Top Places to Buy Used Phones in 2023

No one can deny the meteoric rise of used phone sales. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), shipments of used smartphones will reach 413.3 million units in 2026 with a compound annual growth rate of 10.3% from 2021 to 2026. The growth in sales is due to trade-in programs and increased sales of higher-priced devices.

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With so many used phones available to consumers, choosing the best refurbished phone for your needs and then choosing the best place to buy used phones can be overwhelming. Our Complete Guide to Buying Refurbished Phones can help you decide what type of used mobile device is best for you. Below you’ll find some of the top places to buy used phones in 2023 (in no particular order).

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Swappa

This e-commerce site was founded in 2010 as a source for only Android products, but quickly became a top place to buy used phones and sell them. Unlike most marketplaces, Swappa charges the buyer any associated fees rather than the seller. While this may not seem like a pro, it does encourage more sellers to put their products on this site, therefore increasing the inventory. Swappa’s fees are generally less than $20 and their refurbished phone prices tend to be some of the lowest you’ll find, so often it’s worth it to pay the fees.

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Some other pros of buying a used phone on Swappa are the listing requirements. All listings:

• are verified by a human;
• must have good-quality photos that clearly show any damage and the quality (fair/good/excellent) should match the photos; 
• and the shipping cost is included in the price of the listing. 
• Swappa lets you filter your search for Phonecheck Certified devices, and includes the Phonecheck Certified Badge on verified listings, so you know a device has been thoroughly tested, erased, and certified with Phonecheck. Always ask for your Phonecheck Device History Report!

Swappa also uses PayPal, so all listings are protected.

To help ensure the quality of the refurbished phone, buyers can look through the listings for the Phonecheck badge on certified listings from Enterprise Sellers. In the future, buyers will be able to filter listings by Phonecheck status so they can find used devices with their comprehensive Device History Reports. 

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Back Market

Back Market came onto the scene as a place to buy used phones with a mission to challenge people to rethink their tech consumption and help control the “megatons of e-waste.” It has sold refurbished devices to more than six million customers and has a stringent program in place to monitor the quality of devices, including an approval process that sees two out of three potential sellers denied access to its marketplace. The company also monitors seller performance in real-time and offers buyers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty. 

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Back Market sellers are required to provide an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number (a unique identifier) for every phone listed in its marketplace. Phonecheck can analyze IMEI numbers and confirm if a device has been reported lost or stolen, was blacklisted, or is subject to an insurance claim. This provides additional data points for Back Market sellers to continue improving quality and be successful in the marketplace.