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 | £35 (~$47) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £30 (~$40) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £23 (~$30) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £16 (~$21) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £9 (~$12) | 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 a power bank is worth what is being asked:
- Swollen cells, which are a fire risk
- Capacity well below the rated figure
- Unbranded banks with inflated capacity claims
- Failed charging ports
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Recent purchase with capacity still close to rated
- Higher capacity and fast-charging support
- Recognised brands with safety certification
- Original cables included
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 a power bank, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Charge a device from it and report what you got. Stated capacity and delivered capacity differ even when new, and more so with age.
Give the real figure. Lithium cells degrade on a calendar as well as with cycles, so a five-year-old bank is tired regardless of use.
Give the wattage and whether it supports USB-C Power Delivery. It is the difference between a phone topper and something genuinely useful for a laptop.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Charge fully and test how many phone charges it delivers
- Inspect the casing for any bulging
- Note the rated capacity and the real-world result
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- The power bank whole, with its ports visible
- The label showing capacity and output ratings
- The charge level display or indicator lights
- All included cables, plus any scuff, dent or swelling
Details to confirm before you commit
- Stated capacity in mAh and real delivered capacity as you observed it
- Output ports, wattage, and whether it supports fast charging standards
- Approximate age and how often it has been cycled
- Whether cables are included, and confirmation the casing is not swollen
Live power bank 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
Lifts before summer and Christmas travel. High-wattage USB-C models sell quickly; small old banks are worth very little.
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 a power bank 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 power bank for what to photograph and how to price, or what power bank is worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for a used power bank?
Around £5 to £23 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 a power bank 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 a power bank 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 · power bank value guide · selling power bank · Electronics · condition grades.