Sell an Old Phone for Cash in Australia

An old phone in a drawer is the most common item in this whole category, and the biggest search term in it: "sell old phone" is searched about 390 times a month in Australia, according to Ubersuggest, with "sell used phone" and "sell my old phone" about 110 each. People searching these phrases want a simple answer. The honest one is that a working, recent phone is worth the most to a consumer or a trade-in, a faulty or very old one is worth a little to a repairer or trader, and one that nobody wants should be recycled free. This guide sets out each route, how to wipe a phone safely, and where ScrapTrade fits. It is part of our guide to selling broken, faulty or old electronics. We give no prices, because we found no reliable source for what old phones sell for, and ScrapTrade has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.

Old, used, second-hand or unwanted: same phone, different buyer

The words change the audience. "Used" and "second hand" usually mean a working phone for a retail buyer. "Old" can mean either a working phone that is out of date or one that no longer works. "Unwanted" often means a spare handset from an upgrade or a business fleet. Decide which describes yours before you pick a route.

Step 1: Check what you have

Note the make, model, storage size, colour and condition. Does it power on, charge, hold a charge and connect to a network? Is the screen cracked? Is it locked to a carrier? Buyers ask all of these. A phone that works is worth selling whole. A phone that does not should be graded as repairable or parts-only, as we explain in the pillar guide.

Step 2: Back up, sign out and wipe

Before it leaves your hands, remove your accounts. For an iPhone, follow Apple's steps in Sell a Broken or Old iPhone in Australia. For an Android phone, Google says to remove your Google Account before you sell, because that turns off Factory Reset Protection, and then factory reset the device. Google also says to charge the phone to at least 70 percent and connect it to Wi-Fi or mobile data first, and to wait 24 hours before resetting if you recently changed your Google Account password. If the phone is on a supervised or child account, the reset may be blocked, and the account may need to be removed through Family Link on the parent's device. Remove the SIM and any memory card. Some users also remove the screen lock and biometric unlock before resetting, though that is community advice, not Google's.

We did not find Australian Cyber Security Centre guidance, so check cyber.gov.au for the current advice. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre notes that a determined expert may still recover data after a factory reset, which is one reason a phone you cannot wipe should be recycled by a program that destroys data.

Step 3: Pick the route

• Trade-in. Convenient, and credit depends on condition. Apple's US trade-in page says devices that are not eligible are recycled free and that very old or severely damaged devices may not get credit. We could not confirm Australian terms.
• Sell privately. Highest price for a working phone, more effort, and you deal with strangers. Classified sites suit this. See the best way to sell old electronics online in Australia.
• Sell to a trader or repairer. Right for faulty phones and for lots, such as a box of handsets from a fleet upgrade.
• Recycle free. MobileMuster is a free, not-for-profit program that accepts any mobile phone, plus batteries, chargers and accessories such as earphones. Sources cite more than 3,000 to more than 4,000 drop-off points, including major phone retailers and Officeworks, and a free postal option using a satchel from Australia Post. The program says phones are dismantled by hand into circuit boards, metals, glass, plastic and batteries, that circuit boards and batteries go to a partner facility in Singapore, and that any data left on the device is destroyed. Its recovery claims vary by page, from over 95 percent to over 99 percent, with an older page at over 89 percent, so treat them as the program's own claims.

Why sell an old phone on ScrapTrade

If you have one working phone, a consumer sale or trade-in will usually pay better and be simpler, so start there. ScrapTrade earns its place when the phones are many or broken: a box of handsets after a fleet upgrade, a drawer-load from a clean-out, or a batch with dead batteries. The buyers are verified traders in more than 50 countries, and e-waste is one of the marketplace's twelve categories. Because listing is free and carries no commission, the only question is whether your lot is worth a trader's time. Both businesses and individuals can sell once verified. The mechanics are in our pillar guide; in short, you list with photos and a price, talk to buyers, and when you accept a bid the buyer's 5 percent deposit stays held in escrow while you agree collection or shipping.

For a lot, describe it as a buyer would read it: how many phones, the models, how many work, how many have cracked screens or dead batteries, whether they are wiped, and where they are.

Safety and landfill

A swollen or damaged lithium battery can start a fire, so do not post one or put it in a bin, and ask the collection point how to hand it over. Several states ban e-waste from landfill. We cover the rules and what happens after you hand a phone in at Where Old Electronics Go After You Hand Them In.

What we could not verify

• What old phones sell for. We found no reliable source.
• Australian trade-in terms and carrier-lock rules.
• The current MobileMuster details. We used program, council and news pages and search summaries.
• ScrapTrade's verification steps. Ask support at cs@scraptrade.com.au.
• How many ScrapTrade buyers want phones.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to sell an old phone?

A working, recent phone usually does best with a consumer buyer or a trade-in. Faulty phones and lots suit a trader or a trade marketplace. Phones nobody wants should be recycled free.

Can I sell a used or second-hand phone with a cracked screen?

Yes, as a repairable device, if you describe the damage honestly. Expect a lower offer.

How do I wipe an old phone before selling?

Back up, sign out of your accounts, remove the Google or Apple account lock, and factory reset. Steps differ for iPhone and Android.

Can I recycle an old phone for free in Australia?

Yes. MobileMuster accepts any mobile phone at drop-off points or by post at no charge.

Sources

1. Ubersuggest keyword data for Australia, queried November 2026.
2. Google, Android Help pages on factory reset and device protection, as summarised in search results.
3. Apple, Trade In page (US), as summarised in search results.
4. MobileMuster program, council and news pages, as summarised in search results.
5. UK National Cyber Security Centre, "Buying, selling and donating second-hand devices".
6. ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.

This is general information, not financial, legal or security advice. ScrapTrade operates a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.