Buy Certified Used Phones !NEW!
An unlocked phone allows you to switch between wireless carriers. A locked phone can only be used with the carrier it is locked to. Unlocked devices are generally GSM & CDMA compatible and will work on most major carriers.
buy certified used phones
All unlocked phones require the use of SIM cards. Mobile Klinik devices do not include SIM cards. If you already have a compatible SIM, you can insert it into your new device for immediate activation. Otherwise, you will have to source one from your chosen carrier.
Most of our phones work with major Canadian carriers though we suggest checking the supported bands of the phone. Some models may not be compatible with AWS networks which could impact Freedom Mobile, Eastlink and Videotron. Please check with the carrier for compatibility.
For international travelers: Unlocked phones will work on most international GSM/HSPA/LTE networks, but may have limited access, depending on your carrier and rate plan. If you intend on purchasing an unlocked device and are unsure whether it will work on your chosen carrier, we strongly recommend you first contact that carrier about the use of the specific model you want to purchase to use with their service.
All pre-owned phones are fully inspected, rigorously tested and guaranteed with an industry-leading one-year warranty by our expert technicians. This warranty applies to the hardware components of the device but does not cover software or other equipment. Physical damage or liquid damage is not covered. For full details please see our full Terms & Conditions.
Being patient usually means waiting about a year after a phone is released to grab it. Refurbished phones have been repaired so they can be sold again, so you won't find refurbished versions until a phone has been on the market for a while. And when you do find refurbs, they may not be available in every model, color or configuration.
Still, last year's smartphones are solid products, and we think it's worth the wait to get a phone at significant savings. For example, the iPhone 7 (4.7", 32GB) cost $699 on release day, but after the iPhone 8 came out, the price fell and refurbished models became common:
Any refurbished or certified phone is considered pre-owned. Whether it was returned to the retailer within the allowed period or has actually been used, the retailer can no longer sell it as new. Thus, it's become a pre-owned phone.
While refurbished means a phone has been tested and repaired, a phone that's certified has usually only been tested and proven to work properly. Just like a refurbished phone, these can come from just about anywhere. They may have been returned in pristine condition without being used, or they may show signs of wear and tear.
Samsung, for example, calls its refurbished phones "certified pre-owned." Because everyone uses these terms differently, it's important to read the fine print before you buy any kind of refurbished phone so you know how they've been refurbished.
For the best balance between price and performance, we recommend looking at refurbished models that are around a year old. These phones are still new enough that you aren't likely to have issues, but after a year you should find them at deep discounts. By the time they're three years old, the battery will have degraded due to use (unless it's been replaced) and, after another year or two, may not be capable of being upgraded to the latest version of Android or iOS.
When you buy a new smartphone, you expect it to show up in a new box, with a charging cable, headphones and other accessories. But if you buy a refurbished model, you may not get all the accessories. A refurbished phone will usually include a charger, but other accessories are rare. Read the fine print on the product description so you know exactly what you're getting before you buy.
But if you'd like to save more cash, a trusted third-party retailer is the way to go. Avoid retailers you've never heard of: Buying a refurbished phone is an exercise, to an extent, in trust. You want to be sure it's been properly repaired and that you have somewhere to go if it doesn't work. You're likely to see better deals at other retailers (and eBay tends to have a selection of cheap refurbished phones), but you don't necessarily know what you're going to get.
You probably have a local Best Buy that you can visit to ask questions and see what their Pre-Owned and Refurbished stock looks like. Best Buy locations can also be a good place to go for technical support if you have problems. The company has a 14-day return policy and most refurbished phones come with a 90-day warranty.
Every carrier will stock refurbished phones, though return policies and warranties vary from carrier to carrier. This can be a good option, if they carry the phone your want, because you can usually visit the store if you have problems with your phone. Check out the used phone options at T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.
As long as you're a careful shopper, you can save a lot by buying refurbished. So if you're in the market for a new smartphone, definitely consider a like-new refurbished/certified pre-owned model instead.
At Twigby, many of the phones we offer are certified. This means they are thoroughly inspected and refurbished to like-new conditions. Just like with a certified used car, we can then offer the phone to our customers at substantial savings over a new model. While there are many places to buy refurbished phones, we have very high standards for our customers. Most of the options you might find across the internet would not past our rigorous testing.
The issue with refurbished phones is that you don't necessarily know which of the possible pathways it took to become refurbished in the first place. The truth is you may never know, even after you have the phone in your hands. But there are some excellent tips to follow when shopping for a refurbished phone.
Gazelle refurbishes and sells phones it buys from consumers and offers the last few years of popular devices from Samsung and Google (plus all of the latest iPhone models). This means there's a small diversity of brands but a great selection within the most popular ones.
You've probably heard of Gazelle if you've ever looked into reselling your phone. The site gives instant offers on phones (along with other devices like laptops and tablets), pays out via Amazon gift cards, PayPal, or paper checks, and refurbishes the devices you send to sell to someone else. This isn't just a great way to make a quick buck on your old tech; it's an environmentally friendly system that reduces e-waste by keeping gadgets in circulation for longer.
Best Buy sells refurbished, pre-owned, and open-box phones from various companies (though it's heavily weighted toward Apple) at discounts ranging from 10-30% off. Open-box deals, in particular, are great because they're typically devices that were just purchased, opened, and returned, not even used. Because of this, you can often find the latest models of phones for sale, rather than just old models.
One of the most appealing parts of Back Market is just how transparent it is with its customers. The company works with phone repair technicians and refurbishers to sell phones of various conditions and price points, with ratings listed for everything from the phone's physical condition to the amount of e-waste you're saving by buying a pre-owned device.
All Back Market's devices come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a minimum 12-month warranty. The company runs regular flash sales to offer eye-watering savings on phones to laptops, tablets, headphones, and even computer peripherals.
Verizon has certified pre-owned devices, but the selection is small and isn't always the best deal. For the most part, it only sells pre-owned Samsung phones and iPhones. Buying certified from the carrier gives you a bit of security, though, as Verizon will guarantee you're getting a working device and offers a 90-day warranty.
The Magenta carrier sometimes sells certified pre-owned devices at deep discounts, but stock fluctuates regularly (sometimes to the point where no phones are listed online). It is generally limited to Samsung and/or LG phones when available. Like Verizon, it offers a 90-day limited warranty for its certified pre-owned devices, which must first pass an 80-point inspection.
Never one to be outdone by Verizon, T-Mobile offers its selection of pre-owned phones. However, like Verizon, the number of worthwhile devices it keeps in stock is minimal at best. Still, when the company does have devices on hand, it backs them with the same 90-day warranty. It even requires every device to go through an 80-point inspection before it's listed to ensure consistently reliable quality.
AT&T sometimes sells "certified restored" phones, but they're only available online, and like with T-Mobile, the selection is more often than not empty. You're likely better off buying an unlocked refurbished phone elsewhere.
When you get the phone in, take a few minutes to check things over. While phones sold as refurbished should have passed through quality control, it's always possible that a defect can slip through the cracks. Even if you buy one of the best Android phones brand new, it's still worth it to check it over.
All phones are sold with a 30 day warranty on functionality of screen, buttons, microphone, and charging port. All phones are guaranteed to work with their intended carrier advertised by The Phone Exchange.
But there are key things to keep in mind if you want the best phone for your money and you want to stay safe when you get it. Here are our top tips on how to safely buy a great used phone, whether you want an iPhone or an Android phone.
If, however, you're really into phone photography then you may want to spend a bit more on something with a decent camera. In that case, something like an iPhone X or a Galaxy S10 may be preferable. You'll have to find that balance between the performance you need and the price you're happy to pay. Newer phones with more modern features and better performance will come with a higher price. 041b061a72