For years, Apple has offered good deals on refurbished MacBooks, iPads, Apple TVs, and even routers. Now, you can get refurbished iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus directly from Apple.com.
There have been plenty of other ways to buy refurbished iPhones over the years, including retailers like Glyde, Gazelle, and Best Buy—not to mention bidding on the open markets of eBay and Craigslist. But getting getting a used phone directly from Apple has some distinct advantages.
First, the phones directly from Apple include a brand new outer shell and a new battery. Second, the refurbished phones includes a 1-year warranty, so if something breaks, you can take it back to an Apple Store or call Apple directly.
Best Buy offers a 12-month limited warranty on its refurbished phones, but it’s not clear what that warranty covers, and how exactly you can get your device serviced. Meanwhile, Gazelle offers a 30 day money back guarantee and that’s it.
If you need to get your refurbished iPhone fixed or replaced, you can simply stroll into your neighborhood Apple Store as you do with any other product. Plus, if you buy a refurbished iPhone from Apple, you can get AppleCare+ for it, which will protect against breaking the screen or some other damage.
When it comes to prices, the Apple refurb prices are on-par with what you will find for “excellent” condition refurbs from Gazelle or Glyde and about $10 less than Best Buy.
Right now, Apple is offering the following models/capacities:
- 16 GB iPhone 6S - $489
- 16GB iPhone 6S Plus - $529
- 64GB iPhone 6S Plus - $589
All models are carrier unlocked and SIM-free, so they’ll work on any network.
If you’re willing to take your chances on the open market, you can certainly get a used iPhone for less money—but it won’t be certified and won’t have a warranty. If you’re going to buy a used iPhone from anyone, you should probably just buy it from Apple.