There are a plethora of exciting new smartphones that have just hit the market (or are about to), and it wouldn't be at all surprising to find out that you're planning to put upgrade your current phone. Samsung introduced two new foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, along with its flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra. Meanwhile, Google released its latest mid-priced Pixel 5A and announced its upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
ContentsInspect your phoneErase your phoneTrade in your phone?Sell your phone?Whether you want to buy one of Samsung's new foldable phones or one of the upcoming Google 6 phones without paying full price, trade in your old phone – or selling it – is a smart way to do it. On the other hand, there are those who will instead decide to buy a little-used older generation phone that will meet their needs without breaking the bank.
If you have an older model and are ready for an upgrade, here are some steps you can take to prepare your device for sale, followed by the amount of money you can expect to make to recover. We'll focus on Samsung and Google Pixel phones here, but you can probably expect similar results with phones from other vendors.
If your old device is in good condition, you shouldn't have much trouble finding a new owner. As mentioned in our guide to selling your iPhone, having a phone in good condition is key to finding a buyer willing to pay top dollar.
Even if your phone isn't in the best shape, you should still be able to get something for your business. Consider its flaws, including scratches, dents, cracks, and any other oddities the next owner should experience. Be honest, otherwise it will probably come back to bite you.
Photo by James Bareham / I/O Means
There are three steps to safely wipe your Android phone. These steps may vary slightly depending on whether you have a Samsung, Pixel, or phone from another manufacturer.
First, instructions for a Samsung running Android 11:
Instructions here are for a Pixel running Android 12 beta.
When you trade in your phone with a manufacturer or carrier, you can trade in the price for your convenience. It's up to you.
As of press time, Samsung announced it is offering up to $750 in trade-in credit on a Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or Z Flip3 5G. Interestingly, Samsung's offers tend to be relatively generous. For example, a three-year-old Galaxy S9 will get you $150 credit, a Galaxy Note 9 goes up to $400 as does a Galaxy S10 Plus, while if you trade in a Galaxy S20 5G Ultra you can score $750. in exchange.
During its pre-order period, Google says it's offering up to $600 for a trade-in. I claimed to have a Pixel 4 XL with 128GB of storage that was in working order with no cracks, and was offered $170, while a Pixel 4a 5G with 128GB brought in a quote of $190 . A Pixel 3 with 128GB of storage got me a $58 deal, and finally, a stock unlocked Pixel with 32GB or 128GB was $25.01.
You might be able to get a good deal with a carrier as long as you read the fine print. For example, Verizon is offering up to $800 off specific new phones (like the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G) if you trade in one of a long list of phones (and commit to its unlimited plan).
Photo by Sean O’Kane / I/O Means
As for where you can sell your old phone, Swappa is a top pick with a healthy community of buyers and sellers. With Swappa, you create an ad with a price; when your device is sold, you receive payment from Swappa and then ship the phone directly to the buyer. Swappa charges the buyer a fee, based on the price of the phone, but you are responsible for shipping costs.
Since what you can get on a site like Swappa can vary, I looked at the lowest suggested price (which you're more likely to find a buyer for).
First of all, Samsung. A 64GB Galaxy S9 in good condition has a low price of $129; a Galaxy Note 9 priced at a low price of $219; a Galaxy S10 Plus bottomed out at $249, while a Galaxy S20 5G Ultra started at $539. Even considering these are the cheapest prices of these phones, there is a huge difference between these and Samsung's trade-in prices.
Meanwhile, the original Pixel with 32GB of storage has a low price of $62, while a Pixel XL has a low price of $60. An unlocked Pixel 2 with 64GB priced at a low price of $90; the 2 XL version was listed with a low price of $99. An unlocked Pixel 3 with 64GB in good condition had a low price of $115; the undamaged 3 XL version brought a low sale price of $95. Finally, you could score a undamaged Pixel 4 XL with 64GB for $250.
There are of course other sites where you can sell your phones.
Decluttering buys the phone from you and then resells it. The company gives you an online price; you then ship your phone to Decluttr within 28 days. The phone will be inspected; if there are any issues, you will be offered a revised price which you will have 14 days to accept or decline.
Gazelle works much the same way:the company gives you a price online and you then ship your phone to Gazelle within 30 days. The phone will be inspected; if there are any issues, you will be offered a revised price.
Best Buy lets you either mail your phone in or take it to the nearest Best Buy store; in any case, you can exchange it for an electronic gift card.
Flipsy deals with a variety of retail sites; it will let you know what vendors are offering and how much, and then you have 14 days to ship the device. The seller pays the shipping costs. If the seller disagrees with your assessment, they will send you a revised offer; Since each supplier has their own return policies, it's a good idea to check before shipping.
And of course there is eBay . Selling here can be a bit tricky, but basically you get up to 250 ads for free every month; once you sell your item, there is a 10.2 percent fee plus a $0.30 transaction fee.
Other places where you can sell your phone for free (excluding, of course, shipping costs) include Facebook Market and Craigslist .
Whether you use one of the resources listed here to offset the cost of a new Google Pixel 6 or decide the convenience of trade-in the phone is worth the extra cash, this is up to you.
