How to sell or trade your old Android phone

There are lots of new and exciting smartphones just released (or about to be released) and it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that you are planning to upgrade from your current phone. Along with its flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung introduced two new folding phones, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Meanwhile, Google launched its latest mid-priced Pixel 5A and announced it’s coming. Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Whether you want to buy one of Samsung’s new folding phones or one of the upcoming Google 6 phones without paying full price, swapping out your old phone – or selling it – is a smart way to do it. On the other hand, there are those who, without breaking the bank, will decide to buy a lightly used phone from the older generation that suits their needs.

If you have an older model and are ready to upgrade, here are a few steps you can take to get your device ready to sell, and then how much cash you can expect to earn back. We’ll focus on Samsung and Google Pixel phones here, but you can probably expect similar results with phones from other vendors.

Examine your phone

If your old device is in good condition, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new owner. As outlined in our guide to selling your iPhone, having a phone in good condition is essential to finding a buyer willing to pay top dollar.

Even if your phone is not in the best condition, it still Something for your trade. Consider its flaws, including scratches, dents, cracks, and any other quirks the next owner should know about. Be honest or he’ll probably come back to bite you.

Photograph by James Bareham / Moyens I/O

wipe your phone

There are three steps to securely wipe your Android phone. These steps may vary slightly depending on whether you have a phone from Samsung, Pixel or another manufacturer.

First, here are the instructions for a Samsung running Android 11:

1. Disable Factory Reset Protection. This feature prevents your phone from being erased if it is stolen. To disable it, all you have to do is turn off your Screen Lock. (You have set the Screen Lock, right?) Go to “Settings” > “Lock Screen” > “Screen lock type” and select “None”.
2. Remove your account. Go to “Settings” > “Accounts & backup” > “Managed accounts” and tap the account listed there (or if you have more than one). Then tap on “Remove account” option. (By the way, if you haven’t backed up your phone recently, you can go to “Accounts & backup” > “Backup” to do so.)
3. Reset the phone to factory settings. The next step is to factory reset the phone to completely wipe it from all your data. Returning to the main settings menu, select “General management” > “Reset” to take you to the final step. Select “Factory data reset”. You will get a warning page listing the data to be deleted; any accounts you’re still signed into (and you need to go back and remove); and which apps to uninstall. Ready? Tap on “Reset” (you will be prompted to enter your Samsung account password).

The instructions here are for a Pixel running Android 12 beta.

1. Disable Factory Reset Protection. This feature prevents your phone from being erased if it is stolen. To disable it, all you have to do is turn off your Screen Lock. (You set your Screen Lock, right?) Go to “Settings” > “Security” > “Screen lock” and select “None”.
2. Remove your account. Wiping your phone using Android 12 starts by going to “Settings” > “Passwords & accounts” and tapping the account listed there (or if you have more than one). Then tap on “Remove account” option. You will get a warning popup. Tap on “Remove account” again.
3. Reset the phone to factory settings. The next step is to factory reset the phone to completely wipe it from all your data. Return to the main settings menu and select “System”. If you haven’t backed up your phone to Google Drive recently, you can go to “Backup” and select “Back up now”. Otherwise, entering “Reset options” will take you to the final step. Select “Wipe all data (factory reset)”. You will get a warning page listing the data to be deleted and if you neglected to sign out of any account it will be listed there (and you should go back and delete it). Otherwise, tap on the “Delete all data” option.

Want to trade your phone?

When you trade your phone with a manufacturer or carrier, you may be trading in price for convenience. Which one you choose is up to you.

At the time of publication, Samsung says it’s offering up to $750 in trade-in credits for the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or Z Flip3 5G. Interestingly, Samsung’s offerings tend to be relatively generous. For example, a three-year-old Galaxy S9 will give you $150 credit, while the Galaxy Note 9 goes up to $400 like the Galaxy S10 Plus, while you can get points if you trade with the Galaxy S20 5G Ultra. $750 would be swapped.

During the pre-order period, Google says it’s offering up to $600 for the swap. I pretended to have a working Pixel 4 XL with 128GB of storage without cracks and was offered $170, while the 128GB Pixel 4a 5G was priced at $190. A Pixel 3 with 128GB of storage got me an offer of $58, and finally, an original unlocked Pixel with 32GB or 128GB was worth $25.01.

You can get a good deal with a carrier as long as you read the small print. For example, Verizon is offering up to $800 off select new phones (like the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G) if you’re trading with one from a long list of phones (and tying yourself to its Unlimited plan).

Photograph by Sean O’Kane / Moyens I/O

Did you sell your phone?

when it comes where can you sell your old phone swap is the best choice with a healthy community of buyers and sellers. With Swappa you create a list with a price; When your device is sold, you get paid from Swappa and then send 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 from a site like Swappa can vary, I looked at the lowest suggested price (you’re more likely to find a buyer for it).

First, Samsung’s. A fair-condition Galaxy S9 with 64GB fetched as low as $129; A Galaxy Note 9 priced as low as $219; The Galaxy S10 Plus bottomed out at $249, while the Galaxy S20 5G Ultra started at $539. Even considering these are the cheapest prices this phone will ever get, there’s a significant difference between Samsung’s trade-in prices and these.

Meanwhile, the original Pixel with 32GB of storage fetched as low as $62, while the Pixel XL was priced as low as $60. A 64GB unlocked Pixel 2 is priced as low as $90; The 2 XL versions were offered for as little as $99. An unlocked, 64GB Pixel 3 in good condition costs $115; The 3 XL version in fair condition fetched a retail price of as low as $95. Finally, you can score a 64GB good-condition Pixel 4 XL for $250.

Of course, there are other sites where you can sell your phones.

Decluttr buys the phone from you and then sells it again. The company gives you a price online; you send your phone to Decluttr within 28 days. The phone will be examined; If there are problems, you will be offered a revised price, which you will have 14 days to accept or reject.

Gazelle It works pretty much the same way: the company gives you a quote online, and then you send your phone to Gazelle within 30 days. The phone will be examined; If there are problems, you will be quoted a revised price.

best buy allows you to mail it to your phone or bring it to the nearest Best Buy retail store; either way, you can exchange it for an e-gift card.

flippsi deals with various retail sites; It will let you know which vendors are offering how much, and then you have 14 days to ship the device. Seller pays shipping cost. If the seller does not accept your evaluation, he will send a revised offer; It’s a good idea to check before shipping, as each seller has their own return policies.

And of course there is eBay. Selling here can be a bit complicated, but basically you get up to 250 free listings every month; When 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 shipping charges, of course) include: Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

Whether you use one of the resources listed here to cover the cost of a new Google Pixel 6 or whether the convenience of trading on the phone is worth the extra money is up to you.