Honest comparison
Best Buy Trade-In Alternative: Cash
Best Buy's trade-in is handy if you shop there, but it pays a Best Buy gift card, and phone offers tend to run below the open market.
| Feature | BuyBackBear | Best Buy Trade-In |
|---|---|---|
| What you get paid | Real cash (PayPal, Venmo, or check) | A Best Buy gift card |
| Spend it anywhere? | Yes | Best Buy only |
| How the price is set | Live market, beats any written quote by $2 | In-store estimate |
| Broken devices | We still pay | Often declined |
| Data-erasure certificate | Free, every device | Not provided |
Store credit versus cash
Best Buy pays in store credit you can only use at Best Buy. If you weren't already planning a purchase there, that's value locked in a box. A cash offer for the same phone is money in your account, usable on rent, bills, or anything else.
Getting the real number
In-store trade-in estimates are built to be quick and cautious, so they often sit under what the phone is worth online. We price against 18 competing buyers every day and beat the best written quote by $2. Unlock the phone and sign out of your accounts first so nothing drags the value down.
The verdict
A Best Buy gift card is only useful if you were going to spend it at Best Buy. For real, spend-anywhere money, sell to us.