Sell a locked phone
“Locked” means three very different things, and they decide whether a phone can be sold, and for how much. Carrier locked phones sell normally. Activation-locked ones sell only for parts. Phones reported lost or stolen can’t be sold at all. Here’s which one you have.
Prices updated October 26, 2026
Working price vs. locked for parts
A carrier-locked phone sells at a working price (a little under unlocked). An iCloud- or Google-locked phone sells at the parts price. Ranges are this week’s, from the price guide.
| Model | WorkingWorking | PartsParts or locked |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro MaxiPhone 17 Pro Max | $840–$980 | $200–$210 |
| iPhone 17iPhone 17 | $565–$625 | $75–$85 |
| iPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 16 Pro Max | $630–$685 | $160–$170 |
| iPhone 15 Pro MaxiPhone 15 Pro Max | $480–$535 | $115–$125 |
| iPhone 15iPhone 15 | $330–$365 | $60–$70 |
| iPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 14 Pro Max | $380–$435 | $90–$100 |
| iPhone 13iPhone 13 | $210–$250 | $40–$50 |
| iPhone 12iPhone 12 | $155–$190 | $25–$35 |
| iPhone 11iPhone 11 | $125–$160 | $30–$40 |
| Galaxy S25 UltraSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | $520–$530 | $80–$90 |
| Galaxy S24 UltraSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | $435–$445 | $80–$90 |
| Galaxy S23Samsung Galaxy S23 | $150–$160 | $30–$40 |
Carrier locked: sellable, for a bit less
A carrier-locked phone only works with one network until the carrier unlocks it. It sells normally, just for less than an unlocked one, and the price guide shows both prices for every storage size. If your carrier will unlock it (usually once it’s paid off), ask them first: it’s free and adds to the price.
If the phone still has a balance owed on it, pay it off before you sell. A carrier can blacklist a phone whose payments stop, and a blacklisted phone can’t be listed.
iCloud or Google locked: parts only
Activation Lock (iCloud on an iPhone, Factory Reset Protection on Android) ties the phone to an account. Until the owner signs out, nobody else can use it, so it sells for parts only. If it’s your phone, remove it from your account before listing it, and it sells as a working phone instead.
Only the owner can remove the lock. Apple removes it for the owner with proof of purchase, and nobody else can do it legitimately: a service that claims it can unlock someone else’s phone is a scam.
Reported lost or stolen: can’t be sold
Every IMEI is checked before a listing goes live here. A phone reported lost, stolen or blacklisted is turned down, whatever its condition.
Prices by model
- iPhone 11parts $30–$40
- iPhone 12parts $25–$35
- iPhone 13parts $40–$50
- iPhone 13 Pro Maxparts $45–$55
- iPhone 14parts $50–$60
- iPhone 14 Pro Maxparts $90–$100
- iPhone 15parts $60–$70
- iPhone 15 Pro Maxparts $115–$125
- iPhone 16parts $45–$55
- iPhone 16 Pro Maxparts $160–$170
- iPhone 17 Pro Maxparts $200–$210
- Galaxy S22 Ultraparts $30–$40
- Galaxy S23parts $30–$40
- Galaxy S23 Ultraparts $45–$55
- Galaxy S24 Ultraparts $80–$90
- Galaxy S25 Ultraparts $80–$90
How to sell it
01Find out which lock it is
Settings shows the carrier lock (on an iPhone: General, About, Carrier Lock). An Activation Lock screen appears after the phone is erased and asks for the previous owner’s account.
02Remove what you can
Sign out of your Apple or Google account, and ask your carrier to unlock the phone if it’s paid off. Both are free and both raise the price.
03Say exactly how it’s locked
Every listing asks about carrier lock and Activation Lock separately. Buyers price them very differently.
04Have the IMEI ready
Dial *#06#, or read it from the SIM tray or the box. It’s checked privately before your listing goes live and never shown to buyers, so keep it out of your photos.
How conditions are graded here: grading guide.
Sell it on Honest Phones
Any condition, 3% seller fee, no listing fees. Every IMEI is checked before a listing goes live, and the buyer's payment is held until they accept the phone.
Common questions
Can I sell an iCloud-locked iPhone?
Only for parts, and only if it’s yours. Nobody but Apple can remove Activation Lock, and Apple only does it for the owner with proof of purchase. If it’s your account, sign out first and it sells as a working phone.
Can I sell a carrier-locked phone?
Yes. It sells as a normal working phone, for somewhat less than an unlocked one. Ask your carrier to unlock it first if it’s paid off.
Can I sell a Google-locked (FRP) Android phone?
Only for parts, the same as an iCloud-locked iPhone. Remove the phone from your Google account under Security, and it sells as a working phone instead.
Can I sell a blacklisted phone?
No. Every IMEI is checked before a listing goes live, and phones reported lost, stolen or blacklisted are turned down.