The iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra pack in the absolute best mobile technology available today. But they also cost a ton of cash that put them out of reach for many of us. Even Google’s most affordable Pixel 7A still costs $499, which is still a lot of money to put down in one go, particularly at a time when many of us are keeping much closer eyes on our spending.
Buying a slightly older, used phone can save you a lot of money while allowing you to put some seriously potent mobile hardware in your pocket. These phones will feature all your everyday essentials, plus allow for things like photo editing, gaming and video streaming. Even better, it saves a phone from going to landfill, which we can all agree is a good thing.
Read more: Best Phone to Buy for 2024
But there are key things to keep in mind if you want the best phone for your money and you want to stay safe when you get it. Here are our top tips on how to safely buy a great used phone, whether you want an iPhone or an Android phone.
What features do you need in a phone?
First, think about what you actually need from your phone, as this will dictate what sort of level (and budget) you need. If you just want something more basic to handle casual WhatsApp messages and play Spotify during your commute, you don’t need flagship levels of performance. As a result, a lower-end phone with a smaller price tag will suit just fine.
MusicMagpie’s product pages make it very easy to see the condition of the exact phone you’re buying.
Check the details on the listing
Whether you’re buying from eBay, Amazon Marketplace or anywhere else, it’s important to pay close attention to what you’re actually getting. Read the listing carefully, including any small print that might be hidden further down among other details. It may be that phrases like “nonfunctioning” or “battery faulty” are intentionally buried to trick people into buying a phone that no longer works. They’ll also likely explain whether you’re getting the original charging cable, packaging and what sort of nicks and scratches you can expect.
Use your common sense here: If a $1,000 iPhone is being sold for only $100, there’s probably something fishy going on. Don’t be the guy who bought a picture of an Xbox One for $735.
Released in 2018, the Samsung Galaxy S9 no longer gets any kind of security support. Do not buy this phone.
It may be that you just need a temporary phone to tide you over until you can justify a proper upgrade and so a phone with only a year of support left might not be a problem. Make sure when your phone of choice arrives that you fully factory reset it yourself, and make sure to check for all available software updates before doing anything else.
