The Best Time to Sell Your iPhone
Last updated
iPhones don't lose value at a steady drip — the loss is lumpy, and most of it lands around one predictable date each year. Selling a few weeks earlier can make a meaningful difference to a recent model’s live trade-in quote.
No current resale amount is stored on this page · Quotes vary by model, storage, condition, and buyer
The one date that matters: September
Apple announces new iPhones in early-to-mid September almost every year, with sales starting a week or two later. The moment that happens, two things hit the resale market at once: older models lose their "newest" status, and a wave of upgraders dump their old phones to fund the new one. Supply spikes, demand for older models softens, and prices step down.
That makes the weeks around a launch a useful comparison point, not a guaranteed peak. Check the same model and condition with the same buyers before and after an announcement if your timing is flexible.
If the phone is still your daily device, replacement timing may matter more than a possible quote change. If it is unused, waiting adds battery age without giving you any use from it.
How an iPhone depreciates over time
The factors to recheck as a phone ages. Use live quotes rather than a fixed depreciation percentage.
| Age | What to verify | What's happening |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months | Return window and carrier payoff | A return or payoff option may be more relevant than resale. |
| 1 year | Next-model timing | Compare live quotes around the next launch if timing is flexible. |
| 2 years | Condition and storage | Match buyer condition definitions before comparing quotes. |
| 3 years | Battery policy | Check whether battery health changes eligibility or inspection terms. |
| 4–5 years | Buyer eligibility | Some programs may no longer accept every model or condition. |
| 6+ years | Reuse or recycling | Compare a live quote with keeping, donating, or recycling the phone. |
Buyer eligibility and inspection rules vary; confirm them on the provider site.
Catch the value before it drops
Lock in today's offer now, and protect whatever you upgrade to.
Sell before you upgrade, not after
The most expensive habit is keeping your old phone "for a while" after the new one arrives. Every week it sits unused, it's worth less — and if the new model just launched, it's already past the cliff. If you can tolerate a few days' gap, or keep a cheap backup, sell in the pre-launch window and bridge to your new phone.
- ✓If flexible: compare quotes around the next model announcement, then decide based on the actual offers.
- ✓Fine: sell any time you've stopped using a phone — a drawer phone only depreciates.
- ✗Worst: selling in October–November, after the launch glut has already cut prices.
FAQ
When is the best time to sell my iPhone?
If the phone is unused, compare live quotes now. If it is your daily phone, compare quotes near the next iPhone announcement but balance any potential change against replacement timing.
How much does an iPhone depreciate each year?
There is no reliable fixed annual percentage. Model, storage, condition, battery health, lock status, buyer policy, and supply around new-model launches all affect the live quote.
Sell before or after I get the new one?
Before, if you can manage a short gap or keep a backup. Value falls every week you wait, and fastest right after launch. Selling before the September event earns more than holding the old phone for convenience.
Is it ever too late to sell?
Almost never worth waiting longer. Once unused, every month in a drawer lowers value as the battery ages. Even a 5–6 year old working iPhone still sells, so sell an unused phone now rather than later.
See what your iPhone is worth today
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