How to sell your phone in the UK: the complete 2026 guide
There are two ways to sell a phone in the UK: the slow way — photographing it, listing it, haggling with strangers, hoping the buyer does not claim it 'arrived broken' — and the fast way: an instant quote, a free insured label, and money in your account the day the phone is checked.
This guide covers how to get the best price either way, and the five-minute preparation that protects you regardless of route.
Timing: sell before the keynote, not after
Phone values drop in steps, not slopes — and the biggest step is the launch of a successor. iPhone prices fall 10–20% in the weeks after Apple's September event; Samsung values do the same around the Galaxy launch early each year. If you are holding a phone you plan to sell, the best day is almost always today, not after 'one more month' of use.
Condition is the other lever you control. A £15 screen protector and a case pay for themselves many times over at resale: the gap between 'good' and 'excellent' grades on a flagship is routinely £40–£80.
The five-minute preparation that protects you
First, back up — iCloud or an encrypted computer backup for iPhone, Google One or Smart Switch for Android. Second — the step people miss — sign out of Find My iPhone (Settings → your name → Sign Out) or remove the Google account on Android. A phone with activation lock still on is worthless to any buyer and will stall your payment.
Third, erase properly: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings. A factory reset on a modern encrypted phone renders your data unrecoverable. Finally, pop out your SIM and, if you use eSIM, remove the plan during the erase prompt.
- 1Back it upiCloud or a computer, whichever you actually use.
- 2Sign out of iCloudAnd turn off Find My iPhone. A locked phone cannot be processed by anyone.
- 3Factory resetThen check it boots to the setup screen.
- 4Remove the SIMAnd any memory card.
- 5Photograph it, including the IMEIYour record of condition if anything is disputed later.
Why the IMEI matters
The IMEI (dial *#06# to see it) is your phone's fingerprint. Reputable buyers check it against loss, theft and finance databases before paying — and so should you before selling privately, because a phone with outstanding finance can be blocked in the buyer's hands and traced back to you. When a buyer asks for your IMEI, that is a mark of professionalism, not suspicion.
Trade-in vs private sale, honestly
A private sale on eBay or Facebook Marketplace can fetch 10–15% more — before fees, postage, time and the non-trivial risk of scams and returns fraud. A trade-in service pays slightly less but pays certainly: instant quote, free insured shipping, payment on the day of inspection.
Our trade-in portal gives you a fixed quote in under a minute — no email hostage-taking, no 'final price on inspection' games. If your phone matches your description, you get the quoted amount. If we grade it differently, you see why and can have it returned free.
| Private sale | Trade-in | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline price | Higher | Lower |
| What you actually get | Often less, after fees | The quoted figure |
| Time | Days to weeks | Days |
| Chargeback risk | Yours | None |
| Effort | Photos, messages, meeting | One form |
Frequently asked
Can I sell a phone with a cracked screen?+
Yes — damaged phones still hold real value for their working parts. Select the honest condition in the trade-in form and you'll see the adjusted quote instantly.
How do I get paid?+
Bank transfer within 24 hours of your phone passing inspection.