The iPhone 14 came out in fall 2022, which puts it a couple of generations behind what Apple’s selling now. Don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s worthless. The phone still runs the latest iOS updates without any problems and handles everyday tasks just fine. Plenty of buyers are looking for phones like this because they’re modern enough to be useful but old enough that they’ve dropped in price.
What you’ll get for yours depends on several things: how well you’ve taken care of it, the storage size, and whether it’s locked to a carrier.
What Affects the Price
Everyone thinks value just drops over time, but it’s not that simple. A few small things can swing your offer one way or the other:
- Condition – Physical condition matters most. If you’ve kept your phone in a case and it has no screen damage, you’ll get much more than someone with a scratched-up device. Scuffs and dents bring down the value, but not as badly as a cracked screen. Fortunately, even beat-up phones sell for something.
- Battery Health – Check Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health. Above 85% and you’re good. Below 80% and potential buyers know they will have to get a replacement soon, which costs $99 at Apple. They’ll factor that in when negotiating with you.
- Storage – A 512GB model brings in higher offers than the 128GB version, but the gap isn’t massive on older phones. Find yours in Settings under General, then About.
- Carrier Lock – Unlocked phones are worth more because they work with any carrier. If you’re still making payments, your phone is probably locked. Check Settings, General, then About under Carrier Lock. It’ll say no SIM restrictions if it’s unlocked.
These little details are what separate a quick sale from a frustrating one. Know them before you list, and you’ll save yourself a lot of back-and-forth.
Your Selling Options
Here’s where it gets interesting. You could take your phone to Apple or your carrier for a trade-in. They’ll give you credit toward a new phone, and the whole thing takes five minutes. Easy, right? Sure, but you’re getting the worst possible deal. They know you’re choosing convenience, so they’re not motivated to give you top value.
Private sales through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist will net you more cash but take more time and effort. You’ll need to take photos, write descriptions, field lowball offers, and arrange meetups with random people. You’ll also have to deal with being ghosted and watching out for scams. Some people don’t mind this, but most find it exhausting.
The smarter move is using a buyback service like RakeRock. You go to their site, tell them what item you have and its condition, and they give you an instant quote. If you like the number, they’ll email you a prepaid shipping label. Then you box it up, send it off, and get paid within a day or so of them receiving it. RakeRock is also R2v3 certified, which means they follow proper protocols for wiping your data and either refurbishing or responsibly recycling your device.
When to Sell
If you’re planning to sell an iPhone 14, doing it sooner rather than later is the way to go. Electronics lose value every month as newer models drop in price and become more accessible. What it’s worth today is more than what it’ll be worth six months from now. Apple tends to announce new phones every September, and that’s when used phone prices take a hit as more people start eying upgrades.
From what we’re seeing at RakeRock, the iPhone 14’s still performing well in the resale market. It’s reliable, recent enough to stay in demand, and hasn’t hit the steep part of the depreciation curve just yet. Reach out today and see what yours could be worth.
