There are probably more ways than you think to get rid of your smartphone and get cash instead. Smartphone technology is advancing quite rapidly, and year after year, manufacturers like Apple and Samsung introduce new models that make last year's ones look like junk. However, many of those phones from last year could still fetch you hundreds of dollars.
You don't need to post to your Facebook friends that you're selling a phone, and you don't even need to trade it in with your carrier. It'll probably make you less money than it's worth anyway. Three websites in particular offer cash for your old smartphone at competitive rates. I've used two and can vouch for the value and customer service.
In my experience, BuyBackWorld tends to offer the most money for an old smartphone. By trading in my 64GB iPhone 6 for a new iPhone, I was able to get $342. It was more than any offer I found on the internet and certainly more than any friend would be willing to pay for it.
The site accepts just about any phone you can think of – although if you're trying to get rid of a basic phone you'd be lucky to get anything for them. But for popular smartphones like iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices, you can get plenty of them. BuyBackWorld also accepts gift cards, if you're looking to sell them.
When you sell your phone, you will have to choose the current condition:poor, average, excellent or new. Unless it's broken and not working, yours is probably average or excellent. You will receive a box in the mail to place your device and return it free of charge. After inspection, you will receive your payment by check or PayPal – your choice.
Gazelle is probably the company you've heard of the most, as it often appears in TV commercials. Gazelle's process is perhaps the most streamlined. It works exactly like BuyBackWorld:select your phone, your carrier, your storage, then select whether it's in good condition, in good condition, or in perfect condition. You'll receive an offer that you can accept or decline, and your free shipping package will be on its way. It also supports tablets, Macs and iPods.
However, Gazelle generally offers less money than BuyBackWorld. When I tried to sell my 64GB iPhone 6 (yes, I was sick of the 16GB too), Gazelle only offered me $311 compared to BuyBackWorld's $342. But the quick process and secure packaging are reassuring.
Note: Keep in mind that due to the nature of the market, deals for various phones are subject to ups and downs, so be sure to check frequently for the best or worst prices.
Gazelle offers payment by check, PayPal or Amazon gift card with a 5% surcharge.
uSell works a bit differently from the first two services. In some cases, you can get an extremely high offer, even higher than BuyBackWorld. The downside is that often you will have to ship directly to the buyer. It's always free as uSell will provide the shipping kit and label, but reliability may vary.
Fortunately, to remedy this problem, uSell has taken the initiative to offer "Managed by uSell" offers, which means that you ship your phone to uSell and they take care of the rest. If you get a Managed by uSell offer, take advantage of that as they are often quite generous too. uSell also takes everything from iPods to game consoles to textbooks. It pays with PayPal or by check.
