How Fast iPhones Lose Value, With Our Offers by Generation

Every iPhone loses value over time. The useful question is how fast, and what you can do about it. Rather than quote a rule of thumb, this page shows our own live cash offers for the same line across generations, so you can see the drop in real numbers.

Every table below comes from the same prices our quote uses. They are updated when our prices are, and each one says the date.

The Pro Max line

Our top cash offer for each generation of this line, unlocked and in top condition, as of Oct 14, 2026. The iPhone 16 Pro Max sits between the newer iPhone 17 Pro Max (up to $950) and the older iPhone 15 Pro Max (up to $400).

Read down the table and you can see the whole curve at once. The biggest single drop usually lands when a phone stops being one of the newest two or three generations, because that is when most buyers stop looking for it.

The Pro line

Our top cash offer for each generation of this line, unlocked and in top condition, as of Oct 14, 2026. The iPhone 16 Pro sits between the newer iPhone 17 Pro (up to $790) and the older iPhone 15 Pro (up to $330).

The standard iPhone

Our top cash offer for each generation of this line, unlocked and in top condition, as of Oct 14, 2026. The iPhone 16 sits between the newer iPhone 17 (up to $525) and the older iPhone 15 (up to $255).

Compare the three tables and you will see that the price of a phone depends on its line as much as its age. A Pro model from a few years ago can still be worth more than a newer standard model.

What drives the drop

Four things move the number, and only one of them is time.

• Newer models. Apple's main iPhone launch has come each September. When a new generation arrives, every older phone moves one step down the ladder.
• Storage. Within a model, a larger capacity is worth more. Each value page shows every storage size side by side.
• Condition. A single cracked panel moves a phone from the top grades down to grade C. How we grade shows exactly where each kind of damage lands.
• Battery health. A battery at 79% or below is a flat $20 off at any grade. Our battery guide explains how to read yours.

Carrier lock matters too: an unlocked phone is worth more than the same phone tied to a carrier. This guide shows how much.

Why older phones level off

In dollars, the step from one generation to the next tends to get smaller as a phone gets older. A phone that is one or two years old is still competing with the newest models, so a new launch hits it hard. A phone that is five or six years old is mostly bought for what it still does well and for its parts, and that value moves more slowly.

That is why an old phone in a drawer is still worth selling. It will not climb back up, but it has not hit zero either, and every model we buy has a live offer on its page.

Age versus condition

People often ask whether they should wait until their phone is older before selling. Look at the tables again: every generation you wait is a step down. Condition works the same way. A phone that stays in a case with a screen protector keeps its grade, and keeping the top grade is often worth more than the few months of use you would get before selling.

If you are going to replace your phone anyway, selling the old one while it is still one of the recent generations and still in good shape is usually when it is worth the most.

When to sell

If you have already bought a replacement, sell the old phone soon. It will not be worth more next month, and a phone sitting in a drawer keeps losing value while the battery keeps aging.

If you are planning to upgrade, selling before the next September launch tends to beat selling after it. The best time to sell your iPhone goes into timing in more detail.

See your exact number

The tables show our top offer for each model, unlocked and in top condition. Your phone's number depends on its storage, condition and carrier status. Our device values have every combination, and the sell page gives you your exact offer in about a minute.

Frequently asked questions

How much value does an iPhone lose each year?

It depends on the line and the condition, which is why we show real numbers instead of a single percentage. The tables on this page compare our live offers across generations of the same line.

Do Pro models hold their value better?

Compare the Pro, Pro Max and standard tables on this page. A Pro model from a few years back can still be worth more than a newer standard model.

Is it worth waiting to sell my iPhone?

Usually not. Each new generation moves older phones down a step, and the battery keeps aging while the phone sits unused.

Does the storage size change the value?

Yes. A larger capacity is worth more within the same model. Each model's value page shows every storage size we buy.