How to sell your old Samsung Galaxy (without getting ripped off)

If you’re tempted by the Samsung Galaxy S20, the Note 20 Ultra 5G, or another new smartphone, then you may want to sell your old handset. Many used Samsung Galaxy smartphones change hands every day, but you need to plan properly if you want to secure the best price.

Whether you have a Galaxy S10, S9 Plus, or S8 to sell, the sooner you do it, the more cash you’re likely to make. Let’s take a closer look at how to sell your old Samsung Galaxy.

Sell it to others directly on Craigslist, eBay, etc

There is a roaring trade in used Samsung Galaxy smartphones on eBay, Craigslist, and other sites where you can sell your old handset directly to a private buyer. Prices are variable and it’s not as straightforward as some of your other options below, but this is potentially the most lucrative way to dispose of your old handset.

You can set your own asking price and potentially get a quick sale, but you should be prepared to deal with time-wasters, spam, and a bit of hassle sending the phone or meeting up with someone to exchange it for cash.

Our recommended service in this category is Swappa, as it offers good protection for buyers and sellers. It’s completely free to list your Galaxy on Swappa, with a sale fee added to the price for potential buyers. Verification photos are reviewed by staff, and an IMEI check is performed to ensure that the handset isn’t stolen or blacklisted. You should include shipping costs in the price and be ready to ship within two days of receiving payment.

Trade it in for credit

If you don’t mind accepting gift certificates or credit, then you can trade your phone in online or in the store at a variety of places. Enter a few simple details into an online form or take it to a store and get a quick appraisal. If you’re happy with what is offered, then you can mail your phone off for free or hand it over. There are lots of options here, but Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Verizon, and Best Buy are among the biggest.

Samsung also usually offers some type of trade-in deal for used devices. For example, you can currently purchase a Galaxy Note 20 5G for $349.99 if you trade in a Galaxy Note 10 Plus or Galaxy S20 in good condition.

Sell it to a company

There are a lot of companies dedicated to buying old electronics that will happily snap up your old Samsung Galaxy. You can enter details into an online form and get a quote in seconds, they often provide free post and packaging, and you get a payment by check or PayPal within a few days of sending your phone. Be honest about the condition of your phone when you apply for a quote, though, because they only pay out after a satisfactory inspection.

One of the biggest players in this category is Gazelle and it has a related service called ecoATM, which is an automated kiosk that you can put your old Galaxy into to get cash on the spot. You will find the kiosks in malls across the country. Other services worth checking out include Glyde, uSell, Decluttr, and Blazing Electronics.

How much is your old Galaxy worth?

Finding the best price is all about doing some research. You can take a shortcut with an aggregation site like Flipsy or SellMyCellPhones but be aware that they don’t list every option out there. We’ve researched a few average prices for you, so you can see how much three different handsets might fetch if you were to sell them at the time of publishing. Be aware that prices fluctuate and tend to decline the older a handset gets. These prices are based on a fully working phone in good condition with the cable, charger, and box. These are cash offers unless otherwise stated. Remember that you also need to pay for packaging and postage with eBay and Swappa.

Used 64GB Galaxy S8 on Verizon in good condition

Best Galaxy S8 cases — Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Swappa: $175
eBay: $134
Blazing Electronics: $120
Decluttr: $93
uSell: $86
Amazon: $110.05 (gift card)
Best Buy: $110 (gift card)
Walmart: $65 (gift card)

Used 64GB Galaxy S9 Plus on AT&T in good condition

eBay: $300
Swappa: $289
Blazing Electronics: $171
Decluttr: $170
Amazon: $140 (gift card)
uSell: $140
Best Buy: $140 (gift card)
Walmart: $115 (gift card)

Used 128GB Galaxy S10 unlocked in good condition

Samsung Galaxy S10 hands-on — Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

eBay: $430
Swappa: $460
Decluttr: $317
Blazing Electronics: $322
uSell: $235
Walmart: $200 (gift card)

Tips to take away

Sell soon: The sooner you sell, the more you get. When a new Samsung Galaxy model is announced, lots of people rush to sell their old phones and raise cash to upgrade to the latest-and-greatest, so prices can plummet sharply. It’s based on supply and demand, but prices are sure to drop as time goes on. It’s worth noting that some websites will lock in your price, but still give you 30 days to send the Galaxy in.
Do your homework: Shop around all the options for the best offer available. Sometimes a trade-in with your carrier might be worthwhile, or maybe you are willing to take less cash for the convenience of being able to get it immediately, but if you don’t do your research, then you won’t know what is a fair price.
Completely wipe your phone before you sell it: You don’t want your old photos or other personal data falling into the wrong hands, so make sure you back up precious files and factory reset your phone. Don’t forget about Factory Reset Protection — you can find out everything you need to know in our guide to wiping your Android phone.

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