Sell my iPhone in Melbourne: 5 options compared

If you've got an old iPhone sitting in a drawer, there are five real options in Melbourne. Each gets you a different mix of cash, speed and hassle. Here's an honest breakdown - including where PhoneFetch fits.

1. Apple trade-in (the easiest, the lowest)

Walk into an Apple Store with your phone, get a credit toward a new device. Zero hassle. The credit is roughly 50-60% of what your phone is worth on the open market. If you weren't planning to buy a new iPhone today, this is the worst option dollar-for-dollar.

Best for: upgraders who don't care about squeezing every dollar.

2. National buyback sites (quote online, post the phone)

You get an instant quote online, print a label, ship the phone, wait 3-7 business days for payment. The price is usually 80-90% of what you'd get on Gumtree. The deduction is real - it's covering their shipping, their warehouse, and the dispute risk when phones arrive cracked.

Common gotcha: the post-inspection downgrade. The original quote assumes "perfect" condition, and a decent share of phones get re-priced lower after they arrive - you either accept the new number or pay return shipping.

Best for: sellers outside major cities, or anyone happy to ship and wait.

3. PhoneFetch (us - Melbourne only)

Honest pitch: we exist because options 2, 4 and 5 are each annoying in their own way. We drive to your door anywhere within roughly 30 minutes of the Melbourne CBD, inspect the phone over a quick chat, and pay cash or PayID before we leave. Done in about 10 minutes from the moment we knock.

On price, we benchmark daily against the national buyback services' published rates and sit in the same range - we won't pretend otherwise. What you're choosing with us is the experience: no postage, no waiting a week for the money, no re-quote surprise after a warehouse inspection, and the phone is checked in front of you. The number we agree at your door is the number you're paid, before we leave. Grab a quote at /sell - locks for 7 days, no email needed.

Best for: Melbourne sellers who want it done today, no shipping, no carparks, paid on the spot.

4. Gumtree / Facebook Marketplace

Highest price on paper, the most hassle in practice. You'll write a listing, field 15 lowball offers, deal with no-shows, eventually meet a stranger in a public carpark (please, in daylight) and hand over your phone. Expect 2-3 weeks from listing to cash for a fair price.

Real risks: phones get swapped during inspection ("hold this while I check it"), fake bank-transfer confirmations, and the buyer who wants to return it next week claiming it broke.

Best for: patient sellers who enjoy haggling and have time to spare.

5. eBay (with seller protection)

Auction-style listing gets you the closest to true market price - usually the highest of any option here - but eBay takes 13.5% in fees, plus PayPal takes 2.6%, plus you pay postage. After deductions you usually land roughly where Gumtree net would have. Plus the dispute risk: buyer claims "not as described," eBay sides with the buyer, you eat the loss.

Best for: high-end models (iPhone 17 Pro Max, etc) where the price ceiling is worth the fee drag.

The honest summary

The way to read that table: the private-sale options pay the most on paper, the trade-in and buyback options pay less but take the hassle off your plate. We sit in the buyback band on price and win on everything else - same-day, no postage, cash in hand.

If you're in Melbourne and want it done today, grab a quote at /sell - no email, no signup, just an instant number.