Apple vs Samsung Resale Value

Written by Sarah Mitchell, Senior Trade-In Analyst at RecyclePro. Sarah has managed over 50,000 phone trades through OnRecycle and Envirofone with direct hands-on experience in UK pricing, condition grading, and market trends.

Disclosure: RecyclePro is an independent comparison platform. We do not take money from manufacturers or carriers to feature their programmes. All data comes from live UK market sources.

The resale value gap between Apple and Samsung is closing faster than ever. But it is probably not what you think.

Right now, an iPhone 16 Pro in good condition sells for £750-£790 on OnRecycle. A Galaxy S25 in the same condition receives £620-£670. That gap of £130-£170 gets smaller every year.

If you spend £800 to £1,200 on a phone, selling it at the right time and in the right place could save you £200 to £400 on your next upgrade.

When it comes to Apple vs Samsung resale value in the UK, which brand puts more money back in your pocket? The answer is still Apple. But how Samsung is catching up will change how you think about buying your next phone.

The Resale Value Gap in 2026 - Why iPhone Still Leads

At five months after launch, the iPhone 16 has lost 35.4% of its value. The Galaxy S25 has lost 46.6%. That is an 11.2 percent gap in Apple's favour.

Three to four years ago, that gap was 20 to 30 points. Samsung has cut it by 5.3 points in three years.

Over two years, iPhones keep 60 to 70% of their value. Samsung phones keep 40 to 50%. In real money, this matters even more because iPhones cost more. Getting back 65% of £1,099 is very different from getting back 50% of £899.

Four reasons explain why iPhone wins on value and resale every time.

Apple has kept its software promise for years. The iPhone 11 came out in 2019. It still gets iOS 26 updates in 2026. That is seven years. Samsung now promises seven years for the S24 range too, but a new promise means less than a long record. Buyers trust Apple more because it has proved itself year after year.

iPhone users tend to stay with the iPhone. About 82% of iPhone buyers get another iPhone. Leaving Apple means losing iCloud, iMessage, AirDrop, and Apple Watch. Samsung buyers can switch to any Android phone without losing much. That makes older Samsung phones easier to pass over, which keeps their prices lower.

iPhones are seen as premium products. When someone pays £600 for a used phone, they want to feel confident. Apple gives buyers that feeling more often than Samsung does.

Apple sells fewer models. Apple makes four main phones per year. Samsung makes over twenty. Fewer choices mean more stable prices for sellers.

Source: OnRecycle and SellCell, Q1 to Q2 2026

At 24 months, an iPhone 16 Pro bought at £1,099 gives back around £681. A Galaxy S25 bought at £849 gives back around £408. The cash gap is £273. That is what Apple vs Samsung resale value actually looks like in your bank account.

Why Samsung's Resale Value Is Improving Rapidly

The question of why Samsung's resale value is low is harder to answer, as the gap is closing every year. Three things are driving this change.

Samsung's seven-year Android update promise for the S24 range is the biggest reason. A used Galaxy S25 bought today still has six or more years of updates ahead. That makes buyers much more confident, and confident buyers pay more.

Galaxy AI features like Circle to Search and Live Translate make Galaxy phones feel modern and long-lasting. Better build quality, with titanium frames and tighter materials, also helps.

Here is how the Samsung phone depreciation rate has changed year by year:

• Galaxy S22 in 2022: lost 51.9% at five months
• Galaxy S23 in 2023: lost 49.1% at five months
• Galaxy S24 in 2024: lost 48.0% at five months
• Galaxy S25 in 2025: lost 46.6% at five months

That is a 5.3 point improvement in three years. Slow, but consistent.

Samsung's trade-in programme now offers up to £800 when you buy a new Samsung. We cover what that number really means in the trade-in section.

Foldable phones are a completely different story. Galaxy Z Fold phones still lose 63.7% of their value in six months. Regular Galaxy S phones lose 48.3% in the same time. Repairs are expensive, screens worry buyers, and the market still treats foldables as risky technology. This is a big reason why Samsung phones depreciate so fast in the foldable range. The Samsung flagship vs Apple flagship comparison looks totally different when a foldable is involved.

Apple's Depreciation Trend - Why iPhones Are Losing Value Faster

iPhone still leads in Apple vs Samsung resale value. But iPhones are losing value faster with each new model. Look at five-month depreciation across four generations:

• iPhone 13: lost 25.2%
• iPhone 14: lost 28.9%
• iPhone 15: lost 32.1%
• iPhone 16: lost 35.4%

That is a 10.7 percent jump in four models. SellCell research confirms the iPhone 16 loses value 10.7% faster than the iPhone 13.

Four things explain this. More iPhones in the market means less scarcity and lower prices. Apple Intelligence came out slowly over months, while Samsung had Galaxy AI working straight away. iPhone 16 looks very similar to iPhone 15, so buyers won’t notice the difference. And certified refurbished iPhones from Currys, John Lewis, and Envirofone now provide buyers a safer choice than private sellers, which cuts private resale demand.

The key point: in actual pounds, the iPhone still beats Samsung at resale. An iPhone 16 Pro losing 35.4% of £1,099 leaves £711. A Galaxy S25 losing 46.6% of £849 leaves £453. The percentage trend is getting worse, but the cash outcome still favours iPhone for now.

Real UK Trade-In Prices: What Your Phone Actually Sells For

Here are the real numbers from OnRecycle and SellMyPhone, April to June 2026.

Source: OnRecycle and SellMyPhone, April to June 2026. Prices change weekly. Always check before selling.

The iPhone 15 Pro shot up 8% in March 2026 when the Galaxy S25 launched. The Galaxy S24 dropped 15% in the same month. That is a timing lesson inside real data.

The gap between a perfect phone and a good one is £150, £200, or more on a flagship. A cracked screen reduces 30% to 50% right away. Battery health below 80% is automatically marked down.  Recyclers check this the moment your phone arrives.

EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three all update their trade-in offers in January and July. Selling in these months gets you 5 to 10% more, which is £40 to £80 extra on a flagship for simply picking the right time.

If you are still paying off your phone through a carrier, any recycler will check your IMEI through the HPI register. They will not pay you until your finances are fully cleared. Check your balance before listing anywhere.

OnRecycle data shows independent platforms beat manufacturer trade-in by £50 to £150 on flagship phones. The Galaxy Z Fold7 1TB is worth £1,120 through independent UK recyclers. Apple stopped accepting it in May 2026.

Regional differences: London and the South East receive 2-5% more. Scotland gets 2-5% less. Wales and Northern Ireland see very little difference.

For full Galaxy S25 values across platforms, see our Galaxy S25 depreciation trends guide.

Why Timing Matters More Than You Think

Timing your sale correctly can get you more money, regardless of the brand. Getting it wrong costs more than the entire gap between iPhone and Samsung resale rates.

Your phone loses value at three key moments. It loses 15 to 20% the moment you open the box. It loses another 15 to 25% in the first six months as shops cut prices. It loses 12-18% within the month after the next model is announced. Even iPhone 17 rumours are already pushing iPhone 16 prices down in mid-2026.

Best times to sell in 2026:

iPhone owners should sell in May or June 2026 before iPhone 17 arrives in September. Samsung Galaxy owners had their best window in March and April 2026. If you missed it, prices will drop again when the Galaxy Note revival comes in August. Pixel owners have the most time. Sell in August or September 2026.

For a phone-by-phone timing plan, see our iPhone selling calendar for 2026.

Sell two to three months before the next model comes out. Not one week before and never after. Values fall in a straight line. Every extra week costs money.

April and May now have stronger demand than throughout the fourth quarter. The Christmas peak is gone. People upgrade before summer now.

Gartner data illustrates 40% of UK businesses delayed phone upgrades to Q2 2026. This sent thousands of barely used work phones to market in spring 2026. This hurt current-model sellers but helped Galaxy S23 buyers who found great deals.

Software Support and Ecosystem Lock-In - Why They Drive Resale Value

Understanding why the iPhone is better than the Samsung for resale comes down to two things. How long the software keeps the phone useful, and how hard it is for buyers to leave the system they already use.

The iPhone 11 launched in 2019 and still gets iOS 26 updates in 2026 with seven years of support. When a phone stops getting updates, most buyers walk away. A phone that stops getting security patches within a year is very hard to sell.

Buying a used iPhone means keeping iCloud, iMessage, AirDrop, and Apple Watch. For existing iPhone users, switching is painful. Samsung buyers can move to any Android phone without losing anything. That ease of switching weakens Samsung's second-hand demand.

Apple has delivered long software support for over a decade. Samsung promised 7 years of support for the S24 range. The market trusts a long record more than a new promise. The iPhone 13, launched in 2021, still sells well in 2026 because it runs iOS 26. The Galaxy S22, of the same age, drops faster because buyers are less certain about its future.

Getting an iPhone battery replaced through Apple costs £89. Buyers know a cheap fix can make an old iPhone feel new again. Samsung's repairs of older phones often cost more than the phones themselves after 3 years, which cuts demand for older models.

The 82% iPhone retention rate is not about loving Apple. It is about switching being too much effort. Every year, iPhone users add more to iCloud and rely more on iMessage, which makes it harder to leave. Samsung has nothing like this, and that missing friction is why iPhone resale stays so strong.

Battery Health, Condition, and Hidden Depreciation Killers

This is where hundreds of pounds disappear between what sellers expect and what recyclers actually pay.

When battery health drops below 80%, your phone loses 30 to 50% of its resale value compared to above 95%. Envirofone data shows the difference between 85% and 95% battery health on an iPhone 15 is £80+ for the same phone in the same condition. Recyclers check this straight away. You cannot hide it.

A screen protector costing £5 to £15 prevents the most common reason recyclers lower your offer. You can save over £100 at resale from this one step alone.

A 256GB iPhone retains 5-8% more Apple value than the 128GB version. Choose 256GB at purchase for better resale. One exception: the iPhone Air is losing value faster on higher storage versions, likely because buyers worry about the ultra-thin body lasting. Normal rules do not apply there. Samsung buyers care more about model tier than storage size.

Envirofone, OnRecycle, Currys, and John Lewis all use the same three grades: Excellent, Good, and Fair. The gap between Excellent and Good is 20-30% in price. Be honest about the grade your phone is in before you ask for a quote.

Simple steps to protect value from day one:

Put a screen protector on straight away. Use a case on the back and corners. Keep the original box. Update the software regularly. Do not use the phone heavily in the six months before selling. Clean it before you sell it.

Manufacturer Trade-In Programs vs Independent Recyclers - Where You Get More

In May 2026, Apple stopped taking Samsung Galaxy flagship phones as trade-ins. The Galaxy Z Fold7 1TB is worth £1,120 through independent UK recyclers. Apple will not take it. This is a business decision to stop making it easy for Samsung users to switch to iPhone.

For iPhones, Apple trade-in pays 10-15% less than the open market. You get instant credit toward a new iPhone, but that credit only works at Apple.

Samsung's trade-in programme offers up to £800 for a two-year-old flagship when you buy a new Samsung. The same phone on the open market sells for almost £500. That £800 is not your phone's real value. It is a deal to get you to buy Samsung. Only use it if you are definitely buying a new Galaxy.

For a full breakdown of all UK options, see our UK phone recycler comparison.

OnRecycle uses live data from over 50,000 trades per quarter. Quotes arrive within 24 hours. Pays 3-5% more than fixed-price shops. Best for good-condition flagship phones.

Envirofone focuses on refurbished resale with clear grading. Better for damaged phones. Takes 7 to 10 days to pay. Best for bulk sales or phones with visible wear.

SellMyPhone and Compare and Recycle show quotes from several recyclers at once. Good for Samsung Galaxy phones right now.

ecoATM kiosks give you cash straight away, but pay 8 to 12% less than the best online offers. Only use these if you need cash today.

Carriers pay 5 to 10% less than independent recyclers. Private sales on Facebook Marketplace can get 2 to 5% more but take 3-6 weeks, and many sales fall through.

For condition and private sale, see our detailed guide to preserving resale value.

Recyclers can lower your quote after checking your phone. Take photos before you post them. Save a battery health screenshot. If a recycler drops your price without a good reason, your photos protect you.

The Samsung Resale Crossover Point - When Will Galaxy Beat iPhone?

Every Samsung flagship vs. Apple flagship conversation comes to this question. The crossover is closer than people think, later than headlines say, and smaller than most articles suggest.

Samsung is cutting the five-month depreciation gap by about 1.3 percentage points every three months. The gap today is 11.2 points. At this speed, the gap could close between late 2026 and early 2028.

A depreciation crossover does not mean Samsung phones will be worth more than iPhones. It means they lose value at a similar rate. Here is a clear example. iPhone 17 Pro at £1,100, keeping 65% gives you £715. Galaxy S26 at £900, keeping 64% gives you £576. The rates are the same, but the cash gap is still £139.

Three ways it could play out:

Conservative view, crossover by 2028: iPhone 17 brings real improvements. Apple Intelligence speeds up. Samsung's promise takes years to gain real buyer trust.

Most likely, crossover by late 2027: Both brands carry on as they are now. Samsung delivers updates as promised. iPhone design stays similar.

Best case for Samsung, crossover by late 2026: iPhone 17 disappoints. Galaxy Z Fold becomes much more reliable. Galaxy battery health stays above 85% for five or more years.

The crossover is real and coming. But a 2-3% difference in depreciation rates should not decide which phone you buy. Focus your selling strategy on timing, condition, and where you sell.

UK-Specific Factors Affecting Resale Value

Global articles rarely cover these. Every one of them affects real money for UK sellers.

A phone locked to EE, O2, Vodafone, or Three is worth 10-20% less on the open market. Most UK recyclers cannot sell locked phones to international buyers. Unlocking costs £20 to £30 and can get you £80 to £150 more. Check your lock status by inserting a SIM from another network into your phone before asking for a quote. If it is locked, call your carrier. Unlocking is free after your contract minimum and takes 24 to 48 hours.

Gartner confirms 40% of UK businesses delayed phone upgrades in Q2 2026. Thousands of barely used work phones hit the second-hand market in spring 2026, which created unexpected competition for current-model sellers but great deals for Galaxy S23 buyers.

UK buyers are cautious about phones not originally sold in the UK. EU or US imports sell for less because of warranty gaps and network concerns. This matters if you have a phone bought abroad.

OnRecycle, Envirofone, Currys, and John Lewis all use the same grading. Excellent, Good, and Fair. This makes buying used phones less risky and keeps second-hand values higher for sellers.

How to Maximize Your Phone's Resale Value - Action Plan

For a deeper look at condition management, see our detailed guide to preserving resale value.

6 to 12 months before selling: Put a screen protector on straight away. Use a case on the back and corners. Keep the original box. Avoid third-party repairs. Do not use the phone heavily in the months before you plan to sell.

3 to 6 months before selling: Watch for news about the next model launch. Plan to sell 2 to 3 months before it comes out. That means May or June for iPhone and March for Samsung. Check if your carrier updates offers in January or July. Unlock your phone if it is network-locked. Check your finance balance. See our iPhone selling calendar for 2026 for model-specific timing.

1 month before selling: Update the software. Check battery health. Back up everything and do a full factory reset. Clean the phone. Take clear photos of all sides as evidence.

On the day you sell: Get quotes from at least three places: OnRecycle, Envirofone, and one carrier. Send the phone the same day or the next day. Prices change every week. Use tracked and insured post. Keep your photos and battery screenshot until you are paid.

Mistakes that cost UK sellers hundreds of pounds:

Do not sell in the same month that the next model comes out. Values drop 12 to 18% that month.

Do not keep waiting. Values fall steadily. Every extra week costs money.

Do not sell with a cracked screen or battery below 80%. The price drop is bigger than the repair cost.

Do not use a manufacturer trade-in unless you are buying within that brand. The open market pays more.

Do not sell a locked phone. Unlock it for £20 or £30 and get £80 or £150 more.

Do not treat Samsung's trade-in credit as your phone's real value.

Freequently Asked Questions

Q1: Should I buy refurbished or new if I care about resale value?

Buy refurbished. New phones lose 15 to 20% the moment the box opens. Refurbished phones have already gone through that drop. A refurbished iPhone 15 bought at £399 and sold two years later for £280 is a 30% loss. A new iPhone 16 is bought for £800 and sold for £500, a 37.5% loss on a much larger amount. See our guide to buying refurbished phones for more.

Q2: Is now a good time to sell my Samsung Galaxy S24?

Yes, but do not wait. The Galaxy S24’s value lost 15% after the S25 launched in March 2026. Prices have partly recovered, but the Galaxy Note revival in August will push them down again. Every extra month costs you £30 or £50.

Q3: Will my iPhone 14 still be worth something in 2027?

Yes. Expect £300-£400 in good condition. But the iPhone 14 will take its biggest drop in September 2026 when the iPhone 17 launches. Sell before that announcement if resale value matters to you.

Q4: Does storage capacity really affect resale?

Yes, mainly for iPhones. A 256GB iPhone keeps 5 to 8% more value than the 128GB version. Samsung buyers care more about model tier than storage size. Note that the iPhone Air is an exception; higher storage loses value faster than expected.

Q5: Why is my Galaxy S25 worth less on OnRecycle than Samsung's trade-in offer?

Because Samsung's trade-in offer is not your phone's real value, it is a deal to get you to buy a new Galaxy. The credit only works against a new Samsung purchase. OnRecycle shows what a real UK buyer will pay today. If you are not buying a new Samsung, always sell independently.

Q6: What is the best platform to sell my phone in the UK: Apple Trade-In, Samsung, or OnRecycle?

For iPhones: OnRecycle or Envirofone. Both pay 5-10% more than Apple Trade-In for Samsung: OnRecycle or Envirofone. The Samsung trade-in programme only makes sense if you are buying a new Galaxy. For Google Pixel: Envirofone or OnRecycle. Google has no formal UK trade-in programme. For any phone, compare at least three platforms. The difference between the best and worst offer is regularly £50 to £150.

The Bottom Line

iPhone still leads on Apple vs Samsung resale value in real pounds. That lead comes from proven software support, strong ecosystem lock-in, a trusted brand image, and a small product range that keeps prices stable. Understanding why the iPhone is better than Samsung for resale is about measurable mechanics, not personal preference.

But why Samsung's resale value is lower than Apple's is a less fair question every year. The seven-year update promise, Galaxy AI features, and better build quality are steadily closing the Samsung phone depreciation difference. The Samsung flagship vs. Apple flagship comparison in 2028 will look different from today.

Brand sets your ceiling. iPhone still has the higher one. Timing determines whether you hit it. The time window before the next launch is the most valuable advice in this guide. Condition is your multiplier. The gap between Excellent and Good is £150 or £200, recoverable with a £5 screen protector. The platform is your final lever. OnRecycle and Envirofone beat manufacturer programmes by £50 or £150 on flagships every time.

The Samsung crossover is coming. But even when it arrives, it represents a shift in percentages, not in pounds.  iPhone will still return more cash at resale because it starts from a higher price.

The sellers who recovered £200 to £400 more from the same phone started thinking about reselling it on the day they bought it. Not the day the new model came out.

If you are selling: Check OnRecycle and Envirofone before committing to anything. Use our iPhone selling calendar for 2026 for timing.

If you are buying: Refurbished flagships offer 20 to 30% better value than new ones. See our guide to buying refurbished phones before buying new.

Sources: OnRecycle UK platform, 50,000 plus trades Q1 to Q2 2026. SellMyPhone UK analysis March to June 2026. SellCell depreciation research 2025 to 2026. Envirofone grading and pricing data. Gartner Enterprise IT Spending Report Q2 2026. Counterpoint Research UK refurbished market report 2025. All prices are from April to June 2026 and change weekly. UK data only.