How to buy a used phone: a checklist that avoids locked and stolen phones

A used or refurbished phone can cost half the price of a new one, and a flagship from two years ago is still fast. The risk is in what you cannot see: a phone that is still locked to someone else's account, reported lost, tied to a payment plan or about to fail. The checklist below fits in a few minutes and catches most problems before you hand over any money.

Where to buy a used phone

The 10-point used phone checklist

How to meet and test a phone in person

Meet in a busy public place, ideally a carrier store or a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. A carrier store is best because staff can check that the phone is unlocked and works with your SIM. Bring your own SIM, a charger and a friend if you can. Turn the phone off and on, make a test call, take a picture and check the About screen against what the seller told you. Never hand over cash until you have finished testing, and walk away if the seller rushes you or refuses any check.

Red flags that mean walk away

• The price is far below the usual price for that model.
• The seller will not share the IMEI or meet in public.
• The phone is on a payment plan or the seller says it is unlocked but cannot prove it.
• There is an Activation Lock, Apple Account or Google lock screen, and the seller says they will remove it later.
• The IMEI on the phone does not match the box, the listing or the About screen.
• The seller wants payment by gift card, a payment app with no protection or a wire.

How old is too old?

The age of a phone matters more than its condition. Look up how long the maker keeps sending security updates for that model, because a phone that stops getting them becomes a risk for banking and email. Apple usually supports iPhones for around six or seven years, and Samsung and Google now promise several years of updates on recent flagships, though older and budget models get less. A two or three year old flagship is often the sweet spot: fast enough, still supported and far cheaper than new. Avoid phones that have already lost updates, and check that the apps you rely on, such as your bank, still support the system version.

Storage is the other thing people regret. Buy the largest size you can reasonably afford, because you cannot add more later on most phones, and a full phone gets slow. A used phone with a worn battery can be fixed, but it adds to the cost, so factor in a replacement if the battery health is below 80 percent.

What a used phone should cost

Prices depend on the model, storage, condition and whether the phone is unlocked. As a guide, look up three or four recent sold listings for the same model and storage, not asking prices, and aim for the middle. Unlocked phones sell for more than locked ones, and phones with high battery health or a warranty sell for more still. A phone that is cheap because it is locked, damaged or reported lost will cost you more in the end. If you are comparing a used phone against a new one on a payment plan, read how buying unlocked compares with buying from a carrier.

What to do on day one

Refurbished, renewed or used: what is the difference?

Used means the previous owner sold it as is. Refurbished means someone tested it, fixed what was wrong and cleaned it, but the quality of that work varies by seller. Manufacturer refurbished phones from Apple, Samsung and Google are the strongest version, because they come with a warranty and often a new battery and outer shell. Renewed on Amazon and Certified Refurbished at carriers follow their own standards, so read the grade and the warranty length. To learn how to tell a genuine Apple refurbished iPhone from a regular one, see how to tell if an iPhone is refurbished.