Sell your old cellphone for big bucks

It may not exactly be the case anymore, as the price of cellphones has gone up, but for a while it was pretty much set that every two years or so we’d get a new one. A larger screen, faster processor, better camera or whatever, the point was we were more than excited to upgrade.
When learning about and playing with your new phone, did you ever stop to think about what to do with the old one? Throw it out? Give it away? You weren’t planning on using it ever again, after all, and it was just going to be a high-tech paperweight.
While it may be too late for the phone you replaced years ago, it’s a good thing to know that you can actually sell your old phone. And not for pennies, either. But for real money.
There are a handful of options
Off the top of your head you might be thinking of something like eBay or Craigslist, and it’s true you could go to either site and potentially find a buyer for your old device. But those sites, while helpful, are used for more than just phones, which means you are not exactly going to have the most targeted audience.
But assuming you actually own your phone — as in, it is completely paid off — there are even better avenues to go down in order to maximize the value out of selling a phone you no longer have any use for.
Pretty much every site will ask you to answer some questions about your phone, with them trying to figure out what kind of condition it is in before they can give you a quote. Assuming you are good with the offer, you will generally be sent a pre-paid shipping label and then have to get the phone to the site you chose in a pre-determined amount of time.
Once it arrives, they will evaluate your phone in-person and send your payment. At that point, you’re done.
There are many sites and ways in which you can sell your phone, though hey are all a little different. Not only in how they go about selling it, but also in how their sites work and how much they may offer for your device.
Let’s break them down
Glyde will allow your phone to go online to be auctioned off, with the site helping you to set a fair price that will make sure it does not take long to sell. Once it does, the site will send you a shipping kit.
Because of that, the time it will take for you to get your money will be directly related to how long it takes for the phone to be sold.
NextWorth is good so long as it will actually take in your device. You will receive a free quote for you phone and, if you approve, print out a free shipping label which you will use to drop it off at a UPS store. They will then photograph and inspect your phone and, assuming it passes, will send your payment through either PayPal or check.
NextWorth will not accept all smartphones or tablets, though, which means depending on your device you may be out of luck.
Decluttr, for instance, will provide an offer for your phone and, if you accept within 28 days, will send you the money via check, PayPal or direct deposit before going on and then re-selling it.
uSell also takes in more than just phones, which makes it a good option if you have a few things you’d like to unload. You will get an instant offer and, if you accept, ship your device to them for free before getting paid. The offer is guaranteed for 30 days.
Gazelle is not necessarily known to offer the most money, but they will pay you for your phone– even if it is damaged. Perhaps best of all, if they receive your phone and determine it to be in even better condition than anticipated, they will increase their original offer. If they decide to lower the offer, the phone can be returned to you at no risk.
eBay is known for being an auction site, which you can most certainly use to make some money for your phone. But if you’d rather not deal with that process, there is a “quick sale” option that lets you list your phone’s condition and send it in to eBay. They will sell it for you, and while it will probably be less than you would have gotten with a regular auction, the process will be much less hectic.
As for Amazon, they will accept anything they sell as a trade-in, but instead of money they will pay you in an Amazon gift card. The prices they quote you for are good for just seven days, however, meaning you will need to get them the item in a timely manner.
So who is going to pay the biggest bucks?
There are plenty of variables, but we took a look at each site to get an idea of what they would offer for a phone. In this case, on Sept. 4, we chose a 256 GB iPhone 8 and what we found is pretty telling.
- Glyde shows a market price of $550
- Gazelle shows an offer of $440
- Decluttr shows an offer of $439
- USell shows an offer of $397.71
A quick glimpse of eBay shows prices ranging from $499 on up, but of course that’s entirely dependent on someone deciding that’s worth it. Neither NextWorth nor Amazon listed an ability to sell an iPhone 8.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
20 best perks you get with an Amazon Prime membership

At this point, I’m sure that you or someone you know is an Amazon Prime member. That’s because there are nearly 90 million subscribers in the U.S. Amazing! Saving money on shipping may be the perk that draws you in, but it’s certainly not the only one that should catch your attention. There are so many perks that come with Prime, you probably don’t even know them all.
Get 4 hours of free music to help you relax, study or meditate

Although the holiday season is the time for joy and celebration, it’s also the time for endless planning, get-togethers, and shopping that can take its toll on you. How many times have you labored on gifts, decorations, and party favors, not to mention, the cost that’s involved? Fortunately, there’s a way to help overcome the holiday stress.
10 incredibly useful online sites you didn’t know about until now

If you had to guess, how many different websites do you think exist in the world today? All kinds of websites offer free ways to perform simple yet essential tasks. These websites can tell you what’s streaming, clean up your email, fix your grammar, edit your photos, and test your router, and most of them require only one or two steps.
Innovative ways to make money online

“Online work” used to mean “money grabbing scam.” You might find a job selling things online for a commission or writing blogs for money, but these rarely provided a living wage, or even enough spare change to justify the time commitment. Times have changed. The internet has finally become profitable not just for start-up entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, but for regular people with everyday skills.
13 ways to make money in the new year!

Who couldn’t use a few extra dollars? If you’re retired, you know living on a fixed budget can sometimes get tough. If you’re a student, it’s best to keep focused on your grades and earn your degree, but you could certainly use some extra cash for a fun weekend, to shop for gifts, or to buy a ticket home.
Late Amazon Prime Delivery? Here's what you can get for free!

It’s no surprise that we become Amazon Prime subscribers: the benefits are incredible! There are so many though that it’s a safe bet that you don’t know them all. Free two-day shipping comes with each Amazon Prime purchase. But what happens if the delivery doesn’t make it on time?
How to secretly shop on Amazon and not ruin any surprises

While reviewing all your past orders or for checking old receipts and transactions, there may be times when this need shall arise – you will want to hide items you’ve bought, browsed or searched for in your Amazon history for one reason or another. Hiding your Amazon history can be necessary for a variety of things. It could be for a personal reason, like bought or searched items you’re too embarrassed to reveal, or for something with an altruistic twist.
Q&A with Kim: Tracking a phone's location, Bluetooth equipped-cars, spying smart TVs, and more
Each week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products and all things digital. Sometimes choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job. This week, I received questions on how to track someone’s phone, how to equip older cars with Bluetooth, how smart TVs are spying on you and more.
Q&A with Kim: Tracking a phone's location, Bluetooth equipped-cars, spying smart TVs, and more

Each week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products and all things digital. Sometimes choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job. This week, I received questions on how to track someone’s phone, how to equip older cars with Bluetooth, how smart TVs are spying on you and more.
You won't believe what these vinyl records are worth

Streaming music may be the quickest and most efficient way to listen to a song you like. But nothing beats the sound of vinyl, which turns listening into an experience. Check your attic and cupboards because you might have one of the most valuable vinyl records of all time.
5 sites for men only - Covering the topics you care about most

Finding a good site to follow isn’t always easy, especially one that’s written specifically for a male audience. You could spend hours wading through webpages, looking for the good ones – but there’s no need.