Where to Buy Used Android Phones in 2026: eBay, Swappa, Samsung, Google and More

Quick summary: Buying a used Android phone is a smart way to save money in 2026, especially now that recent Galaxy and Pixel phones get up to seven years of updates. For the least risk, buy straight from the source: Samsung Certified Re-Newed or Google’s Certified Refurbished Pixel store. eBay, Amazon Renewed and Back Market give you more models with a real return window. Swappa is the best person-to-person marketplace with rules. Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and Craigslist can be the cheapest, but you’re on your own if the phone turns out to be locked.

If you’re shopping for an iPhone instead, I put together a companion guide: Where to Buy Used iPhones in 2026.

Key takeaways

• Safest options: Samsung Certified Re-Newed and Google Certified Refurbished. Both come with a one-year warranty, and Samsung puts a certified new battery in every phone.
• Best mix of selection and protection: eBay (especially Refurbished listings), Amazon Renewed and Back Market.
• Best person-to-person site with rules: Swappa.
• Highest risk: Facebook Marketplace local pickups, OfferUp and Craigslist. Sales are usually final.
• The big Android trap: a phone that’s still tied to the last owner’s Google account or Samsung account. After a reset, it can ask for their password, and you can’t get past it. Always check before you pay.

Where I’d shop first

If I wanted a used Galaxy with the least drama, I’d buy Samsung Certified Re-Newed. For a Pixel, I’d check Google’s refurbished store first. If I wanted more choices or an older model, I’d shop eBay Refurbished, Amazon Renewed or Back Market. I’d only do a local meetup if I could test the phone in person and walk away if anything looked off.

Samsung Certified Re-Newed

This is Samsung’s own refurbished program, and it’s the closest thing to buying a new Galaxy for less. Samsung says every Certified Re-Newed phone gets an expert inspection, is repaired with 100% genuine Samsung parts, gets a certified new battery, a new IMEI number and the latest software, and has to pass a 147-point quality test. It ships in a new box with a quick start guide, data cable and ejector pin.

Buyer protection: Every Certified Re-Newed phone comes with a one-year limited warranty, just like a new Galaxy, and you can add Samsung Care+. Samsung says you can return it within 15 days, but returns are subject to restocking fees, so read the return policy before you order.

Condition: No cosmetic grades. These are refurbished by Samsung to its own standard. When I checked, the lineup included the Galaxy S26, S25, S24 and S23 series plus the Z Fold7/Flip7, Fold6/Flip6 and Fold5/Flip5.

Carriers: Samsung says these phones work with your carrier of choice, including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

Trade-offs: You’re limited to what Samsung has in stock, and the restocking fee matters if you change your mind.

Google Certified Refurbished Pixel

Yes, Google sells refurbished Pixels directly on the Google Store. Google says each Certified Refurbished Pixel passes a multi-point quality test, is restored with genuine Google parts, comes unlocked for any carrier, and ships with the latest software. Battery testing is part of the process, and Google says it replaces the battery with a new genuine one if it doesn’t meet Google’s standards. When I checked, the phones listed included the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Buyer protection: A one-year limited warranty, the same coverage as a new Pixel according to Google, plus free shipping and returns. The Google Store’s standard return window is 15 days from the day you receive the item.

Update support: Google says refurbished Pixels get the same update commitment as new ones. Pixel 8 and later get 7 years of OS and security updates from when they first went on sale in the US.

Trade-offs: The selection is small and usually one or two generations behind.

Amazon Renewed

Amazon Renewed works the same for Android as it does for iPhone. Phones are inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers, and they’re sold in four cosmetic grades:

• Premium: no screen scratches, no cosmetic damage visible from 12 inches, battery over 90% of original capacity.
• Excellent: same cosmetic standard as Premium, battery over 80%.
• Good: no screen scratches, light body scratches barely visible from 12 inches, battery over 80%.
• Acceptable: a few shallow screen scratches that disappear when the screen is on, light body scratches and up to three minor dents, battery over 80%.

Buyer protection: Select Excellent, Good and Acceptable Renewed items have a 90-day return window, and Renewed Premium items have 365 days. Some listings also include a free 11-month limited warranty from Asurion after the standard 30-day return window. Not every listing includes the same coverage, so check the product page. Amazon also says Renewed phones aren’t guaranteed to keep their waterproof seal, and accessories may be generic.

Before you send one back: Amazon asks you to sign out of your accounts and factory reset the phone first. On Android, that means removing your Google account (and Samsung account on a Galaxy) so the phone isn’t locked for the next person.

eBay

eBay has a huge selection of used Galaxy, Pixel, OnePlus and Motorola phones, from last year’s flagships to older budget models. Just know what kind of listing you’re buying.

Used listings: Most purchases are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee if the phone doesn’t arrive, arrives faulty or damaged, or doesn’t match the listing. You generally have 30 days from delivery (or the seller’s longer return window) to request that kind of return, even if the seller doesn’t normally accept returns. A “changed my mind” return only works if the seller’s listing accepts returns.

eBay Refurbished: These come from quality-vetted sellers, go through a multi-point inspection, and include 30-day free returns plus a one- or two-year warranty, according to eBay. That’s the safer way to buy on eBay.

Condition: Regular used listings vary a lot, so read the description and look at every photo. Refurbished listings follow eBay’s own grading rules.

Safety tips: Check the seller’s feedback and return policy, make sure the listing says unlocked (or matches your carrier), and watch out for words like “FRP locked,” “for parts” or “account locked.” Run the checklist below as soon as the phone arrives.

Swappa

Swappa is a person-to-person marketplace for used tech, and it’s stricter than most. Phones have to be fully functional, with no cracked glass, no water damage and a clean IMEI/ESN, and they have to be paid off. Staff review listings, and sellers grade phones as New, Mint, Good or Fair.

Buyer protection: If the phone is not as advertised or doesn’t meet Swappa’s rules, you’re entitled to a refund and the seller has to take it back. Sellers don’t have to accept a change-of-mind return unless their listing says so. Returns go to the seller, not Swappa. Some sellers offer a warranty on select listings, but that comes from the seller, not Swappa.

Trade-offs: You may have to wait for the exact model you want, and remorse returns aren’t guaranteed.

Back Market

Back Market sells refurbished phones from professional refurbishers, and says every device is fully functional no matter how it looks. Grades are cosmetic:

• Premium: almost no signs of use, genuine manufacturer parts and batteries, battery at least 90%.
• Excellent: almost no wear, no screen scratches, battery at least 80%.
• Good: light wear, no screen scratches, battery at least 80%.
• Fair: visible scratches or dents, possible light screen scratches, battery at least 80%.

Original parts aren’t guaranteed except on Premium devices, and the waterproof seal usually isn’t either.

Buyer protection: 30 days from delivery to return the phone, then a one-year limited warranty from the seller for defects. It doesn’t cover normal battery wear, drops, liquid damage or unauthorized repairs.

Best Buy

Best Buy sells open-box, refurbished and pre-owned phones, which is handy if you want to see one in person first.

Buyer protection: Activatable devices, including cell phones, have a 14-day return window (Verizon activatable devices have 30 days). Opened phones carry a $45 restocking fee, except in Alabama, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina, and where a fee is prohibited. Unopened phones have no restocking fee.

Trade-offs: A shorter window than Amazon Renewed or Back Market, and the fee adds up.

Walmart Restored and pre-owned

Walmart sells Restored and pre-owned Android phones, including marketplace listings from other sellers. Some Restored listings show free 90-day returns, but Walmart’s standard policy says most wireless phones are returnable within 14 days, and marketplace sellers can set their own windows. Read the return details on the exact listing before you buy.

Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and Craigslist

These are the meet-in-a-parking-lot options. You can score a deal, but protection is weak or missing.

Facebook Marketplace: Meta’s Purchase Protection covers eligible purchases made through onsite checkout. A typical local pickup paid in cash or another app isn’t covered.

OfferUp: OfferUp’s help page says it only supports local, in-person transactions, and all sales are final once you pay.

Craigslist: No built-in purchase protection at all. If the phone turns out locked or stolen, you’re usually stuck.

Safety tips for any local meetup:

• Meet in a public, well-lit place. A police station parking lot is a popular choice.
• Never send a deposit, gift card, wire or payment app money before you see the phone.
• Ask the seller to remove their Google and Samsung accounts and factory reset the phone from Settings, ideally while you watch.
• Run the full checklist below on the spot.
• If the seller can’t or won’t remove their account, walk away.

How to check a used Android phone before you buy

This is the part that saves you from buying a very expensive paperweight.

1. Check the IMEI and blacklist status. Dial *#06# to show the IMEI, and make sure it matches the box or listing. Then run it through CTIA’s free Stolen Phone Checker, which checks whether the phone has been reported lost or stolen. You can also ask your carrier to confirm it can be activated.

2. Make sure the Google account is removed (FRP). Android has Factory Reset Protection. Google says that after a protected phone is reset, you have to sign in with a Google account that was previously synced to it, and if you can’t, you won’t be able to use the device at all. Samsung’s support page says the same: a reset through the Recovery menu asks for the last Google account used on the phone. The fix is simple: the seller removes their Google account in Settings and resets the phone from Settings, not the buttons. When you set it up, it should not ask for someone else’s account.

3. On a Galaxy, make sure the Samsung account is removed too. Samsung’s own reset steps ask for the Samsung account password if one is on the phone, and Samsung’s trade-in rules list Reactivation Lock alongside Google Factory Reset Protection as locks that have to be off. Have the seller go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts, tap their Samsung account and remove it before the reset.

4. Check the carrier lock. If you’re buying “unlocked,” pop in your own SIM (or add your eSIM) and confirm you get service and can make a call. If you can’t, ask your carrier to check the IMEI before you pay.

5. Check battery health.

• Samsung Galaxy: Open the Samsung Members app, tap Support, then start Phone diagnostics and choose Battery status. Samsung shows Normal, Weak or Bad. You can also run diagnostics from Settings > Device care > Diagnostics.
• Pixel 8a and later: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery health. It shows Normal or Reduced, and tapping Battery capacity shows an estimated percentage. Google says Reduced means capacity is below 80%, and you can find the charge cycle count under Settings > About phone > Battery information. Pixel 6a through Pixel 8 Pro don’t show a health status.

6. Look for screen burn-in. OLED screens can hold a faint ghost of the keyboard, status bar or navigation bar. Open a plain white or gray full-screen image (or a blank web page) at full brightness and look closely. Also check for dead pixels, tint, and any touch spots that don’t respond.

7. Check how many years of updates are left. This matters more than ever.

• Pixel: Google says Pixel 8 and later get 7 years of OS and security updates, Pixel 6, 6a, 7, 7a and Pixel Fold get 5 years, and Pixel 5a and older no longer get updates at all. The clock starts when the phone first went on sale in the US, not when you bought it.
• Samsung: Samsung extended security support to up to 7 years starting in January 2024, and the Galaxy S24 series launched with seven years of OS and security updates. Check Samsung’s security updates page to see whether the exact model still gets monthly or quarterly patches.

8. Test the basics. Try both cameras, the fingerprint reader or face unlock, speakers, microphone, buttons, charging port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. On a Galaxy, the Samsung Members diagnostics can test most of this for you.

9. Return it if it’s not right. That’s why a real return window matters. On a local sale with no returns, this is your only chance.

Once you’ve got the phone, give it a good charger. If you picked up a Galaxy, Samsung’s 45W PD Power Adapter with a 5A USB-C cable is the one I’d grab.

Shop this article

• Used Android Phones on eBay
• Samsung Certified Re-Newed Galaxy Phones
• Samsung 45W PD Power Adapter with 5A USB-C Cable

Sources

• Samsung Certified Re-Newed phones
• Google Store: Certified Refurbished Pixel phones
• Google Store return policy
• Pixel Phone Help: How long you’ll get Pixel updates
• Pixel Phone Help: Understand your Pixel battery
• Android Help: Factory reset protection
• Samsung: Google Device Protection on your Galaxy
• Samsung: Remove accounts from your Galaxy
• Samsung Trade-In FAQ
• Samsung: Check battery status with Samsung Members
• Samsung: Run diagnostics on your Galaxy
• Samsung Mobile Security updates
• CTIA Stolen Phone Checker
• Amazon Renewed condition grades
• Amazon Renewed Guarantee
• eBay Money Back Guarantee
• Swappa Returns and Refunds
• Back Market returns policy
• Back Market condition grades
• Best Buy Return & Exchange Policy
• Walmart return policy
• OfferUp refund policy
• Facebook Marketplace Purchase Protection