Two new Apple iPhones have arrived on the market. If you want to buy one, here's the best way to make the most money on your old mobile.
Apple has launched two new versions of its iPhone, the 5S and the 5C, which are available to order from September 13th.
If you’re desperate to get your hands on one of these new iPhones, but in need of the cash to buy it, selling off your old handset is a good way to generate some money.
Prices vary considerably on mobile recycling websites, so it’s well worth doing your research first in order to get the highest amount possible.
The most popular phones to recycle
Apple’s iPhones are some of the most popular handsets around, but the Samsung Galaxy is also a strong contender. News of the new iPhone is likely to create a surge in older models on re-selling sites as people look for a quick way to find the cash to buy a new phone.
There are several different mobile phone recycling websites on the internet. One of the most well-known is Sell My Mobile which compares the prices from a number of different websites.
Below you can see the current most popular phones people are cashing in on, and the maximum price available.
IPhones rank highly in the list and you can make the most from the iPhone 5 16GB which is selling for up to £272. There are two Samsung phones included, the Galaxy S2 for £120 and the S3 for £203. Blackberry also has a number of handsets although the price of these is significantly lower.
Most popular phones to recycle
|
Rank |
Handset* |
Maximum phone recycle value |
|
1 |
Apple iPhone 4 16GB |
£123 |
|
2 |
Apple iPhone 4S 16 GB |
£186 |
|
3 |
Samsung Galaxy S2 i9100 |
£120 |
|
4 |
Samsung Galaxy S3 i9100 |
£203 |
|
5 |
Apple iPhone 5 16GB |
£272 |
|
6 |
Blackberry Bold Touch 9900 |
£107.50 |
|
7 |
Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 |
£46 |
|
8 |
Blackberry Curve 8520 |
£29.50 |
|
9 |
Blackberry Curve 9320 |
£50.20 |
|
10 |
Apple iPhone 4 8GB |
£121 |
*source: SellMyMobile
How the prices compare
The price you receive for your old mobile will depend on the brand, age, condition and where you sell it. In the table below you can see how much prices change between four leading mobile phone recycling websites.
There is quite a difference. For example, if you were selling an old iPhone 4 16GB there is a £25.84 gap depending on where you sell it.
A number of websites will offer a higher price, but this will include a shopping voucher. For example on Mazuma you can sell an iPhone 5 16GB for £255 in cash or £280.50 in Argos vouchers.
The quality of the phone will also affect the final selling price. Most websites will list one price for a working phone and one for a broken phone. Other factors such as packaging costs also need to be accounted for.
|
Mobile handset |
Tesco |
Fonebank.com |
Envirofone |
Mazuma.com |
|
Apple iPhone 4 16GB |
£84.16 |
£110 |
£107.51 |
£105 |
|
Apple iPhone 4S 16GB |
£157.49 |
£170 |
£155.10 |
£173 |
|
Samsung Galaxy S2 i9100 |
£103 |
£85 |
£81.08 |
£80 |
|
Samsung Galaxy S3 i9100 |
£148.15 |
£170 |
£165.09 |
£170 |
|
Apple iPhone 5 16GB |
£184.69 |
£265 |
£257.56 |
£255 |
|
Blackberry Bold Touch 9900 |
£81.40 |
£85 |
£81.08 |
£80 |
|
Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 |
£40 |
£30 |
£27.02 |
£26 |
|
Blackberry Curve 8520 |
£24.96 |
£30 |
£27.02 |
£25 |
|
Blackberry Curve 9320 |
£36.09 |
£30 |
£39.01 |
£37 |
|
Apple iPhone 4 8GB |
£83.86 |
£100 |
£87.54 |
£85 |
Second-hand selling
If you’ve got an old mobile you want to get rid of, you don’t have to do it through one of these sites. Auction sites such as eBay are another option, although you’ll also need to factor in the cost for selling the phone and listing it.
For tips on how to make the most money see our article How to sell successfully on eBay.
Some retailers will also offer a discount off a new phone if you trade in your old model. It’s always worth asking if this is a possibility, and how much the discount will be, before you sell it elsewhere.