Older Samsung Galaxy phones still fetch hundreds as buyback and private-sale prices diverge

Engadget reported that owners have three main routes to cash: selling to a buyback site, selling directly to another consumer, or trading in with Samsung. Buyback sites and trade-ins offer online quotes and prepaid shipping labels but pay less because the buyer needs a profit. Direct sales bring the most cash, though the seller must handle photographs, listings and shipping.

New Galaxy prices are not falling. Samsung raised the US starting price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra from $1,299.99 to $1,399.99 on Oct. 1 amid rising memory costs, Engadget reported, adding that Samsung has not confirmed the reason. Some older flagships still have years of software updates left, which can make used purchases more attractive.

In SellCell's Oct. 23 US price comparison, top like-new cash offers were $449 for the 256GB Galaxy S24 Ultra, $291 for the S23 Ultra and $196 for the S22 Ultra. The S21 Ultra drew $136. Engadget noted these are best-case quotes, not guaranteed payouts. The older 128GB Galaxy S20 Ultra also received a $136 offer, but BankMyCell showed only one offer among the 17 stores it compares.

Foldables have also fallen from their launch prices. The 256GB Galaxy Z Fold6, which started at $1,900 in 2024, attracted a top cash offer of $512, while the Z Fold5 was quoted at $327 and the Z Flip6 at $278.

Private sales produce higher average prices. According to Swappa's October pricing data cited by Engadget, the S24 Ultra averaged $600, the S23 Ultra $481 and the S22 Ultra $383. The Z Fold6 averaged $657, though Swappa did not say what timeframe those averages covered.

Software support is a factor for buyers. Samsung promised seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates starting with the S24 series, support expected to run into early 2031. The S23 series is expected to receive security patches until early 2028, and the S22 series quarterly security patches until early 2027, even though it has already received its last major Android version.

SellCell lets users compare cash offers. Back Market's buyback program collects quotes from refurbishers and pays into a bank account after inspection; Back Market also sells refurbished Galaxy phones at prices different from what sellers receive. Swappa requires a fully paid-off phone with a clean IMEI, no activation lock and no cracked glass or water damage, and charges a 3% seller fee plus payment processing fees. Samsung's trade-in program provides credit toward a new device, with the amount depending on the purchase and checkout promotion. A separate Likewize trade-in option does not require a new purchase but pays through a prepaid digital gift card rather than a bank transfer.

Promotional credits can vary sharply by timing. Samsung offered $500 for a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra during Galaxy S26 Ultra preorders in February 2026, but the credit fell to $130 by the time the S26 Ultra was available on March 11, Engadget reported.