Shane Cole
With the release of Apple's newest flagship iPhone 5s and the mid-level iPhone 5c, AppleInsider's trade-in guide can help you get the most from your old iPhone.
There are many companies offering to let you trade in your old iPhone for credit toward a new one, but which is best? AppleInsider has surveyed the top options to help you make your decision. Be sure to also check out AppleInsider's trade-in guide for information on swapping your other iOS devices.
In-store: Apple, Best Buy, Walmart
Apple, Best Buy, and Walmart share similar in-store trade-in options: customers can walk into the store with their old iPhone and walk out with a new iPhone 5s or 5c in a single transaction. Store employees will assess your trade-in and provide a quote; if you accept, they will sell you a new, on-contract iPhone on the spot and apply the trade-in value toward your purchase. Apple is reportedly offering less in return for your trade than the others, though AppleInsider has been unable to confirm the amount.
Mail-in for cash: Gazelle, NextWorth, USell
These online-only players will ask you to provide a general description of your iPhone's condition, then give you an instant quote. If you accept the price, the service will send you a prepaid shipping container — usually a small box or envelope — that you'll use to send in your device. Once the handset has been inspected, you can receive your money in as little as five days.
 |
|  Good | Broken |
| Current iPhone Trade-in Payouts (Oct 10th 2014) | |||
| iPhone 3G 16GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $12 | $10 | $0 |
| iPhone 3G 8GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $12 | $10 | $0 |
| iPhone 3G S 16GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $12 | $10 | $5 |
| iPhone 3G S 32GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $12 | $10 | $5 |
| iPhone 3G S 8GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $12 | $10 | $5 |
| iPhone 4 16GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $105 | $100 | $50 |
| iPhone 4 16GB (Verizon) | $80 | $75 | $30 |
| iPhone 4 32GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $110 | $105 | $50 |
| iPhone 4 32GB (Verizon) | $82 | $77 | $30 |
| iPhone 4 8GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $100 | $95 | $50 |
| iPhone 4 8GB (other) | $55 | $50 | $20 |
| iPhone 4 8GB (Sprint) | $65 | $60 | $20 |
| iPhone 4 8GB (T-Mobile) | $70 | $65 | $20 |
| iPhone 4 8GB (Verizon) | $65 | $60 | $20 |
| iPhone 4S 8GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $170 | $160 | $70 |
| iPhone 4S 8GB (other) | $130 | $120 | $50 |
| iPhone 4S 8GB (Sprint) | $150 | $140 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 8GB (T-Mobile) | $150 | $140 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 8GB (Verizon) | $150 | $140 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 16GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $175 | $165 | $80 |
| iPhone 4S 16GB (other) | $140 | $130 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 16GB (Sprint) | $160 | $150 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 16GB (T-Mobile) | $160 | $150 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 16GB (Verizon) | $160 | $150 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 32GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $180 | $170 | $80 |
| iPhone 4S 32GB (other) | $140 | $130 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 32GB (Sprint) | $165 | $155 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 32GB (Verizon) | $165 | $155 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 64GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $185 | $175 | $80 |
| iPhone 4S 64GB (other) | $140 | $130 | $60 |
| iPhone 4S 64GB (Sprint) | $170 | $160 | $65 |
| iPhone 4S 64GB (Verizon) | $170 | $160 | $65 |
| iPhone 5 16GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $280 | $270 | $110 |
| iPhone 5 16GB (other) | $210 | $200 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 16GB (Sprint) | $210 | $200 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 16GB (T-Mobile) | $250 | $240 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 16GB (Verizon) | $290 | $280 | $110 |
| iPhone 5 32GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $285 | $275 | $110 |
| iPhone 5 32GB (other) | $215 | $205 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 32GB (Sprint) | $215 | $205 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 32GB (T-Mobile) | $260 | $250 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 32GB (Verizon) | $295 | $285 | $110 |
| iPhone 5 64GB (AT&T or Unlocked) | $290 | $280 | $110 |
| iPhone 5 64GB (other) | $220 | $210 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 64GB (Sprint) | $220 | $210 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 64GB (T-Mobile) | $270 | $260 | $80 |
| iPhone 5 64GB (Verizon) | $300 | $290 | $110 |
Gazelle offers the most cash for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5, while NextWorth wins the battle with the iPhone 4S. uSell, meanwhile, offers $115 for an iPhone 4, $205 for a 4S, and $336 for an iPhone 5.
Mail-in for credit: Amazon, Best Buy, Wal-Mart
These services work much the same way as their mail-in for cash competitors, but because they offer in-store credit rather than cash, trade-in valuations tend to be higher. Amazon, for example, will give you $441.00 for a flawless white 64GB iPhone 5, while the best quote from cash competitors is Gazelle's $340.00, a full $101.00 lower.
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Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
44 Comments
Verizon is offering $120 for a 32GB iPhone 4 as credit off of your bill. Gazelle listed the same phone as $82 if in perfect condition.
Do the phones that are traded in just get refurbished and resold? How big the second hand market?
Or sell it and get more $$$ from craigslist.
I sold my iphone 4s att 16gb through Apple's recycle program (Poweron) and got $215 apple gift card. Ebay would have gotten me a little more but with fees I probably would have come down to about what i got. I am happy only paying $3.39 out of pocket for a new iphone 5s 16gb.
Craigslist and eBay are better places to sell if you are savvy about it. These companies are buying for much less than you can get with a little effort.