10 Best Places to Sell an Old Cell Phone

Today’s post is from Kathleen Garvin with The Penny Hoarder.

Maybe you have an old phone lying around. Or perhaps the recent Apple event has you looking to upgrade.

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

I decided to sell my iPhone 11 (64GB, unlocked). I had it for almost two years before upgrading to a new phone, the iPhone13.

After buying my new smartphone, my old one just sat around in a cracked case collecting dust.

It was time to look into selling it. But where? Thanks to the internet, there are more options now than ever to sell cell phones.

Top Places to Sell Your Smartphone

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

1. Swappa

Swappa lets you sell your old phone – and they won’t charge you fees to do so.

You can sell iPhones and Android phones on Swappa – as well as other electronic items.

Selling on Swappa is easy, but you do have to create an account to get a quoted price for your phone.

And because your buyer comes from the Swappa community, you may or may not get your quoted price.

Instead, you list your suggested price, and the buyer accepts it or makes a counteroffer.

As of July 2021, Swappa said they’d suggest I list my phone for $505.

That seemed a bit high for me. Obviously more criteria had to be added before I sold it.

(image credit: Swappa)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to list? No
• Does Swappa take a cut of your sale? No. Buyers pay sale fees
• Is shipping free? No. Sellers pay for shipping costs
• How are you paid? PayPal

Trustpilot Score: 4.9 out of 5

2. OCBuyBack

OCBuyBack is a California-based company that purchases phones, tablets, smart watches and more.

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, they will pay you within two business days.

As of July 2021, I got OCBuyBack’s best price for my Apple iPhone11 (64 GB in good condition) from OCBuyBack of $387

(Image credit: OCBuyBack)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to sell the item? No
• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No
• Is shipping free? Yes
• How are you paid? You can choose to receive payment via check or PayPal.

Trustpilot Score: 4.8 out of 5

3. Buyback Boss

Buyback Boss currently accepts iPhones and iPads, as well as other phones and electronic devices.

And the service does offer the 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 (like At&T, Verizon, etc.), storage capacity and condition — brand new, mint, used, damaged or broken. Then you’ll receive an offer.

Shipping is free (Buyback Boss gives you 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 after your item arrives. Talk about hassle free selling.

As an example, my Apple iPhone 11 (64GB in good condition) received an offer of $385

(Image credit: BuybackBoss.com)

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

Other Items They Buy

• Samsung galaxy
• Google Pixel phones
• iPads
• iPods
• Apple Watches

Trustpilot Score: 4.7 out of 5

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 phone, good, flawless 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 July 2021, my Apple iPhone 11 (64GB in good condition) received an offer of $264.

(Image credit: Swopsmart.com)

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

Trustpilot score: 4.7 out of 5

5. 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 July 2021, my Apple iPhone 11 (64GB in good condition) received an offer of $381.

(Image credit: Decluttr.com)

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

Trustpilot Score: 4.5 out of 5

6. SellCell

Want to see which company will give you the best price for your phone?

SellCell will compare the price for your old iPhone across 20 leading buyback companies.

This means you are guaranteed to find the highest price for your old iPhone!

First, check to see if your device is listed on their site. Next, find the best deal among buyers. Then ship your phone to the company you choose for free.

Make sure to read each buyer profile to make sure you understand how and when they payout. Some buyers even accept in bulk.

How will I get paid? SellCell typically pays out via these options: PayPal, check or Amazon e-gift card.

SellCell claims they will get you the most cash for your phone, guaranteed.

As of July, 2021, SellCell has over 30 offers with the top value at $431

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 , Amazon Gift Card or PayPal

Other Items They Buy

• Samsung galaxy
• Google Pixel phones
• iPads
• iPods
• Apple Watches
• Gaming Consoles

Trustpilot Score: 4.3 out of 5.0

7. BuyBackWorld

BuyBackWorld has been buying and selling used smart phones since 2009. It’s an easy site to use. Just enter your phone information, including model, memory and condition.

You’ll get an immediate quote on the price. If you like the quote, just accept it and they’ll send you a free shipping label.

Once you’ve shipped your phone, you get paid within two days.

You can choose to get paid via PayPal, Direct Deposit, with a BuyBackWorld credit or prepaid gift card.

As of July 2021, the quote I got for my Apple iPhone 11 (64GB) in average condition was $260.

(image credit: BuyBackWorld)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to sell the item? No
• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No
• Is shipping free? Yes
• How are you paid? Your choice of PayPal, Direct Deposit and more

BuyBackWorld buys a long list of other phone brands too, such as Motorola, Nokia and more.

Trustpilot score: 4.2 out of 5

8. ecoATM

EcoATM helps you sell your old cell phone at ATM-like kiosks around the country. You can go to the ecoATM website to get a quote, or just bring your phone to the kiosk.

If you use the website to get a quote, you’ll have to enter your zip code for accuracy.

Once you enter your phone type in at the kiosk and accept the offer, you’ll deposit your phone in the kiosk.

ecoATM kiosks have the capability to examine your phone once you insert it into the machine.

The kiosk will give you money on the spot. Note that you have to have a state-issued ID to use ecoATM. This rule is in place to help avoid fraudulent sales.

As of July 2021, the ecoATM website offered me this price for my Apple iPhone 11: $180.

Note that compared to other prices offered, you will pay for the ease and convenience of using ecoATM.

The site did say it may be able to get me a better price depending on my location.

(image credit ecoATM)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to sell the item? No
• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No
• Is shipping free? NA; you bring the phone to a kiosk
• How are you paid? cash on the spot

Trustpilot score: 3.2 out of 5

9. Gazelle

Gazelle opened its doors in 2007 and touts itself as the nation’s leading reCommerce company. With Gazelle, it takes less than a minute to get a quote for your phone.

The site will ask you a few quick questions about your phone and then make an offer. Once you accept their offer, you send in your phone with Gazelle’s free shipping label.

Gazelle experts inspect the phone and then pay out via Amazon gift card, PayPal, or check. As of July 20201, here’s what Gazelle offered me for my iPhone 11 in good condition: $200

(image credit: Gazelle)

To recap:

• Is there a cost to sell the item? No
• Does the service take a cut of your sale? No
• Is shipping free? Yes
• How are you paid? Your choice of PayPal, check, or Amazon gift card

Trustpilot score: 2.3 out of 5

10. 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.

With eBay, you need to list your information and choose to sell for a fixed price instead of an auction.

I selected my phone in used condition. As of July of 2021 eBay said similar listings (Apple iPhone 11 64 GB in good condition) are selling for $409 and up.

With this platform, you also have to take into consideration shipping and seller fees.

Shipping will vary depending on the type of package and shipping you choose. Fees also vary.

And while you will likely get more for your phone using eBay, you’ll also have to wait for it to sell and do the work of ensuring it gets shipped correctly and so on.

Only you can decide whether you’d rather sell immediately and take a lower price or hold out for more money.

If you decide to hold out for more cash, you could list the phone on Craigslist and sites like it as well.

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)

Trustpilot score: 1.3 out of 5

Summary

There are several great places that will let you sell your old cell phone for money. Don’t just throw it away or stash it in a drawer.

Instead, make some money off it and sell it to one of the cell phone buyback sites mentioned here.

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