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 largest players in this category is Gazelle. 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 these 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?

Making sure you get what your old phone is worth comes from doing the research. You can save some time with an aggregation site like Flipsy or SellMyCellPhones but you should be cautious because these sites don’t list every option out there. We’ve researched a few average prices for you, to show you how much three different handsets could be if you were to sell them at the time of publishing this article. Note that prices fluctuate and tend to decline the older a handset gets. These prices are solely based on a fully working phone in good condition with the cable, charger, and box included. These are cash offers unless otherwise stated. Make sure that when you are viewing the price, you are thinking about the cost to pay for packaging and postage with eBay and Swappa.

Used 64GB Galaxy S8 on Verizon in good condition

• 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

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

Tips to take away

1. Sell soon: Your old phone isn’t getting any more valuable with time. Prices can drop literally in an instant. Every time Samsung announces a new release, the market gets flooded with people selling their older models to get an upgrade. With so many old models available, the price of each is going to drop. It’s a matter of supply and demand, but you can depend on the prices almost always dropping with time. It’s worth noting that some websites will lock in your price but still give you 30 days to send in the Galaxy.
2. Do your homework: Research different online markets to make sure you’ve found the best deal. Often your best option will be trading your phone directly with your carrier, which can take some time, or maybe you would prefer to take a lower deal for fast cash. Still, if you don’t do your research, you won’t know if you’re getting a fair price.
3.  Completely wipe your phone before you sell it: Keep yourself safe by factory resetting your phone. Before you reset, erase all your private files and other data. Before you do so, it’s possible to save your information by backing everything up so you’ll have it for your next device. Do not 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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