Buying Guides

Your old iPhone is worth three different numbers right now — and only one of them is cash in your hand today. Apple will hand you an instant credit. Your carrier will advertise a much bigger number that arrives as monthly bill credits over three years. A private buyer will pay the most, but you do the work and carry the risk.

We buy and sell phones for a living, so we run this comparison every week. Here is the real 2026 math for all three routes, using verified US prices — so you can pick the one that actually fits your situation instead of the one with the biggest poster.

Last updated: October 14, 2026. Apple trade-in values checked against Apple's US Trade In page via MacRumors and refurb.me (October 7, 2026 check). Carrier terms from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile's published iPhone 18 Pro launch offers.

Option 1: Apple Trade In — instant credit, lowest payout

Apple Trade In is the simplest route. You answer a few questions about your phone's condition, Apple gives you an estimate, and the credit comes off your new iPhone at checkout — instantly. No listing, no meetups, no waiting.

The catch is the number. Apple's US trade-in values for iPhones run from $175 to $885, and every figure below is a maximum for a device in good condition. Apple revised all iPhone values on September 9, 2026, cutting most of them — the iPhone 16 Pro Max fell $110 in one day, from $720 to $610.

Two things quietly shrink your payout. First, condition: Apple moved to more granular condition grading in September 2026, so a cracked screen, swollen battery, or failed diagnostic can drop the offer far below the headline number — sometimes to a recycling-only offer. Second, the credit is Apple-only. It comes off a new Apple purchase, not as cash you can spend anywhere.

Apple Trade In is the right call when you value speed and certainty over squeezing out the last dollar — and when you are buying your next iPhone from Apple anyway.

Option 2: Carrier trade-in — the biggest headline, the longest leash

AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all advertised up to $1,200 off an iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max at launch with an eligible trade-in. That is a bigger number than Apple's $885 ceiling — but it is a different kind of money.

Here is what "up to $1,200" actually means:

• It arrives as bill credits, not cash. The $1,200 is spread across monthly bill credits over 24 to 36 months — typically 36. You do not get $1,200 off at the register; you get roughly $33 a month off your bill for three years.
• It requires the top-tier plan. At AT&T, the full $1,200 needs a Premium 2.0 plan (or qualifying legacy unlimited) and a trade-in valued at $180 or more. The same trade-in on a mid-tier plan earns up to $930, and on the Value plan up to $500. Verizon's $1,200 needs a new line on myPlan; upgrading an existing line caps at $1,020.
• You pay tax on the full price. Sales tax is calculated on the phone's full retail price, not the discounted amount — plus a $35 to $40 activation or upgrade fee. Budget roughly $150 to $250 upfront on a Pro Max before credits even start.
• You are locked in for the term. Leave early and the remaining device balance comes due — and the credits stop. The phone is also carrier-locked until it is paid off, which is exactly why locked phones resell for less. If you are unsure what that means, our factory unlocked vs carrier locked guide explains the difference.
• Credits take time to start. Bill credits typically begin within two to three billing cycles, so your first couple of bills look full-price.

The carrier deal is genuinely good value if you were going to stay on that carrier, on that plan, for three years anyway. If you switch carriers often, travel a lot, or like to upgrade yearly, the "free phone" can cost you more in plan premiums and lost flexibility than it saves.

Option 3: Sell it yourself — the most money, the most work

Selling privately almost always nets the most cash, because there is no middleman taking a margin for refurbishment and resale. But the gross price is not what you keep — fees and hassle take a cut.

• Swappa: about a 3% seller fee. The Wall Street Journal's September 2026 survey found an average Swappa payout of $791 for an iPhone 17 — well above Apple's $585 maximum for the same model.
• eBay: about a 13.6% final-value fee. The same survey put eBay sale prices for an unlocked 256GB iPhone 17 at roughly $500 to $700 gross — which nets to about $432 to $605 after fees.
• Facebook Marketplace / local sale: no platform fee, but you handle meetups, haggling, no-shows, and scam attempts yourself. Cash or instant payment in person only — never ship a phone on a "check is in the mail" promise.
• Buyback sites (BackMarket, Gazelle): a middle ground — instant quotes, they handle resale, and payouts typically land between Apple's credit and a full private sale. The Journal found BackMarket offering $535 for a pristine iPhone 16.

In our shop, private-sale prices for a clean, unlocked iPhone typically run 15 to 25% above Apple's instant credit for the same phone in the same condition. That gap is the market paying you for doing the work Apple or the carrier would otherwise do: listing, photos, answering buyers, and taking the risk.

The worked example: one iPhone 17, three payouts

Take an unlocked 256GB iPhone 17 in good condition, with battery health above 85%:

Read the table by what you actually keep. The carrier's $1,200 is the biggest headline and the least flexible money. The private sale's ~$791 beats Apple's $585 by about $200 — that $200 is your pay for an hour or two of listing work. Whether that trade is worth it depends on how much you value your time.

The convenience premium: what you are really paying for

Every trade-in offer is a private-sale price minus a convenience premium. Apple and the carriers buy your phone below market because they absorb the listing, the buyer risk, the refurbishment, and the warranty on the next owner. That is a fair deal — as long as you know the size of the discount.

As a rule of thumb from behind the counter: if the gap between Apple's instant credit and a realistic private-sale net is under $100, take the trade-in. Your time, the shipping risk, and the chance of a flaky buyer are worth more than $100. If the gap is $200 or more — common on Pro and Pro Max models in good condition — selling privately is usually worth the hour it takes.

Which one should you pick?

• Pick Apple Trade In if: you are buying your next iPhone from Apple, you want it done today, and your phone has any cosmetic wear that would scare off private buyers anyway.
• Pick the carrier deal if: you will stay on the same carrier and plan for the full 36 months, you are adding a line or switching anyway, and you have read the plan requirement in the fine print — not just the poster.
• Pick a private sale if: your phone is clean, unlocked, and in good condition with battery health above 85%; you are comfortable listing it; and the gap over Apple's credit is $150 or more.
• Pick a buyback site if: you want more than Apple's credit but zero buyer interaction.

One more timing note: trade-in values fall when new iPhones launch — Apple cut every iPhone value on September 9, 2026, launch day. If a new model is coming in the next few weeks and you plan to upgrade anyway, getting your quote before the announcement usually beats waiting until after.

Before you sell or trade: the 5-minute prep checklist

1. Back up your data (iCloud or computer), then sign out of iCloud and turn off Find My. A phone still signed into iCloud is worthless to the next owner — and a trade-in can be rejected for it.
2. Unpair your Apple Watch and remove the phone from your Apple ID device list.
3. Erase all content and settings (Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings). Do this after signing out, so Activation Lock is fully cleared.
4. Confirm the phone is unlocked if you are selling it as unlocked — run through our 4 ways to check if an iPhone is unlocked before you list it. An unlocked phone sells for more; a locked one sold as unlocked earns you a dispute.
5. Photograph everything before you hand it over: the IMEI (dial *#06#), the battery health screen, and all four edges. If a trade-in quote is ever revised down for "undisclosed damage," those photos are your evidence.

And if you are buying rather than selling — especially used — run an IMEI check before you pay. A clean IMEI confirms the phone is not blacklisted and matches the model the seller claims. Our imei.ae lookup is built for exactly that check.

FAQ

Is it better to trade in or sell my iPhone privately?

Private sales usually net $100 to $300 more than Apple's instant credit on clean, recent models — but you pay marketplace fees (about 3% on Swappa, about 13.6% on eBay) and do the work. Trade-ins win when the gap is small, the phone has wear, or you value same-day certainty.

Is the carrier's "up to $1,200 off" deal real?

Yes, but it is bill credits spread over 24 to 36 months, not $1,200 off today. The full amount usually requires a top-tier unlimited plan, an eligible trade-in, and staying with the carrier for the full term. Sales tax on the full retail price plus a $35 to $40 activation fee are due upfront.

How much does Apple give for an iPhone 16 Pro Max trade-in?

As of the September 9, 2026 update, up to $610 for an iPhone 16 Pro Max in good condition — down from $720 before the update. The top Apple trade-in value is $885 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

When is the best time to trade in an iPhone?

Before a new iPhone launch, not after. Apple cut every iPhone trade-in value on September 9, 2026, launch day — some by up to $120. If you plan to upgrade, get your quote before the next announcement.

Does trading in save on sales tax?

It depends on your state and where you buy. In some states, a trade-in credit reduces the taxable amount of your new phone; in others — including carrier deals — tax is charged on the full retail price. Ask at checkout before assuming the saving.