is shipping free? Yes

• How are you paid? Check, PayPal or Amazon gift card

2. Buyback Boss

Buyback Boss currently only accepts iPhones and iPads. However, the service does offer a highest price guarantee: If you provide a current offer from any buyback site for the same condition device, Buyback Boss will match it.

Choose your phone, network, storage capacity and condition — brand new, mint, used, damaged or broken. Then, you’ll receive an offer.

Shipping is free — Buyback Boss will supply you with a prepaid label — and you can ship your item in a box or padded envelope. You’ll get paid via check or PayPal and receive payment soon after your item is received.

As of September 2017, my Apple iPhone 5C (16GB) in good condition received an offer of $20.

(Image credit: BuybackBoss.com, September 2017)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list the item? No

• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No

• Is shipping free? Yes

• How are you paid? Check or PayPal

3. Decluttr

Decluttr buys CDs, DVDs, miscellaneous tech items and even books. It also has a free app for iPhone and Android users.

Search for your item — in this case, your old cell phone — and enter its model, storage capacity, network and condition into the evaluation engine. For condition, the choices are: good, poor or faulty.

After entering your information, you’ll receive an offer. Should you choose to accept it, you’ll get paid the day after Decluttr receives your phone.

Regarding shipping, you can mail the phone in any box you have lying around the house. Then, attach the prepaid shipping label to the package. You can get paid via check or direct deposit, and there are no auction or seller fees.

As of September 2017, my Apple iPhone 5C (16GB) in good condition received an offer of $34.04.

(Image credit: Decluttr.com, September 2017)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list the item? No

• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No

• Is shipping free? Yes

• How are you paid? Check or direct deposit

4. Swopsmart

Swopsmart is a New York-based company that purchases phones (even Blackberries!) and tablets. Select your phone type, network, storage capacity and condition: broken, good, flawless (another missed Beyonce opportunity) or new. Then, you’ll receive an offer.

You can choose to print a prepaid shipping label or receive a free shipping kit. Once the company inspects and OKs your phone, you’ll be paid within 24 hours. You can choose to get paid via check or PayPal.

As of September 2017, my Apple iPhone 5C (16GB) in good condition received an offer of $25.

(Image credit: Swopsmart.com, September 2017)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list the item? No

• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No

• Is shipping free? Yes

• How are you paid? Check or PayPal

5. eBay

I couldn’t leave out one of the world’s largest online marketplaces! Don’t forget eBay when looking to make some extra money.

When I went to list my phone on eBay, I saw a colorful graphic at the top that stated “Sell Your Phone for the Most Cash.” I clicked on it and was brought to a page that looked like the previous four sell-your-gadget services. I selected the model, network, color (this was a new one, and I could only choose from three), both its used and cosmetic condition, and what accessories would be included.

As of September 2017, my Apple iPhone 5C (16GB) in good condition has a trending price of $54.20.

(Image credit: eBay.com, September 2017)

The trending price is based on items similar to yours that recently sold. However, this selling price for your phone isn’t guaranteed.

With this platform, you also have to take into consideration shipping and seller fees. I chose an auction-style format and $10 for domestic shipping. And according to eBay, my estimated fees would be $6.42.

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list the item? No

• Does the service take a cut of your sale? Yes; it varies

• Is shipping free? No, unless you schedule a local pickup

• How are you paid? PayPal, merchant credit card or local pickup (checks, money orders or cash)

6. OCBuyBack (New Bonus Way)

Since publishing this post, we found another site to sell your used phone.

OCBuyBack is a California-based company that purchases phones, tablets, smart watches and more. Their Trustpilot ranking is 9/10.

To sell your item, simply select your device to receive an offer. If you accept the offer, you can choose to print a prepaid shipping label or drop-off the item (Brea, California area). Once the company inspects the item, you’ll be paid within 2 business days. You can choose to get paid via check or PayPal.

Have you sold your old sell phones using any of these sites? If so, please let me know how it went in the comments below.