Guides
Buying a used iPhone on Facebook Marketplace is safe if you check it in person before paying. Confirm it is not Activation Locked and reaches the Hello screen after erasing, match the IMEI and run a blacklist check, read battery health and parts history, test the carrier, and compare the price with similar listings.
A used iPhone on Facebook Marketplace can be the best price you will find, or a phone locked to someone else's account. The difference is ten minutes of checks before you pay. This guide to buying a used iPhone on Facebook Marketplace covers the safety checklist, what similar listings ask by model, and how to meet and pay.
Yes, if you inspect it in person before paying. The risks are a phone locked to the seller's Apple Account, a phone reported lost or stolen, and hidden repairs. Every one can be checked on the spot.
Outpost Alerts puts it well: "Ten minutes of checks decide whether a cheap iPhone is a bargain or a brick" (Outpost Alerts, page dated 25 Oct 2026). Apple publishes its own guide, if you want to buy a preowned iPhone, which this checklist follows.
Five checks, in this order. If any fails and the seller will not fix it on the spot, walk away.
| Check | How | Walk away if |
|---|---|---|
| Activation Lock | Turn it on; seller signs out, turns off Find My, erases | "iPhone Locked to Owner", or setup asks for their account |
| IMEI and blacklist | Dial *#06#, match Settings, run a stolen-phone check | IMEIs differ, or it is reported lost or stolen |
| Battery health | Settings > Battery > Battery Health | Low capacity not reflected in price |
| Parts and repairs | Settings > General > About > Parts and Service History | "Unknown" parts not disclosed |
| Carrier lock | Insert your SIM, or check carrier lock in About | Locked to a carrier you do not use |
Activation Lock ties an iPhone to its owner's Apple Account. Apple's Activation Lock page is direct: "Don't take ownership of any used iPhone or iPad if it's protected by Activation Lock." On recent iOS, a locked phone shows an "iPhone Locked to Owner" screen when you turn it on. Have the seller sign out and erase the phone in front of you, then start setup: it should reach the Hello screen without asking for their account.
Dial *#06# to show the IMEI, and check it matches Settings > General > About and the box if there is one. Run it through the free CTIA Stolen Phone Checker, which checks lost and stolen reports from participating carriers. A mismatch or a hit means walk away.
Open Settings > Battery > Battery Health and read Maximum Capacity. DealHunter notes that below 80 percent "Apple itself flags the battery as degraded", and its guide suggests "Battery health ≥ 85% for a phone you plan to keep a year+" (DealHunter). A lower reading is fine if the price reflects a replacement.
On iOS 15.2 or later, Settings > General > About shows Parts and Service History. Apple's parts and service history page explains the labels: "Genuine" means Apple parts and processes; "Unknown" can mean a non-genuine part or one not working as expected. A third-party screen is not a dealbreaker, but it should be disclosed and priced in.
A carrier-locked iPhone only works with that carrier. Insert your own SIM and check you get signal, or look for carrier lock status in Settings > General > About. A financed phone can also be blacklisted later if the seller stops paying, so ask whether it is paid off.
Compare the ask with similar listings for the same model, storage and condition in your area. That comparison, not the original retail price, tells you whether a listing is cheap.
Crawlbench publishes the usual asking price on Marketplace in the United States for each recent iPhone, with the range most listings fall between and how many listings sit behind it:
These are asking prices, not sold prices, and they span storage sizes and conditions. Adjust down for low battery health, unknown parts, cosmetic damage or carrier lock, and up for more storage or a recent battery. When Crawlbench alerts you to a listing, its price check compares that phone with similar listings nearby and gives a word: Great, Good, Fair or High price.
Meet somewhere public with Wi-Fi or signal, do the checks before money changes hands, and pay at handover.
Check Activation Lock, the IMEI, battery health, parts history and carrier lock in person, compare the price with similar listings for that model, and pay only when every check passes.
To get the price check on every iPhone listing in one search, start a free Day Pass: free for 24 hours, no credit card, one search, with the price check and the assistant's questions for the seller. Crawlbench covers Facebook Marketplace and is not affiliated with Meta or Apple.
$300
Usual asking price, iPhone 14, United States
25 Oct 2026 · 100+ listings · Crawlbench market prices
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