Swappa experts share their favourite budget phones of 2020
Retail prices for the latest smartphones are at an all-time high, and while that’s great news for manufacturers, it could be difficult for those on a budget.
Whether you’re shopping for a new phone to activate with Tello or bringing your own, third-party marketplaces are a great way to save even more money on a phone you’ll love, all without breaking the bank.
Why buy used?
When it comes time to buy a new phone, the first place most people look is at big-name retailers or carrier stores. While it’s possible to find a great deal through various promos or incentives, oftentimes discounted handsets require new lines of service, or only apply to the newest devices with flashy new features.
But not everybody needs the latest bells and whistles, and for the vast majority of people, a previous year’s flagship phone is a perfect way to save even more money. Couple this with Tello’s affordable phone plans and you’re looking at a win-win situation.
The trick is knowing what to look for when buying a used phone and most importantly of all: finding a safe marketplace with reputable sellers you can trust.
💡 Swappa has been around since 2010 providing bargain shoppers with a safe online marketplace for anyone in search of reliable used tech. On Swappa, buyers deal directly with sellers and is a great way for consumers to save money on the latest devices while avoiding ever-rising retail prices.
What to look for when buying a used phone
Shopping for a used phone doesn’t have to be scary, but we know it can be uncharted territory for most folks. Should you decide to take the plunge, it’s important you know what you should look for when shopping for a used phone either online, or when buying in person. Here are some key things to verify before handing over your cash:
🔍 Check the IMEI
Every smartphone has its own IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, sometimes referred to as an Electronic Serial Number (ESN). Carriers and manufacturers use this unique code to identify each device they sell.
Since this number is permanently attached to a device, carriers can use the IMEI to blacklist a phone that’s been reported lost or stolen in order to prevent it from being activated on their network.
➖ While it’s a great way to prevent theft or activation of stolen devices, it doesn’t always stop people from attempting to sell blacklisted devices to unknowing buyers. Swappa combats this by providing everyone with a free IMEI check on our website. Swappa also performs this check during the listing process, to prevent blacklisted devices from being sold in our marketplace.
🔋 Check the battery health percentage
A phone’s battery is one component on a device that slowly degrades over time. Although the amount of battery degradation depends on a handful of factors, you may want to check a phone’s battery health percentage to make sure there are no issues down the line. Apple makes this easy by baking the battery stats right into the iPhone.
➖ Simply tap on the following: Settings > Battery > Battery Health. There you’ll find the Maximum Capacity of the battery followed by a percentage. The higher the number, the better, and you may want to consider this when deciding between two comparable devices. On Android devices, you’ll need a 3rd party app and in our experience, AccuBattery is a free app that works great for this.
📲 Verify the phone’s condition
Once a phone is in your possession, you’ll want to thoroughly check the phone’s condition and verify it contains everything that was included the listing. This doesn’t just include accessories, but double-checking the IMEI on the phone, placing a phone call using your SIM card (to ensure it hasn’t been blacklisted), verifying the speakers work by watching a YouTube video, and checking to make sure the phone charges using a USB or Lightning cable.
🚌 Always meet in a public place
If you’re buying a used phone from someone in person, you should always make sure you’re meeting in a well-lit, public place with plenty of foot traffic. This means avoiding late-night meetups at the gas station or entering someone’s home.
➖ Whenever possible, bring someone with you and always tell a friend or family member where you’re going ahead of time. Good location suggestions include your local coffee shop or even police stations with “Safe Trade Zones” that are actively monitored.
What are the best used phones under $200?
Now that you know what to look for when buying a used phone, it’s time to figure out which phone is right for you. To make things easy on you, we’ve put together a list of the best-selling newish phones on Swappa, all priced under $200.
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Priced well under $200, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are two of the most popular phones sold on Swappa. Officially retired in 2019, the iPhone 7 makes a great entry-level iPhone to break into Apple’s ecosystem. Whether you’re looking for a phone with water resistance, Touch ID, Apple Pay, iMessage, or FaceTime, the iPhone 7 has aged gracefully through the years and makes a great budget pick in 2020.
Those looking for something a little larger, the iPhone 7 Plus takes everything you love about the iPhone 7 and kicks it up a notch. Along with a larger and higher resolution 5.5-inch full HD screen, the iPhone 7 Plus has a significantly higher capacity battery for all-day usage. For photography enthusiasts, the dual-lens camera system is perfect for snapping Portrait mode photos or taking advantage of the 2X optical zoom.
The current used price for a Tello compatible iPhone 7 starts at $140 on Swappa, while the iPhone 7 Plus is around $169. Keep in mind that prices vary according to storage capacity, condition, and colour, but you should have no problem finding something that fits your needs and budget.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus
For those looking for more recent smartphone advancements like wireless charging, water resistance, and edge-to-edge screens, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will be right up your alley.
Both phones feature gorgeous 18.5:9 WQHD+ Infinity Displays, Snapdragon 835 processors, 4GB of RAM, 12MP rear and 8MP front-facing cameras, micro SD card slot, wireless charging, fast charging, IP68 water resistance, and USB-C ports.
The difference between the two models is the size — 5.8-inch screen vs 6.2-inches — and battery capacity: the smaller S8 has a 3,000mAh battery, while the S8 Plus comes features 3,500mAh. The best part? Both the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus feature a 3.5mm jack for wired headphones. Samsung’s Galaxy S8 line is the jack of all trades, and easily one of the sleekest and most modern looking phones on this list.
On Swappa, used prices for a Tello compatible Galaxy S8 start at $179, while the bigger Galaxy S8 Plus is around $195, barely making our under $200 list.
Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
Most high-end smartphones are capable of snapping a perfectly decent photo, but few reach the photo quality of Google’s Pixel line. When it comes to snapping photos in the most challenging of lighting conditions — even the dead of night — the Pixel 3 and 3 XL are easily some of the best camera phones you can get for the price.
But that’s only the half of it, the rest of the hardware is great too. Both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL feature vivid AMOLED displays, Snapdragon 821 processors, 4GB RAM, USB-C port, and fast charging. Other noteworthy features include Google Assistant, blue light filter, Night Sight, improved HDR+, unlimited Google Photos cloud storage, and Google’s custom user interface designed exclusively for the Pixel. Major differences between the two models are a 5.5-inch screen and 2,915 mAh battery on the Pixel 3, while the larger Pixel 3 XL features a 6.3-inch screen and 3,430 mAh battery.
With prices starting at $168 for a used Pixel 3 or $195 for the Pixel 3 XL, you could save a ton of money by grabbing an amazing deal on one of the best Android experiences around.
Have a little more money to spend?
iPhone 8
The iPhone 8 is arguably the best value iPhone you can get for the price, and although the price is slightly over this list’s $200 cut-off, it would be a crime to not mention it.
A mix between old and new, the iPhone 8 brings newer features like wireless charging, 18W fast charging, and water resistance, but in a traditional iPhone design and familiar home button.
Even though the iPhone 8 was officially retired this year, you can still find gently used models on Swappa. The iPhone 8 is an even more affordable alternative to the new iPhone SE (2020) with much of the same hardware and features, only at a fraction of the cost.
On Swappa, a used iPhone 8 starts at $225, or you can opt for the slightly larger iPhone 8 Plus at $260. It’s not under $200, but it’s close and might be worth setting aside a few bucks to upgrade.
How do I know if my phone is compatible with Tello?
Tello runs on a nationwide 4G LTE network. This means any phone compatible and is no longer under contract or being financed — will work perfectly fine on Tello. To best use the new network, your phone needs to have, as minimum requirements LTE frequency bands 2, 4, 12 + VoLTE and when talking about an ideal connection: bands 2, 4, 12, 66, 71 + VoLTE. Key takeaway: Regardless of the phone brand you fancy, always go for a device that supports voice over 4G (VoLTE), which will help make the most of the newly expanded network.
You can either research this on your own by checking the model number of the phone in question and looking up the radio bands and frequencies, or you can use Tello’s compatibility checker when bringing your own phone. Tello’s online checker is an easy way to tell if a phone you’re looking to activate is compatible or not — no guesswork involved.
If you’re looking for more great phones that weren’t included on this list, you can always browse all phones under $200 on Swappa. From there you can shop by device, brand, browse all listings, and find amazing deals on used tech for yourself or the entire family. With Swappa you can trust the tech you buy.
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