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10 Best Places to Buy a Used or Refurbished Phone

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In this guide we’ll show you the best places to buy a used phone or buy a refurbished phone in 2020. Where you can get big discounts on an iPhone, Galaxy S10, iPad and many other lightly used gadgets. It’s a great way to get a new-to-you device and save some money. Here’s how to avoid paying retail prices. These are great places to sell a used phone too.

Phones are expensive, almost too expensive. The Galaxy S10+ is nearly $1,000 and Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro is even more. Some people will pay retail prices, but millions of people look for AND find a good deal on a used or refurbished phone instead.

In fact, you can get a lightly used Galaxy S9 for just over $200 or a used iPhone 8 at heavy discounts if you know where to look. Plus, refurbished iPhones are often over 50% off, if not more. And while you can’t walk into Verizon and buy a used phone, and Craigslist is not very safe, you still have several options.

Recent reports by the IDC suggests the used phone market will reach 220 million devices sold each year by 2022. Making the used or refurbished phones and iPad market worth an estimated $52 billion a year. As phone prices rise, and more phones in 2020 cost upwards of $1,000 more and more people will choose to buy used.

Used or Refurbished?

There are two main categories when you’re buying a phone that is not brand new. Those being used, and refurbished.

  • Used Phone – Cheapest option but comes with fewer guarantees and no warranty
  • Refurbished Phone – Repaired by a certified technician and often comes with some sort of warranty

Buying a used phone can save you tons of money, but it’s also risky if you’re not careful or know what to look for. With a refurbished phone you get a device repaired by an official site, store, or technician and they go through rigorous testing/inspections before being sold. We recommend refurbished phones first.

The term “refurbished” gets thrown around a lot though, and it doesn’t always mean what you think. Some places sell used phones, refurbished phones, or you’ll see terms like recertified, reconditioned, or even pre-owned. As long as you buy it from a reputable site you’ll end up with a good phone at a big discount. Most likely these phones were repaired by Samsung or Apple, or a store like Best Buy. Sometimes though, you’re getting a brand new phone that was simply returned and can no longer be sold as “new”. Those are “open box” deals, which you can usually find at Amazon Renewed.

Best Place to Buy a Used Phone or Refurbished Phone (2020)

If you know what phone you want to buy and want the best deal, here are great places that sell used, refurbished, pre-owned or open-box Android phones, iPhones, iPads and more.

  • Best Buy is a great place to start. They offer refurbished, open-box, unlocked, and pre-owned phones with big discounts. You’ll find almost every major carrier, manufacturer, and tons of accessories too. Everything comes with some sort of warranty, even if it’s only 90 days.
  • Apple has a growing list of refurbished phones and devices they sell online. Apple charges more than most other sites, but you’re basically getting a phone that’s nearly new, and a 1-year warranty.
  • Swappa is one of my favorite sites for used phones good deals. They’re dedicated to safely selling like-new products and have strict policies in place to protect both the buyer and the seller. Each device must pass a test that proves it’s not stolen or on a lease/payment plan, and other safeguards. Every purchase goes through PayPal for added protection.
  • Samsung actually sells certified pre-owned phones just like Apple at steep discounts. Most of them are over a year old, but you get a phone rebuilt by Samsung, a new charger and headphones, and a standard Samsung 1-year warranty for peace of mind.

  • Gazelle is another popular place to buy used smartphones. They buy phones from individuals, then inspect each one to ensure they work properly, and sometimes make small fixes. Then, sell some of the latest devices at steep discounts. You’ll only get a 30-day return policy though.
  • Amazon Renewed is a relatively new place to shop but you can find great deals. With renewed, Amazon offers thousands of products that are returns, open-box items, or lightly refurbished. They come with Amazon’s return policy, and each product is inspected before being sold.
  • eBay has tons of sellers with good feedback that will sell you a heavily discounted phone. And while you can find some pretty good deals here, there aren’t any guarantees like Gazelle or Swappa. A lot of them are used, too. Do your research on the seller before clicking any Buy it Now buttons.
  • Your Carrier likely offers certified pre-owned phones. Head to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint and buy a used phone that you know will work on your carrier. They typically only sell their own phones, so you don’t have to worry about an AT&T phone not working on Verizon Wireless.
  • UpTrade For years UpTrade bought old phones, but now they’ve started selling them back at crazy low prices, and let others sell too. They have a rigorous inspection process, give very detailed info about a used device, test the battery, then offer a 30-day guarantee on any purchases. It’s a good place to buy or sell a used phone.
  • Craigslist and LetGo are your last resort if we’re being honest. While yes, you can find some great deals, a lot of shady things happen around those parts too. From scams, stolen phones, robbery, locked devices, and much more. We recommend checking the IMEI to make sure it’s not lost or stolen before you buy any phone on CL, LetGo, OfferUp or similar apps. An ESN or IMEI is like a social security number for phones. Each one is unique, check it to make sure you’re not getting ripped off.

Swappa has a great selection of used iPhones

What to Look For (And What to Know)

There are a few things you’ll want to look for when you buy a used phone or refurbished devices. Whenever possible, always buy from the original manufacturer or a reputable store. It’s just a smart way to shop. If it’s a refurb see what kind of warranty is available, if any, or find a store that offers one. Apple is the best place to buy a refurbished iPhone.

Then, keep in mind that most used phones are probably already a year old, so things like battery life and software updates are different from a new phone. Or, they won’t get support as long. Don’t forget that most used phones are sold “as is” even if you don’t see it on the site. Basically, read the fine print and be prepared for no warranty or support if you have problems. Then again, that’s what we’re here for.

Last but not least, use caution and some common sense when shopping for a used smartphone. Craigslist and Facebook group deals that look good are often misleading. Always pay in cash, and if the price is too good to be true, it’s probably stolen. Always meet indoors or somewhere safe, because robberies and theft do happen, even in parking lots. Go inside! That’s why we recommend reputable sites like Samsung, Apple, Swappa, or Gazelle first.

As long as you do your research and be smart, you can find a good cheap used phone or a good deal on a refurbished phone.

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Rachel Martin

    09/07/2018 at 6:11 am

    Do you know how reliable https://swappie.com/en/ is compared to bestbuy etc? Seems it has good ratings in nordic countries?

  2. Ross Vish

    03/12/2019 at 3:39 am

    I highly recommend GlobalGeeks.com to add in your list. I am a regular customer of this firm and very satisfied with their services.

  3. Victor White

    03/15/2019 at 2:46 am

    You have done a great job in this post because you have provided us knowledge about places to buy used refurbished phones. I really thankful for you and your blog. Thanks for sharing this.

  4. Andy

    04/21/2019 at 9:01 am

    There are many more sites to search for a good refurbished iphone, I’d recommend using aggregators such as https://iphone-search.com – at least to check prices between sellers.

  5. Michal Lee

    07/03/2019 at 5:48 am

    Great list of trustworthy sellers in the refurbished phone market as its growing fastly scams are also getting involved in the sales as well your article provides valuable information to the viewer’s good job.

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