Old Phone or iPad Gathering Dust? Here's How to Turn It Into Cash
With the cost of living still a very real concern for households across Devon, many of us are looking for practical ways to make our money go further — without taking on extra work or making drastic lifestyle changes.
One of the simplest and most overlooked ways to put extra cash in your pocket is sitting in a drawer, on a shelf, or at the back of a cupboard right now: your old phone or tablet.
Upgrading devices has become a regular part of modern life, but what happens to the old ones? For most people, the answer is not much. They drift into a kind of technological limbo — not useful enough to use daily, not broken enough to bin, and never quite getting dealt with. Meanwhile, they're losing value.
Here's a straightforward guide to getting the most from your old tech before that window closes.
Why Acting Sooner Matters
Consumer electronics depreciate — and they do so fairly quickly in the first few years after release. A phone or tablet that's worth £150 today might fetch £90 in a year's time. That gap represents money you're effectively leaving on the table every month you put it off.
This is particularly true for iPads, which can hold strong resale value when they're in good condition, but which see that value erode steadily as newer models arrive. If you've recently upgraded to a newer iPad — or your children have outgrown a family tablet — now is a good time to act.
How Trading In Works
Trading in is the simplest route for most people. Unlike selling privately, there are no listings to write, no photographs to take, and no strangers to meet. You get a quote online, accept it, send the device off using a prepaid label, and receive payment — usually within a few days of the device being received and checked.
When you trade in phone or tablet through a reputable comparison site, you can see offers from multiple buyback services at once, which is by far the best way to ensure you're not underselling. Prices between services for the same device in the same condition can vary by £20–£50 or more, so it genuinely pays to compare.
The same applies for tablets. If you want to trade in iPad, using a comparison platform rather than going directly to a single service will almost always result in a better payout.
What Affects the Value of Your Device
Several factors influence how much a buyback service will offer:
Condition. This is the biggest one. A device with a pristine screen and no significant marks will always command a higher price. If there's a cracked screen or visible damage, you'll still get an offer in most cases — just a lower one. Be accurate when describing condition during the quoting process; services check devices on arrival and may revise the offer if damage wasn't disclosed.
Storage capacity. Higher-storage models are worth more. A 256GB iPad will fetch considerably more than a 64GB equivalent in the same condition.
Network status. Unlocked devices are generally worth more than those locked to a specific network, as they can be refurbished and resold to a wider market.
Age and model. More recent and higher-end models hold their value better. But even older, budget-range devices are often worth something — don't assume yours isn't without checking.
Accessories. Some services offer a small premium if you include the original box, charger, or cable. It's worth tracking these down if you can.
Getting Your Device Ready: A Quick Checklist
Before sending anything off, take 20 minutes to prepare the device properly. This protects your data and ensures the process goes smoothly.
- Back everything up. Sync your photos, contacts, and app data to a computer or cloud service before you do anything else.
- Sign out of your accounts. For iPhones and iPads, this means signing out of your Apple ID and disabling Find My iPhone/iPad in Settings. For Android devices, remove your Google account. This step is essential — a device with an active account lock cannot be refurbished or resold.
- Factory reset the device. Once signed out, restore it to factory settings. This wipes all personal data completely.
- Give it a clean. A screen wipe and a quick clean-up makes a good impression and signals the device has been looked after. It won't dramatically change your offer, but it doesn't hurt.
What Could You Get?
Values vary widely depending on the device, but as a rough guide:
A recent mid-range smartphone in good condition might fetch anywhere from £60 to £180. Flagship models from the past couple of years can fetch significantly more. iPads tend to hold value well — a relatively recent iPad in good condition could be worth £100–£300 or more depending on the model and storage.
The only way to know for certain is to check — and the good news is that getting a quote costs nothing and takes about two minutes.
What to Do With the Money
That's entirely up to you — but found money always feels that little bit better when it goes somewhere worthwhile. Whether it covers a household bill, contributes to a summer day out around Devon, or simply sits in savings for a rainy day, it's money you'd otherwise have left on the table.
For families who've recently upgraded or are doing a spring clear-out, selling or trading in old devices is one of the most practical no-effort ways to recoup some value. There's also an environmental benefit worth mentioning: devices that go into buyback schemes are typically refurbished and resold, giving them a second life and keeping electronic waste out of landfill.
The Bottom Line
Old phones and tablets are easy to forget about precisely because they're small and out of sight. But ignoring them has a real cost. Taking 20 minutes to check what yours is worth, prepare it, and send it off is one of the better uses of a quiet evening — and one of the few household tasks that actually pays you back.
