Opinion & Analysis

Best places to buy a refurbished iPhone and where to get the best deals

April 24, 2026
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Macworld

If you’re on the hunt for an iPhone but your budget doesn’t quite stretch to Apple’s newest models, buying a used or refurbished iPhone is a great way to pick up a bargain. While this might sound like a risky option, it doesn’t have to be if you shop in the right places. Specialist retailers offer warranties and check devices before reselling them. We’ll help you find a reputable and trusted source for second-hand iPhones.

The latest Apple iPhone is the iPhone 17 series (17e, 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max in that price order), but you can get excellent deals on older phones including the 16/15/14/13 series. (Apple still sells the standard iPhone 16 model, but has discontinued the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, which means refurbished is the way to go with those models.) The older the iPhone you’re prepared to buy, the bigger the savings you can enjoy. You can also save money in some stores by selecting a phone with visible signs of use.

In this article, we cover everything there is to know about safely buying a refurbished iPhone, whether you’re looking to buy SIM-free or on contract.

Know what you need? Quick links to trusted refurbished iPhone sellers

Why buy a refurbished phone?

Refurbished phones are much cheaper than new ones, and you can still buy a premium model. Shop from a one of a reputable store and you can trust that the refurbished phone has undergone professional testing and quality control before being sold, and should come with a warranty for peace of mind. Buying refurbished is also kinder on the environment as reducing electronic waste means less unnecessary landfill. Trusted retailers ensure that the iPhone has been fully data wiped and factory reset. Battery life must be a minimum of 80%.

Start with your budget and see which model you can afford. You might be able to be a later iPhone if you don’t mind it having some visible signs of use, or you may prefer to own an earlier model that’s pristine. Buy from a trustworthy source where you get a warranty.

Which older iPhones are still worth buying?

It really isn’t worth buying any iPhone older than the series 12 as before then none included Apple’s MagSafe wireless-charging technology, instead relying on painfully slow Qi. And we’d start with at least the iPhone 13 as it had a much better battery life than the 12, and the 12 will lose Apple software support in 2027. The iPhone 13 should ensure at least two more years of iOS updates.

The best older iPhones worth buying are the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro. The 16 and 16 Pro are great but the 15 will be cheaper and has the same USB-C charging port as the 16 and 17 and so helps you consolidate on charging cables with your other Apple devices.

The iPhone 14 series should still represent excellent value with a lot of the latest features found on later iPhones, and look at the iPhone 13 Pro for a balance of premium features on the tightest budget. For smaller iPhones, the compact iPhone 13 mini remains a top choice, while the 13-14 series provides the best balance of price and performance if you don’t mind sticking with the Lightning connector rather than move up to USB-C. 

Refurbished iPhone quality

You can save money buying a trusted refurbished iPhone from Apple’s Refurbished Store and from resellers such as Back Market or Amazon Renewed. Except for the Apple Refurbished Store, where all refurbished iPhones are top quality, the prices listed below from Back Market are rated as Fair (“Visible signs of use”), but Good (“Light signs of use”), Excellent (“Almost no signs of use”) and Premium (“Almost signs of use” and “Best quality”) are also available for a bit extra. The Amazon Renewed Store rates its refurbished iPhones as either Acceptable (“Scratches visible”), Good (“Light scratches”), Premium or Excellent (“No signs of cosmetic damage”).

If you don’t mind a few scratches you will save the most money, but for higher-quality it is often worth paying the extra for the fewest visible marks. That’s where Apple Refurbished Store comes out tops, but also at the highest prices.

Best Refurbished iPhone deals

We have details of all the best resellers of refurbished iPhones below. Just be aware that the resellers can get a bit creative with the original pricing.

Prices below: Stock as of 04/23/26—can change day by day, including different iPhone models available.

Refurbished iPhone 16 deals U.S.

Refurbished iPhone 15 deals U.S.

Refurbished iPhone 16 deals U.K. Stock as of 04/23/26, can change day by day.

Refurbished iPhone 15 deals U.K.

Apple Refurbished Store iPhone 2026

Apple

They’re the links to the most recent iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 series on the refurb store but see the main links at the top of this article to see all the current refurbished deals from iPhone 13 and later.

You can find more of the best deals on iPhone handsets in our main feature.

Best place to buy a refurbished iPhone

Apple itself should be your first port of call, if only to establish a benchmark of what is reasonable to pay for your chosen handset: check to see if the Apple Refurbished Store has the iPhone model you’re looking for. (That’s the U.S. store. British readers should try the U.K. Apple Refurbished Store.) At time of writing Apple is selling refurbished models of the iPhone 16 Pro, 16 Plus, 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max but that may well be different when you visit.

Apple’s refurbished store tends to be the most expensive place to buy refurbished iPhones–although it’s still significantly cheaper than buying new. (The standard reduction on the Apple Refurbished Store is 15 percent.) But there are advantages that come with this higher price. The refurb phones all come with the same one-year limited warranty that you’ll find on the brand-new versions, for example. And it’s worth noting that any parts used in the refurb will be official Apple ones, and all devices come with brand-new batteries.

It’s worth shopping around, however, to make sure you’re getting a good deal. There are plenty of other companies that make a living from refurbishing and selling iPhones. Here are some of the more prominent resellers of refurbished and used iPhones:

Refurbished iPhone sellers in the U.S.

  • Back Market: You get 30 days to change your mind and a 12-month warranty… or occasionally more. Take careful note of the phone’s quality rating as the cheapest will have more visible signs of wear (stratches and scuffs) than the more expensive Excellent and Premium buys. Premium-quality iPhones also have the highest-rated batteries and only Apple parts.
  • Amazon Renewed Store: This site’s greatest benefit is that purchases are all backed by Amazon’s standard returns policy and its “Renewed Guarantee” lets you get a refund or replacement within a year of receiving your product.
  • Best Buy: Best Buy doesn’t offer a great deal of information on pre-owned iPhones’ condition, but you can return within 14 days if the item is “unopened or defective in any way.”
  • Walmart: Walmart doesn’t sell refurbished iPhones directly; rather, they are sourced from other sellers. Return policies vary from seller to seller, but there are minimum requirements that apply universally.

Refurbished iPhone sellers in the U.K.

  • Back Market: You get 30 days to change your mind and a 12-month warranty… or occasionally more. See above for more details on Back Market’s quality rankings.
  • Music Magpie: A good place to start looking for refurbished iPhones with a one-year warranty. You may find that sales reduce the price still further.
  • Hoxton Macs: Don’t let the Mac in the name fool you. Hoxton Macs has started selling refurbished iPhones, with a one-year Return to Base warranty.
  • Reboxed: Pledges that devices “are fully tested and in perfect working order.” All come with a 12-month no quibble warranty.
  • Amazon Renewed Store: While you can’t really sell on Amazon Renewed unless you’re a business, those looking to buy a refurbished iPhone Amazon Renewed have plenty of options to choose from. Its greatest benefit is that purchases are all backed by Amazon’s standard returns policy and its “Renewed Guarantee” lets you get a refund or replacement within 1 year of receiving your product.
  • Envirofone: Also allows you to trade in your old phone for credit towards purchasing a refurbished phone.

Where to buy a refurbished iPhone on contract

You can pick up refurbished phones on contract as well from the following carriers and resellers:

US carriers

  • Verizon – phones are rated as either Good, Very Good or Great. 90-day warranty.
  • AT&T – 14-day return and 90-day warranty.
  • T-Mobile – 20-day return and 90-day warranty.

UK carriers

  • GiffGaff – phones are rated as either Good, Very Good, Excellent or Like New. 12-month warranty.
  • Mobiles.co.uk – phones are rated as either Good (Grade C), Very Good (Grade B) or Excellent (Grade A). 12-month warranty.
  • O2 Like New – call all its refurbished phones Like New. 12-month warranty.
  • Vodafone – phones are rated as either Good, Great, or Pristine. 14-day return and lifetime warranty.
  • Carphone Warehouse – phones are rated as either Good or Excellent. 12-month warranty.
  • Fonehouse 

Outside of specialist retailers, there’s also eBay and eBay UK (just be sure to check the seller’s feedback and read the descriptions carefully), and, in the UK, CeX. Many of the iPhones on eBay will second-hand, direct from owners so won’t be properly refurbished, quality-checked or come with a warranty.

Buying older iPhones new on contract

Another way to dampen the financial impact of buying a new iPhone is to go down the tried and tested route of contracts offered by mobile providers. You’ll find older iPhone models in the online stores of many networks.

Prices change all the time, so we’d recommend reading our Best iPhone deals guide on a regular basis to see which offers are currently available.

Should I buy a refurbished iPhone? What is refurbished?

You might be concerned about buying a refurbished handset, thinking that it would be like buying a second-hand iPhone, but there’s no reason to be worried. Remember: refurbished and second-hard aren’t the same thing. Refurbished iPhones are pre-owned but are wiped, tested, and repaired to work like new. 

The iPhones Apple sells in the Refurbished Store were returned to Apple for a variety of reasons:

  • The previous owner could have exercised their consumer rights and returned the handset unused within 14 days (as per Apple’s refund and exchange policy).
  • The iPhone may have been used as a demonstration model.
  • The iPhone may have been returned to Apple due to a fault.

The third point on that list may concern you, but you can be sure that Apple will have identified and fixed any faults before reselling the device. The company says refurbished products undergo “full functional testing” and are provided with “genuine Apple part replacements (if necessary).” They also get “a thorough cleaning,” incidentally.

There are plenty of benefits to buying a refurbished iPhone:

  • You get a one-year warranty.
  • You get 90 days of tech support.
  • Because you’re buying from Apple directly, there are no shipping costs and free returns.
  • You can also take advantage of Apple’s 14-day returns policy if you change your mind. (Note however that Apple isn’t the only seller to offer such a policy.)

Refurbished vs second-hand: What’s the difference?

If it’s not already clear, a refurbished iPhone is tested and repaired so the handset works like new (or as close to new as possible). A second-hand iPhone, on the other hand, is simply sold as is, which means the device may not last as long, and may have small imperfections or defects. The battery in particular will be a worry in the long term.

There are other risks to buying second-hand too. If the previous owner hasn’t dissociated their Apple ID from the device you may get permanently locked out of the iPhone. Unfortunately, Apple’s customer service wouldn’t be able to help you unlock the phone either, as the company has strict security policies. Such a situation would be less of a concern if you know and can easily contact the previous owner (and they remember their Apple ID details), but we’d prefer avoiding such complications to start with.

This is just another reason why buying refurbished is a more reliable route to go if you did want to pick up a previously owned iPhone.

What does refurbished Grade A mean?

When you shop refurbished you might see grade scores such as A, B, or C; this indicates the condition of the phone. Is it dinged up? Does it have scratches? Or is it completely blemish-free and pristine? The grade gives you a general idea.

We say “general” because these grades aren’t set by an independent body, which means they can vary from retailer to retailer. This is how the grades usually break down:

  • Grade A: Looks like new or has very few signs of wear
  • Grade B: Might have some minor scratches and some wear
  • Grade C: Looks used and has obvious signs of wear

But some sites go with Fair, Good, and Excellent or some other variation. (One site we’ve visited appears to grade everything as A plus a number–so a comparatively poor handset would be rated as A3. This may strike some readers as a little confusing or even disingenuous.)

Needless to say, Grade A/A1/Excellent refurbished devices will be more expensive than Grade C, but you’ll still be paying far less than you would for a brand-new device. 

Pay attention to refurbished warranties 

Given that the quality of refurbished iPhone devices can vary from retailer to retailer, it’s important to pay attention to the warranty. How long is the phone covered? The warranty allows you to get help or free repairs from the seller if you run into any issues after purchase. Retailers typically offer a year, and many allow “quibble-free” returns if you change your mind within 14 days. Check the fine print.

More refurbished Apple guides

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