"Sell old electronics" is searched about 1,900 times a month worldwide, according to Ubersuggest, with "where to sell old electronics" about 1,000, "where to sell old electronics for money" about 720, "sell old electronics near me" about 590 and "sell old electronics online" about 390. Competition is high, with a competition score near 60, because trade-in services and marketplaces bid for these searches. The searchers hold a drawer of phones, laptops, cameras and cables and want to know whether anything is worth selling and who will pay. This guide explains how to sort the pile, what to do before a sale and the kinds of buyer, without naming a service we have not reviewed. It belongs beside our guide to selling used and broken electronics worldwide, and our Australian companion is Sell Broken, Faulty or Old Electronics in Australia. We give no prices. We operate ScrapTrade, a scrap marketplace, so we have a stake in this trade.
Sort the pile first
Divide devices into three groups, because the right buyer depends on which group a device is in:
- Working. It powers up and does its job. It can be sold as used, and it is worth more than its parts or metal.
- Repairable. It has a known fault. Repairers and refurbishers may want it, and the fault should be described honestly.
- Dead. It is broken beyond reuse. It is waste, and the route is a recycler or an e-scrap buyer, as how e-waste recycling works explains.
The test is functional, not cosmetic. A cracked screen on a device that works is a repair problem, and a pristine device that will not start may still be waste.
Before you sell: test, wipe, gather
- Test each device. Power, screen, ports, battery and any fault you know of. Write down what you tested.
- Wipe the data. Back up what you need, sign out of accounts, and reset the device, and see our guide to broken phones and laptops for what a reset does and does not guarantee.
- Gather the extras. Chargers, cables, boxes and proof of purchase can make a device easier to sell, and a buyer may ask for them.
- Photograph and describe. Show the condition honestly, including damage.
- Note the identifiers. Model and serial number, which a buyer may check for locks or reports.
The kinds of buyer
- Trade-in programs. Retailers and manufacturers take back working devices for credit or cash, and quote on condition. We did not review individual programs.
- Marketplaces and classifieds. You find the buyer and handle the sale, shipping and disputes. Fees and rules vary by platform.
- Refurbishers and repairers. They buy working and repairable devices in quantity, often by grade.
- Brokers and resellers. Some buy lots of used electronics for resale in other markets, where used-versus-waste rules apply, as our worldwide guide explains.
- E-scrap buyers and recyclers. For dead devices, as our guide to scrap electronics explains.
We did not rank buyers, because each has an interest in the sale, and a quote from one is not evidence of what another would pay. Get at least two.
When not to sell
A device with personal data you cannot wipe, such as a dead laptop with its drive intact, is better recycled with a data destruction guarantee or have its storage removed first, which our certification guide covers under certified recycling. A device whose battery is swollen or damaged is a hazard to ship. We did not research battery shipping rules, so ask a recycler or carrier before you send one.
Where ScrapTrade fits
Selling a phone or a laptop to a trade-in program or a marketplace buyer is simpler than listing it on ScrapTrade, and we would not point you there for one device. The case is volume: a repairer with a stack of boards, a business clearing retired equipment, a reseller or recycler with lots to move. E-waste is one of ScrapTrade's twelve categories, and its verified traders in more than 50 countries bid for lots. Listing is free with no commission, price and terms are negotiated live and an accepted bid places the buyer's 5 percent deposit into escrow. Both businesses and individuals can sell after verification. Whether working devices can be listed, and how testing is handled, is unconfirmed, so write to cs@scraptrade.com.au before you plan around it.
What we could not verify
- What any device sells for. We found no reliable source.
- Trade-in and marketplace terms. We did not review any.
- Battery shipping rules.
- Whether ScrapTrade accepts working devices.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell old electronics that do not work?
Often yes, to repairers for parts or to e-scrap buyers, but a dead device is usually worth little. Describe the fault honestly.
Where is the best place to sell old electronics?
It depends on the device. Working devices suit trade-ins or marketplaces, and dead ones suit a recycler or e-scrap buyer. Compare at least two quotes.
Do I need to wipe my devices before selling?
Yes. Back up what you need, sign out and reset, and see our broken phone and laptop guide for the limits of a reset.
Is it worth listing a single old device on ScrapTrade?
Probably not. It suits lots, and whether working devices can be listed is unconfirmed, so ask support.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, global, queried November 2026.
- Trade-in, refurbisher and e-waste guides on sorting devices by condition, as summarised in earlier research for our worldwide and Australian electronics guides.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not legal advice. Prices and terms vary by buyer. We run a scrap marketplace.