Is it worth buying a used phone?

Yes, if it is unlocked, paid off and cleared of the last owner's account. A phone one or two generations old often costs far less than new. The checks below avoid the classic traps: a stolen or blacklisted phone, or one that still belongs to someone else's account.

Check before you pay

Tick them off as you go:

Check the IMEI on the free CTIA Stolen Phone Checker (stolenphonechecker.org). The IMEI shows in Settings or when you dial *#06#; it must match the box and the listing.
iPhone: the seller must sign out of their Apple Account and erase the phone. Apple says erasing it turns off Find My and Activation Lock. If setup asks for someone else's Apple Account, do not buy it.
Android: the seller must remove their Google Account (and the Samsung account on a Samsung) before the reset. Otherwise Factory Reset Protection can lock you out of the phone.
Unlocked, or locked to your own carrier, and fully paid off.
Battery: on an iPhone, Settings, Battery, Battery Health shows the maximum capacity left.

Red flags

The seller cannot show the phone turned on, or will not give the IMEI.
A price far below every similar listing.
"iCloud locked", "FRP locked" or "blacklisted" anywhere in the description, even in small print.

Which ones still make sense

A model one or two generations old: the best value for most people.
eBay Refurbished phones: inspected and graded, with a warranty (see the grades below).
Very old smartphones: cheap, but they may no longer receive security updates.

eBay Refurbished, grade by grade

Grade	What eBay says	Warranty
Certified	Pristine, like-new condition direct from the brand or an authorized seller	Two years, serviced by Allstate
Excellent	Like-new condition with no visible wear, from quality-vetted sellers	One year, serviced by Allstate
Very Good	Minimal visible wear, from quality-vetted sellers	One year, serviced by Allstate
Good	Moderate wear, from quality-vetted sellers	One year, serviced by Allstate

All four come with free returns for 30 days (eBay lists limited exceptions) and a multi-point inspection. Source: eBay Refurbished, pages.ebay.com/refurbished, read October 14, 2026. Terms can change: read the listing before you buy.

Live listings on eBay

A few current listings, United States. Asking prices; read each listing's condition and returns.

Sources: CTIA Stolen Phone Checker (stolenphonechecker.org); Apple Support, "What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad"; Google Pixel Help, "Help prevent others from using your device without permission"; eBay Refurbished terms.