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Compare nearby storage unitsWhat's Your Old Electronics Worth?
Find buyback and scrap values for phones, laptops, tablets, and gaming devices. Compare trade-in vs. parts vs. recycling.
Smartphone Details
Device Condition *
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I sell my old phone or recycle it?
Compare current offers for the exact model, storage, condition, and battery health. Before selling, remove account and activation locks so the next owner can set it up. If resale is not practical, find an electronics recycler; recycling does not erase your data, so wipe it first.
How do I wipe my phone before selling?
Back up what you need, sign out of accounts and unlink device-finding or activation-lock services, then use the manufacturer's erase or factory-reset steps for that model. Remove SIM and memory cards separately, and confirm the device no longer shows your account.
What if my phone is iCloud locked?
An activation lock can prevent setup and limit resale, but offers and parts eligibility vary. If you are the owner, remove it through the account or device maker; otherwise contact the original owner. Ask a buyer or recycler whether it accepts the locked device.
Is it better to sell for parts or whole?
Compare a whole-device offer with likely parts value and the time, tools, shipping, and safe battery handling that parting out requires. For many people, selling or recycling the intact device is simpler; do not dismantle a device with a swollen battery.
Scam Warning: Check the buyer's identity, payment terms, return policy, and shipping instructions before sending a device. Treat an online quote as provisional until the buyer confirms the grade after inspection, and compare offers from more than one buyer.
These are model estimates, not live buyback offers. Working-device and raw-material values can differ; compare current quotes for the exact model and condition before selling or dismantling it.
How E-Waste Values Work
Device values depend on several factors:
- •Working condition: A cracked screen can reduce value by 30-40%
- •Storage capacity: 256GB phones worth more than 64GB
- •Activation lock: remove the lock before resale when possible; buyers may decline locked devices or value them differently.
- •Age and model: Newer flagship devices hold value much better
- •Market demand: Popular models like iPhones resell easier and command higher prices
The Hidden Value in E-Waste
Old electronics are worth more than their resale price suggests. Their circuit boards hold recoverable gold, copper, and other metals, but the component figures below are reference estimates rather than a quote for an individual device. Estimate e-waste scrap value by component if you are comparing raw materials rather than a working-device buyback offer.
Removing a battery for recycling? Use the battery recycling checker to find handling and drop-off guidance for its type.
EPA electronics donation and recycling guidance and EPA used lithium-ion battery guidance explain why batteries need separate handling and why local collection rules matter.
Important Notes
- ⚠Back up wanted files, sign out of accounts, unlink activation-lock services, then follow the device maker's erase instructions. Remove SIM and memory cards separately.
- ⚠Remove your accounts and disable device-finding or activation-lock features before handing over a phone, so the next owner can set it up.
- ⚠Compare current offers for the exact model and condition. A quote can change after inspection, so ask how the buyer grades devices and when payment is final.
- ⚠Compare a whole-device offer with parts value before dismantling. Do not open a device with a swollen battery; ask a qualified repair or recycling service to handle it.
Related Tools & Resources
Scrap Value Lookup
Find scrap metal values for electronics components and circuit boards.
Find E-Waste Recyclers
Search for certified e-waste recycling centers near you.
Electronics Recycling Guide
Prepare old electronics safely, protect your data, and recycle them.
Environmental Impact
Calculate the environmental benefit of recycling electronics.
Selling old electronics: frequently asked questions
How much is my old phone or laptop worth?
Resale value is driven by model, storage, and condition, in that order, and it falls fast with age. A flagship phone one or two generations old typically retains a meaningful share of its price, while a five-year-old budget handset is often worth only its scrap materials. Laptops hold value differently: RAM, storage, and whether the battery still holds a charge matter more than cosmetic wear, because most buyers are reselling them as working machines.
Should I sell my old electronics or recycle them?
There is no single age cutoff. Compare current offers for the exact model, storage, condition, battery health, and lock status. A working device may have reuse value beyond its material value; if it has little resale demand or is not repairable, use an appropriate electronics recycling program. Short-term storage is reasonable while you back it up, remove accounts, and decide, but avoid leaving a device with a damaged or swollen battery unattended.
Do I need to wipe my device before selling or recycling it?
Back up what you want to keep, sign out of accounts, unlink device-finding or activation-lock services, and use the erase or factory-reset steps for that model. Remove the SIM and any memory card separately. For a computer that held sensitive data, follow the manufacturer's storage-erasure instructions; options differ between encrypted solid-state drives and older hard drives. Confirm the device no longer shows your account before handing it over.
Why do buyback offers differ so much between sites?
Because they are different businesses. Trade-in programs from manufacturers and carriers usually pay in store credit and price conservatively, since the credit brings you back. Dedicated buyback sites pay cash but grade strictly, and the quoted price is provisional until they inspect the device. Selling directly to another person pays the most and costs you the most effort and risk. Getting two or three quotes is worth the few minutes, because spreads on the same device are routinely large.
What makes electronics valuable to recyclers?
Circuit boards, which carry small amounts of gold, silver, palladium, and copper, along with the aluminum and steel in the housing and the copper in cables and power supplies. The concentration is genuinely high compared with mined ore, which is why recovery is worth doing at scale. It is also why a single phone is worth very little as raw material: the value is real but the quantity per device is tiny, so recyclers work in volume.
Is it safe to throw electronics in the trash?
Do not put lithium-ion batteries or devices containing them in household garbage or curbside recycling. EPA recommends separate battery recycling or household hazardous-waste collection because batteries can be crushed during collection or sorting and start fires. Rules and options for other electronics vary by state and community, so check the local program before discarding a screen or computer.
What should I do with a device that has a swollen battery?
Stop using or charging it, and do not press on it, puncture it, or try to remove the battery. Contact your local household hazardous-waste program, electronics recycler, or the device maker for handling instructions before transporting it. Call ahead: damaged, defective, or recalled lithium batteries can require different transport and collection procedures than intact batteries.