How to Sell Your Old iPhone to Fund Your New iPhone

The iPhone – the most awaited phone of the year is HERE once again and is breaking records right off the gate. It’s unofficially the official phone of the year as we have seen people from all over the world eagerly waiting to get their hands on Apple’s newest innovation. Having said that, not all of us can get it at the swipe of a card.

Gathering funds for your new iPhone can be a chore. When you’re eyeing the new iPhone, selling off your old iPhone is a great way to get started. Trading in your old iPhones can help you acquire a substantial amount towards your new iPhone budget.

For instance, many users have reportedly sold their old iPhone 11 for as much as $650 and the XR (said to be the most popular model of the X series) for over $330 in recent months. Although resell prices are always dropping, Apple’s products command a premium rate over other phones in the market. Many users are still getting a fair amount from selling them.

To ensure you get the best value for your old iPhone there are a few steps you need to complete before putting your phone up for sale or start a trade in.

Back Up Your Data

Apple’s iPhones are known for their intensive security features when it comes to data privacy and storage. Therefore, as a user, it is important that you take care of your data: images, documents or videos and make sure you store them safely before selling your iPhone.

All iPhones have their iCloud backup turned on by default. However, you must thoroughly check that all your data has been uploaded to your iCloud account. Also, you need to check your remaining cloud storage space and ensure you have enough space before manually uploading your entire phone’s data to iCloud.

As a precautionary measure it’s recommended to head over to your Phone Settings ➡ tap on your Profile/Name ➡ tap on iCloud ➡ tap on “Back up now”. Make sure all necessary files are selected before the back up.

Perform a Factory Reset

Probably the only step that goes without saying is, factory reset your phone.

You need to do this for security since you don’t want the buyer to have access to your information. Anybody bold enough to sell their phone without clearing out the contents is point blank shooting themselves in the foot in terms of data security.

Ensure that you’ve taken the necessary back up steps before fully wiping your iPhone. Once you’ve rechecked all your files and they are correctly stored to your iCloud account, make your way to Settings ➡ Find ‘General’ ➡ Tap on ‘Reset’ ➡ Tap on ‘Erase All Contact and Settings’. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID and or password to completely erase all data.

Check the Value of Accessories or Donate

There are some accessories that still hold value. Usually electronic accessories like AirPods, Apple Pencils, and Apple Magic Keyboards will hold value for resale. If you are trying to sell your old accessories with your phone, like charging cables, cases, screen protectors, and earphone connectors, they are usually not worth much if anything. Most of these accessories lose their value after they’ve been used. Do a bit of research to see if they are still worth anything before throwing them away. And its always a good idea to try to donate them to a place like Goodwill or your local thrift store before trashing them.

Trade-in or Sell?

When deciding whether to trade-in or sell keep in mind that iPhone trade-ins have different values depending on where you go. There are a couple of factors here at play like location, buyer type, and your device’s condition and specs. Most trade-in programs through pawn shops or carriers will give you store credit or credits towards upcoming bills. This essentially locks you in with that company by forcing you to continue buying through them to use your credit.

To get cash, you can also sell your iPhone to a certified electronics trade-in company like SmartphonesPLUS.com. They will even buy older phones so that you can use that cash towards anything you want, not just a shiny new phone.

Apple’s iPhone Trade-in

Only opt for Apple’s trade-in option if you’re out of all other options. Their trade in program usually only allow for store credit on select devices.

The Verdict

All in all, if you are looking for an easy experience and want cash then a reseller or certified online trade in company, like SmartphonesPLUS, is going to be your best bet over credit based trade-ins. If you are okay with credit based trade ins, then you can try your local pawn shop or carrier store, however they may only allow you to use your credit towards select devices or services.

We’d love to know your experience of selling your iPhone and hear your story first-hand and also what you’d like to hear from us next. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.