The sites, compared
| Site | How it works | Best for | Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Marketplace | Free local ads | Recent phones in good shape | Messages, haggling, no-shows, scams |
| Kijiji | Free local ads | Buyers who search Kijiji first | Same as Marketplace |
| eBay | Auction or fixed price, shipped | Rare or high-end models | Selling fees, shipping, disputes |
| Mail-in buyback sites | Online quote, ship, get paid | Selling from anywhere | The price can be revised after the check |
| Apple Trade In (online) | Online quote, mail in | Apple customers buying new | Paid in Apple credit or an Apple Gift Card |
| SubSell (subselltrade.ca) | Price online or on WhatsApp, then in store or by mail | Cash in Montréal, transfer anywhere in Canada | A shop price, below a perfect private sale |
How to sell an old phone online without getting burned
- Take clear photos: the screen on, the back, and the battery health screen.
- Write the exact model and storage: that is what buyers search for.
- Price it from sales that actually closed, not from hopeful asking prices.
- Sign out of iCloud or Google before you meet: a locked phone cannot be sold.
- Accept only cash in person, or a transfer that has already landed in your account.
Selling to SubSell online
Find your model on our Sell page or send us a photo on WhatsApp for a price. In Montréal, come by the shop and leave with cash. Elsewhere in Canada, sell by mail: shipping is free, you are paid by Interac e-Transfer or bank wire once the phone is received and checked, and every sale comes with a receipt.
Before you ship or hand a phone to anyone, wipe it properly: it takes ten minutes.