Carrier Locked vs Unlocked: What It Does to Your iPhone's Value

Carrier lock is one of the four things that set the price of a used iPhone, along with the model, the storage and the condition. Put two identical phones side by side, one unlocked and one locked to a carrier, and the unlocked one is worth more. It is also a question sellers often get wrong, usually because they confuse the carrier they use with the lock on the phone.

Here is what carrier lock actually means, how to check yours in under a minute, what it does to the offer, and when it is worth asking your carrier to unlock the phone before you sell.

What carrier locked means

A carrier-locked iPhone only works with one carrier's network. Put a SIM from another carrier in it, or try to add another carrier's eSIM, and it will not connect. An unlocked iPhone works with any compatible carrier.

Phones bought through a carrier, often on a monthly plan or a promotion, usually start out locked to that carrier. The carrier sets its own rules for when it will unlock one. Apple is clear that it cannot do it for you: only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone.

Carrier lock is not the same as these

Three other things get called "locked", and none of them is carrier lock.

• Activation Lock ties the phone to an Apple Account through Find My. It is a different lock entirely. We buy carrier-locked phones, but we cannot buy a phone that is still locked to someone's Apple Account. Our guide on getting your iPhone ready to sell covers turning it off.
• A blacklisted phone has been reported lost or stolen, or blocked by a carrier. That is a separate check, covered in what an IMEI check tells you.
• Your passcode locks the screen. It has nothing to do with carriers.

How to check if your iPhone is unlocked

This takes a few seconds on iOS 14 or later:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General, then About.
3. Scroll to Carrier Lock.

If it says No SIM restrictions, the phone is unlocked. If it says anything else, the phone is most likely locked to a carrier, and your carrier can confirm it. Apple's steps are on How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier.

The carrier you use is not the lock

A phone that works on your carrier proves only that it works on your carrier. Sellers often tell us their phone is "Verizon" or "T-Mobile" when they mean the network they use, and the phone turns out to be unlocked. It goes the other way too: a phone locked to one big network can often still work on smaller carriers that run on that same network, so "it works on my prepaid plan" does not prove it is unlocked. Settings is the answer, not the SIM that happens to be in it.

Our free check

If you are checking a phone you are thinking of buying, or you cannot get into Settings, the free IMEI check on our homepage shows whether an iPhone is carrier locked or unlocked. Enter the IMEI or serial number. It asks for a phone number to verify.

Why unlocked iPhones are worth more

It comes down to who can use the phone next.

• More buyers. An unlocked iPhone can go to anyone on any compatible carrier. A locked one can only go to someone on that carrier, or to someone who will deal with the unlock.
• More ways to resell it. People who travel, switch carriers or use two lines want an unlocked phone, and resellers can move it through more channels.
• Fewer surprises. A buyer of a locked phone takes on the question of whether and when it will be unlocked. That uncertainty comes off the price.

That is why buyers of used iPhones, us included, pay more for unlocked than for carrier locked. How much more depends on the model and the condition.

See the difference in our numbers

Each table below shows our live cash offer by storage and grade, once for unlocked and once for carrier locked. Compare the same row in the two tables to see what the lock is worth on that model today.

Offers as of Oct 14, 2026. The exact number for your device comes from the quote, in about a minute.

And a newer model:

Offers as of Oct 14, 2026. The exact number for your device comes from the quote, in about a minute.

The gap is not the same on every model, storage or grade, which is why we show the tables instead of quoting a single figure. For other models, see the value pages for the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 16, the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 13.

Should you unlock it before you sell

If your phone is locked, and your carrier will unlock it, it is usually worth asking. You can see the difference it makes in the tables above, and the request itself happens between you and your carrier.

How it works, based on Apple's page:

1. Contact your carrier and request an unlock. They decide whether the phone qualifies and handle the whole thing. It is not always instant.
2. Once they confirm, if you have a SIM from another carrier, take out the old SIM and put in the new one. The phone should activate.
3. If you do not have another SIM, back up the phone, erase it, then restore it from the backup.
4. Check Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock again. You want to see No SIM restrictions.

If the carrier says no, or you do not want to wait, that is fine. We buy carrier-locked iPhones. Choose "Carrier Locked" when you answer the lock question at /sell and the estimate reflects it. Just do not guess "unlocked" to see a bigger number. We check the lock before we pay, and a lock we find at the meetup changes the offer.

When a phone says unlocked but is not usable

A phone can show No SIM restrictions and still have a problem a buyer cares about, such as a blacklist report or Activation Lock still on. Those are separate checks. Unlocked is about carriers only. If you are buying a used iPhone, check all three. Our buying a used iPhone checklist walks through them.

Selling your iPhone, locked or unlocked

At /sell you answer four questions: model, storage, carrier lock and condition. The cash estimate appears on screen as you answer, in seconds, and nothing is committed until you say so. You can give us the IMEI or serial number before we meet so the carrier and blacklist check is done ahead of time.

Then meet us at our secured facility or a public spot in LA or Orange County, or ship the phone in with a prepaid label we send. You are paid the moment it checks out: cash in person, or Zelle, Cash App or PayPal. Selling a batch of locked phones from a store or a business? The wholesale lot builder prices the whole lot in one go, and most configurations price right on the page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my iPhone is carrier locked?

Go to Settings > General > About and scroll to Carrier Lock. If it says No SIM restrictions, the phone is unlocked. Anything else means it is locked to a carrier.

Is an unlocked iPhone worth more?

Yes. An unlocked iPhone can be used on any compatible carrier, so more people can buy it, and buyers pay more for it. How much more depends on the model and condition.

Can Apple unlock my iPhone?

No. Apple says only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone. Contact your carrier to ask whether your phone qualifies.

Can I sell a carrier-locked iPhone?

Yes. We buy carrier-locked iPhones. The offer is lower than for the same phone unlocked, and you choose Carrier Locked when you answer the lock question.

Is carrier locked the same as iCloud locked?

No. Carrier lock ties the phone to a network. Activation Lock, often called iCloud lock, ties it to an Apple Account. We buy carrier-locked phones, but not phones still locked to an Apple Account.