Most of us have an old phone or two in a drawer. They lose value every month they sit there, and a phone with a lithium battery should never go in the household bin. Here are the sensible options, roughly from the most money to the least.
1. Sell it
If the phone still works, or is a recent model even with a cracked screen, it is usually worth selling. An online buyback service gives you an instant quote, collects the phone and pays by bank transfer. Check what yours is worth in our trade-in value guide, or compare the options in the best place to sell your iPhone.
2. Trade it in
If you are buying a new phone, the manufacturer, your network or the retailer may offer trade-in credit. It is convenient, but you are paid in credit rather than cash, so compare it with a straight cash offer first.
3. Recycle it
Very old or badly damaged phones may have no resale value, but they still contain metals worth recovering. Use a buyback service that also recycles devices it cannot resell, your local council's household waste recycling centre (most accept small electricals), or a retailer take-back scheme. Never put a phone in general waste: damaged lithium batteries can start fires in bin lorries and waste sites.
4. Donate it
A working older phone can be useful to someone else. Several UK charities collect phones to resell or pass on. Make sure the charity is registered, and wipe the phone first.
5. Keep one as a spare
An old phone can be a handy backup if your main phone breaks, but one spare is plenty. The rest are worth more sold now than later.
Before it leaves your hands: wipe it
Whatever you choose, back up your data, remove your accounts and factory reset the phone. A phone still locked to your account cannot be reused and is often worth nothing to a buyer. Follow our guides for an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy.
Ready to sell? Get a quote for an iPhone or a Samsung. Broken phones are accepted too: see sell a broken iPhone.
