If you are asking what's my phone worth, the answer depends on four things. They are the model and storage, the condition, the lock and the kind of payment you accept. Here is each one, and how I would compare offers from Apple, Verizon and an ecoATM kiosk.
Key Takeaways
- Find the exact model and storage before you ask for a quote.
- Describe the condition honestly, because every offer depends on it.
- Ask your carrier to unlock the phone first if it is paid off.
- Compare a gift card, a store credit and cash in the money you will spend.
- Back up, sign out and erase the phone before it leaves your hands.
What decides what your phone is worth
Where to find it On iPhone, Settings > General > About. On Android, Settings > About phone
Apple says the value depends on the device, the model, the manufacturer and the condition. Verizon names these two screens as the place to find the IMEI number. Apple lists each iPhone model in several storage sizes, so note yours too.
Then check the battery. On iPhone, open Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Apple says iPhone 14 models and earlier are designed to keep 80 percent of their capacity at 500 full charge cycles under ideal conditions, and iPhone 15 models at 1,000. Our guide on how to make phone battery last longer covers what wears it down.
What's my phone worth trade in? Credit, gift card or cash
Each buyer pays in a different form. Apple pays in credit toward a new purchase or an Apple Gift Card. Verizon offers a new device, instant credit, account credit or a gift card. An ecoATM kiosk pays cash, Venmo or PayPal on the spot.
My advice is to compare offers in the money you will really spend. A store credit is worth its full value only if you were buying from that store anyway. Otherwise, cash usually wins even when its number looks smaller.
Trading in with Apple
If your search was apple what's my phone worth, the answer comes from Apple Trade In, online or at an Apple Store. Apple also takes some Samsung and Google phones, and recycles a device with no credit value for free.
Apple needs your old phone within 14 days of when you receive the new one. If the condition differs from what you described, Apple offers a revised value. You can accept it, or reject it and get your old phone back, with the original trade-in value charged to your card. Payment generally takes 2 to 3 weeks. Apple also says a part marked Finish Repair in Parts and Service History must be finished first.
Trading in with Verizon
Typing what's my phone worth Verizon leads to the carrier's trade-in page. You tell Verizon the device and its condition, then mail the phone within 30 days. Verizon notes that trade-ins are final.
Selling for cash at an ecoATM kiosk
An ecoatm what's my phone worth check can start online, where ecoATM locks your offer for 7 days, or right at the kiosk. You must be 18 or older with a valid driver's license or state ID, and the kiosk scans the ID and takes a photo.
Charge the phone fully first. ecoATM warns that phones that do not turn on may get less than the offer, and iPhones must be signed out of iCloud for the full amount.
Get the phone ready before it goes
Where to find it Unlock, back up, sign out, then erase
Unless a phone was sold unlocked, it is probably locked to one carrier, and the FCC says an unlocked phone may work with a new provider. Under the industry's unlocking commitments, carriers answer an unlock request within two business days, by unlocking an eligible phone or explaining what happens next.
Back up first, and our guide on how to back up photos covers the free options. Then sign out. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name and tap Sign Out. On Android, Google says to know your Google Account password before a factory reset, and to wait 24 hours after a password change.
Erase the phone last. Apple says erasing an iPhone turns off Find My and Activation Lock, the protection our guide on what to do if you lose your phone relies on.
My Three Quote Routine
- Write down the model, storage and battery health.
- Ask your carrier to unlock the phone if it is paid off.
- Get three quotes, from Apple, your carrier and a cash buyer.
- Compare them in the money you will really spend.
- Back up, sign out and erase, then ship it or drop it off.
Steps one and two need only Settings and one request to your carrier. Step four is where I would take the most care, because the biggest quote is not always the best one.
FAQs about trading in a phone
- How do I find out what my phone is worth?
- Find the model and storage in Settings, then answer each buyer's questions about condition.
- Is it better to trade in or sell my phone?
- In my view, trade in when you are buying from the same store anyway. Sell for cash when you are not, because a credit you never use is worth nothing.
- Does a cracked phone still have value?
- It can, but expect a lower offer, since condition is part of every quote. Apple recycles a phone with no credit value for free.
- Can I get my phone back after a Verizon trade-in?
- No. Verizon says trade-ins are final once you accept the credit and send the phone.
- What do I need to sell a phone at an ecoATM?
- You need to be 18 or older with a valid driver's license or state ID. Charge the phone and sign out of your accounts first.
