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 | £380 (~$506) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £323 (~$430) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £247 (~$329) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £171 (~$228) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £95 (~$127) | 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
Missing proprietary cables and power supplies, controller stick drift, and optical drives that spin but no longer read.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether a PS5 is worth what is being asked:
- Missing HDMI or power cables, which buyers must replace immediately
- A noisy or dust-clogged fan, easily heard on a video call before sale
- Console-only sales with no controller
- Visible discolouration on the white panels
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Both controllers, cables and the original box
- Disc edition, which consistently sells for more than the digital version
- Recent revisions with the lighter, quieter chassis
- Any bundled games still in their cases
Common faults and fakes
Counterfeit cartridges are common in retro titles and usually give themselves away on label print quality and the screws used on the shell.
Ask for a photograph of the console powered on with a game running, and for a list of exactly which cables and controllers are included.
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 PS5, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Test both sticks in a menu before listing and answer plainly. Drift is extremely common, cheap to disclose and expensive to hide.
Check you have the base and the small screw. It is a tiny part that buyers specifically ask about because replacements are awkward to source.
Say so if it has. A repaired console is perfectly sellable when disclosed, and a warranty sticker a buyer spots later is not.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Check the model number on the sticker underneath
- Count what you actually still have: controllers, cables, box, games
- Compare against sold listings for the same edition and revision
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 console standing as it will be handed over, front and side
- Everything included, laid out together in one frame
- The rear ports and the model sticker
- The controller’s thumbsticks close up, since drift is the first thing buyers ask about
Details to confirm before you commit
- Disc Edition or Digital Edition, and the model revision if you know it
- Exactly what is included: stand, screw, power cable, HDMI, controllers, games
- Whether the controller has any stick drift
- Whether the console has been opened, repaired or re-pasted
Live PS5 listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse gaming 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
Consistently strong, with a sharp lift from November into December. Bundles with extra controllers or popular games sell noticeably faster than bare consoles.
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 PS5 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 PS5 for what to photograph and how to price, or what PS5 is worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for a used PS5?
Around £143 to £247 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 PS5 before buying?
Ask for a photograph of the console powered on with a game running, and for a list of exactly which cables and controllers are included.
Is buying a PS5 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. Missing proprietary cables and power supplies, controller stick drift, and optical drives that spin but no longer read.
See also: all buying guides · PS5 value guide · selling PS5 · Gaming · condition grades.