What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects it on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £600 (~$799) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £510 (~$679) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £390 (~$520) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £270 (~$360) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £150 (~$200) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
An account lock is the single biggest one — a device still signed in to an iCloud, Google or Microsoft account cannot be reset and is effectively unusable. After that, battery health and undisclosed third-party repairs.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether an iPhone is worth what is being asked:
- A locked handset, or one with any finance or iCloud lock still attached
- Battery health under 80%, where iOS starts flagging service warnings
- Cracked back glass — often costs more to repair than it adds to the sale
- Aftermarket screen repairs, which buyers spot from colour and touch response
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Battery health above 85% — buyers ask for this figure before they ask about scratches
- Carrier-unlocked, with the original box, cable and IMEI clear on checks
- Larger storage tiers, which hold value far better than the base model
- Recent generations still receiving iOS updates
Common faults and fakes
Outright counterfeits are rare outside accessories, where fake chargers and cables are a genuine fire risk. The commoner problem is a device described as working that has a fault the seller knows about.
Ask the seller to factory reset and remove their account BEFORE you pay, and to send a photograph of the settings screen showing it signed out. Ask for the exact model identifier and, on anything with a battery, the battery health figure.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about an iPhone, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Give the exact percentage and photograph the screen. Anything above 85% is a selling point; below 80% expect to discount, and say so before they ask.
Erase the phone and confirm Activation Lock is off before you list. Show the setup screen in a photo if you can — it proves the point instantly.
Answer honestly. A third-party screen is not a dealbreaker if disclosed and priced for, but a buyer who discovers it later has a genuine grievance.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Open Settings > Battery > Battery Health and note the maximum capacity percentage
- Check the model and storage in Settings > General > About
- Search sold listings for that exact model, storage and battery band
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- Front, screen on and showing the home screen, so the display is provably working
- Back and both sides, angled to catch the light and reveal any scratches or dents
- The Battery Health screen with the percentage visible
- Every crack, chip or deep scratch, photographed close and lit
Details to confirm before you commit
- Exact model and generation, and the storage capacity in GB
- Battery maximum capacity percentage from the Settings screen
- Whether it is network unlocked, and which carrier it came from if not
- Whether the screen or battery has been replaced, and whether with genuine parts
Live iPhone listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse electronics for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
iPhones sell within days when priced correctly, and values step down noticeably each September when new models are announced. If you are selling anyway, selling before the announcement is worth real money.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have an iPhone sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell iPhone for what to photograph and how to price, or what iPhone is worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for a used iPhone?
Around £52 to £390 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check an iPhone before buying?
Ask the seller to factory reset and remove their account BEFORE you pay, and to send a photograph of the settings screen showing it signed out. Ask for the exact model identifier and, on anything with a battery, the battery health figure.
Is buying an iPhone second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. An account lock is the single biggest one — a device still signed in to an iCloud, Google or Microsoft account cannot be reset and is effectively unusable. After that, battery health and undisclosed third-party repairs.
See also: all buying guides · iPhone value guide · selling iPhone · Electronics · condition grades.