Sell electronics for cash

What we buy, and what we cannot take

We buy recent devices from Apple, Samsung and Google, and every model we take is listed on the category pages above. It is worth checking before you go further, because two things account for almost everything we turn away.

• Devices that will not power on. We cannot verify or wipe them, so we cannot buy them.
• Models that are too old. Each category page lists exactly what we take. On iPhone we currently start at the iPhone 15. For MacBooks, Samsung and tablets, check the relevant page.

Two others are worth knowing about. Devices with Activation Lock or a Google account still signed in cannot be processed, so sign out before you post. Devices reported lost or stolen are not accepted, and you can check yours against the national database with our free IMEI checker.

How selling works

Three steps, and the longest part is waiting for the postman. The price we quote is the price we pay, as long as the device matches what you told us.

1. Get an instant quote.

2. Post it free.

3. Get paid the same day.

1. Get an instant quote. Pick your model and condition. The price appears straight away.
2. Post it free. We email you a Royal Mail tracked label and put £10 towards the postage.
3. Get paid the same day. Our team checks the IMEI and condition, then sends payment by Faster Payments bank transfer.

Devices that reach us before 2pm are checked and paid on the same working day.

What your electronics are worth

Prices depend on the model far more than on the category, so the real figure lives on each device page rather than in a table here. Two identical models can still be worth very different amounts, and it comes down to a handful of things our team checks on arrival. None are surprises: the quote tool asks about all of them up front, so the figure you accept already accounts for them.

• Condition. Marks, scratches and dents move the device between our grades. NEW (sealed) pays most, then NEW (opened), PREMIUM, GREAT and GOOD.
• Storage size. A 512GB model is worth meaningfully more than the 128GB version of the same phone.
• Battery health. GOOD grade and above needs 80% or higher.
• Network lock. Unlocked devices are worth more than devices tied to one network.
• Age and model. Newer generations hold their value better, and older ones eventually fall off our list entirely.
• Box and accessories. Accessories only matter on some devices. A MacBook is quoted with its charger, so include it. A phone is quoted on condition alone.

Prices move with the market, so work from the quote tool rather than a number you saw last month. Once you accept a quote it is held for 10 days while your device reaches us and gets verified. If what arrives does not match what you described, we contact you with a revised offer before doing anything, and you can have it back at no cost.

Where to sell electronics: how vendi compares

Most people weighing this up are choosing between a buyback service, a high street shop and a marketplace listing. They are genuinely different trades, not better and worse versions of the same thing, and the right one depends on whether you care most about speed, price or effort.

An eBay listing usually gets you the highest number if you are willing to photograph the device, write the listing, answer questions, package it yourself and absorb the risk of a dispute. Everything else on this table is a trade of a little money for a lot less work. vendi sits at the fast end of that trade: a fixed price, free tracked postage, and money in your account the same day rather than a week later.

Selling broken or damaged electronics

Cracked screens, worn batteries, dented corners and scuffed cases are all fine, and they are most of what we see. Damage lowers the price rather than disqualifying the device, and the quote tool asks about it up front so the figure you accept is the figure you get.

The line we draw is whether the device powers on. A phone that will not switch on is the single most common reason we turn something away. Water damage usually lands on the same side of that line.

If you are not sure which side of that line your device falls on, run it through the quote tool anyway. We check it properly when it arrives, and if we cannot take it, we send it back to you free.

Selling online compared with selling near you

Searching for somewhere local is a reasonable instinct, and a phone shop or a CeX store will hand you cash the same afternoon. What you give up is the price. Local shops carry rent and staff costs, they resell into a much smaller market, and they price for the risk of not shifting the device at all.

vendi is online only, which is the reason the numbers work. There is no counter to visit and no travel at either end: the label arrives by email, the postage is free with £10 towards it, and the money lands in your account the same day your device is checked. For most people that is same-day money either way, without the trip.

The one thing a local shop genuinely does better is cash in hand within the hour. If that is the constraint, take the local option. If it is price, sell online.

Your data, wiped before anything else happens

Wipe your device before you post it, and sign out of iCloud, Google or Samsung account. That is the part only you can do, and Activation Lock will stop the sale if you skip it.

Once your device reaches us, we run a second wipe ourselves regardless of what state it arrives in. Nothing is resold or refurbished until that has happened. If a device fails our checks and goes back to you, it has still been wiped.

Recycling old electronics for cash

The UK throws away a lot of working technology. A phone that still has years of life in it belongs with someone who wants one, not in a drawer and not in landfill. That is the whole business: we check devices, wipe them, and pass them on.

Selling and recycling are the same decision made at different points in a device’s life. While it still has resale value, selling it pays you and keeps it in use, which is why we buy recent models rather than anything with a plug on it. Once that value has gone, your local authority runs a free WEEE collection service for electricals and that is the right route. We would rather tell you which of the two you are looking at than take something we cannot use.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to sell electronics in the UK?
It depends on what you are optimising for. An eBay listing usually gets the highest price if you are prepared to do the work and wait. A buyback service like vendi gets you a fixed price with free postage and same-day payment. A high street shop gets you cash in hand today, usually for less.

What is the best way to sell electronics?
Get quotes from two or three places before you commit, and check what each one deducts after inspection. The advertised price and the amount that actually reaches your account are not always the same number. With vendi there are no seller fees and no hidden deductions, so the quote you accept is what you are paid.

How much cash can I get for old electronics?
It depends on the model, storage size and condition far more than on the category, and recent flagship phones and MacBooks are worth the most by a wide margin. Devices more than a few generations back have usually lost the value that makes a sale worth either side’s time. Run yours through the quote tool for a real figure in a few seconds, without handing over any details first.

Does CeX buy old electronics?
Yes, both online and in store, and their store voucher is usually worth more than their cash offer. The difference with vendi is that you never need to visit a store, we cover the postage with £10 towards it, and you are paid by bank transfer the same day rather than in vouchers.

Do Currys pay for old electronics?
Yes, through their trade-in scheme, paid as a bank transfer or an e-gift card. It works well if you are buying something from Currys at the same time. If you are selling without buying anything, a dedicated buyback service is usually the simpler route.

Where can I sell electronics near me?
Phone shops, repair shops and CeX stores all buy tech over the counter. They pay less than online buyers because they carry the cost of premises and resell into a smaller market. vendi is online only, so there is nowhere to visit, but the postage is free and the money arrives the same day your device is checked.

Can I sell broken or cracked electronics?
Yes. Cracked screens, worn batteries and cosmetic damage all get quotes, and damage lowers the price rather than ruling the device out. The exception is a device that will not power on, which we cannot verify or wipe and therefore cannot buy.

Can I recycle old electronics for cash?
If the device still works and is recent enough to be on our list, selling it to us pays you and puts it back into use, which is recycling in the way that matters. Older devices and anything that will not power on have no resale value left, so nobody pays cash for them. Your local authority collects those free through its WEEE service.

What electronics can I sell for cash?
Phones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches from Apple, Samsung and Google. Each category page lists every model we currently take. If yours is not on the list, it is either too old or not a brand we handle yet.

How do I get paid, and when?
By Faster Payments bank transfer, on the same working day your device arrives, as long as it reaches us before 2pm. Our team checks the IMEI and the condition against your quote first. Later arrivals are paid the next working day.

Can I trust vendi to sell my tech?
We have been buying and selling devices since 2018 and we are rated 4.9/5 across Trustpilot and Google by more than 60,000 users. There are no seller fees and no deductions after inspection: if a device does not match its description we contact you with a revised offer before doing anything, and you can have it back free of charge.