Where Can I Sell Broken iPhones? The 4 Best Places

Oh no! You are stuck with a busted iPhone. Whether you accidentally dropped it one too many times, the kiddo spilled an entire glass of milk on it and fried something inside of the phone, or it finally just took a dump after several years of use, an iPhone dying is indeed a sad, sad day. But if you’re about to toss that busted iPhone of yours in the trash, stop what you are doing and read this article on where you can sell your broken iPhone.

Table of Contents

• Where Can I Sell Broken iPhones?
• Can I get paid for trading in my broken iPhone?
• Where can I sell my broken iPhone online?
• Which brick-and-mortar stores will buy my broken iPhone?
• Will any cell phone carriers buy my broken iPhone?
• How much should I expect to get for my broken iPhone?
• Do people ever buy broken iPhones to ‘flip’?
• Closing Thoughts

Where Can I Sell Broken iPhones?

If you have a broken iPhone, you can sell it a few different ways. One of the easiest ways is to post it for sale online (on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.). You can also try selling it for a fraction of the retail price at either a brick-and-mortar store (such as Target) or carrier service (like Verizon or AT&T).

When my very first iPhone – an iPhone 5S, mind you – died, I literally shed tears. I was that broken up over the loss of my favorite phone (to that point, at least). I had a phone that I didn’t know what to do with since, well, it just wasn’t going to work ever again. Physically, it was in good condition. It just lost its battle with hardware aging.

What was I to do? I didn’t think there was any point in trading it in or trying to take it in for repairs. I’d already had the phone for about two years after buying it refurbished.

I ended up junking that phone, as many people do. But, as it turns out, I should’ve tried to sell my busted iPhone.

Even if your iPhone is a few versions out of date and is definitely deceased, people will still buy it! They might be able to ‘flip’ it and sell it for a small profit or take the parts and use them on another iPhone in need of repair. And there are even some brick-and-mortar stores and carriers that will buy a broken iPhone for a fraction of the retail price.

Can I get paid for trading in my broken iPhone?

Even if your iPhone has been taken out by water damage, you can trade your iPhone in for a fraction of the cost. You can trade your busted iPhone into your cellular carrier, but the money they’ll offer for your iPhone won’t be as much as you can get from an online buyback company. 

Even individual buyers online might want more for your iPhone. Horrendously damaged iPhones are often excluded from those buyback programs.

Online iPhone buyback companies might be somewhat stringent, but individual buyers might see value in something with a smashed screen and are willing to pay more money than you might realize.

Even if your phone will no longer turn on or no longer has sound, it could still be worth a pretty penny to the right buyer. Liquid damage? That can be turned into cash, and that cash can be applied toward your next phone purchase.

Where can I sell my broken iPhone online?

So, first things first: Don’t even think about trying to sell your janky old iPhone back to Apple. They won’t take it. You cannot get any in-store credit for a broken iPhone. Instead, try posting it on a site like Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, or eBay.

Pro seller tip: Do your market research first to find out what your particular model is going for in poor condition. Remember, you will have some extra costs to incur, such as shipping and the percentage cut that eBay or Facebook will take for the posting.

There are online buyback programs, such as Bank My Cell, which will give you payment timescales and free shipping and returns. Do your research on each company before you settle on one so you can get the most money back.

Which brick-and-mortar stores will buy my broken iPhone?

Most in-person stores will give you about 50-70% of the phone’s current market value. The benefit of doing this is getting an instant payout. But you’re obviously losing money as opposed to selling online. 

These are the stores I recommend you contact to get individual quotes from:

• Best Buy
• GameStop
• Walmart
• Target

Will any cell phone carriers buy my broken iPhone?

Some cellular carriers will accept a broken iPhone as a trade-in, depending on the type and extent of the damage done.

Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint all offer damage quotes, and the two former will give you quotes for faulty iPhones, too. Don’t even bother with T-Mobile; they will not accept broken or faulty iPhones as a trade-in.

How much should I expect to get for my broken iPhone?

If you participate in a buyback program, you could get closer to 70% of the phone’s current market value. 

In-person stores might offer 50-70% of the market value. Cellular carriers will give you quotes as part of a trade-in, but it likely won’t be as much as you’d want. Your best bet? Sell online to an individual buyers looking for a phone they can flip or use for parts.

Do people ever buy broken iPhones to ‘flip’?

Broken iPhone? Cracked screen? iCloud locked? No problem; some individual buyers will pay a good chunk of change for that iPhone of yours. 

As it turns out, flipping iPhones is a great and profitable side hustle, earning some folks up to $1,000 a week. 

So, yeah, they are the ones who will be interested in paying more than $150 for your broken iPhone. This is why I encourage you to try selling online after doing some market research. But definitely proceed with caution because there are always going to be scammers out there.

Closing Thoughts

You have a few different options for what you can do with your broken iPhone. If you’re leery of selling online, try using a buyback program. The payout isn’t instantaneous, but you could still make a decent amount back from your phone. 

I’d skip taking it to a store or cellular provider if you really want top-dollar amount for your iPhone and don’t need the cash for one right away.