Trading In Your Old iPhone for the iPhone 18? Here's How to Get the Most for It

With the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo now on shelves, this is the window when your current iPhone is worth the most it will ever be again. Every month you wait, resale value drops a little further as the next generation gets closer. If you're planning to upgrade, here's what actually moves the needle on your trade-in offer, and how to make the swap as painless as possible.

Why Trade In Right Now, Specifically

Trade-in values follow a predictable curve: they peak right after a new iPhone launches (when demand for "good enough, cheaper" used phones spikes) and slide slowly until the next launch resets the cycle. Right now, an iPhone 15, 16, or 17 in good condition is worth meaningfully more than it will be next spring. If an upgrade is already on your mind, this is the best-priced month to act on it, not a random one.

What Determines Your Trade-In Value

The same factors that affect any resale decide your credit here, just applied against the new iPhone 18's price rather than a straight cash offer:

• Model and storage. A newer, higher-storage iPhone (15 Pro, 16, 17 series) trades for meaningfully more credit than an older SE or 11, though those still have real value.
• Screen and body condition. Cracks and deep scratches lower your offer. If the damage is minor, a quick screen repair first can be worth more in trade credit than it costs.
• Battery health. Check Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging before you come in. A phone above 85% health trades for more than one nearing replacement territory.
• Unlock status. A carrier-locked phone is worth less. If you're not sure whether yours is locked, we can check it on the spot.

Before You Come In: The One Step That Blocks Everything

Your iPhone must be signed out of iCloud with Find My iPhone turned off. This is the single most common reason a trade-in gets delayed at the counter, and it takes thirty seconds at home. Do it before you leave, not after you've already walked in with your new phone in hand.

How the Trade-In Actually Works

Bring your old iPhone into any of our five Vancouver locations, no appointment needed. We inspect it on the spot and give you an upfront trade-in credit toward the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, or Duo, or straight cash if you'd rather sell it outright and shop elsewhere. Whatever isn't reused gets responsibly wiped, refurbished, or recycled.

Which New iPhone Should You Trade Up To?

If you haven't decided between the Pro, Pro Max, and the foldable Duo yet, our full iPhone 18 breakdown covers real pricing, specs, and honest pros and cons for each, including whether the Duo's premium is actually worth it for a first-generation fold.