iPhone 18 is here: is trading in your old phone worth it?

Short answer: yes, if you are upgrading anyway, and the sooner the better. As of November 4, 2026, Techtree pays up to $894 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition, which covers 69% of the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max and leaves you $405 to find. Wait a year and that same phone becomes the two-year-old model, worth about $665 in today's book. That first year of waiting is one of the most expensive you will ever have, and it started the moment the iPhone 18 Pro went on sale.

Below is what Apple launched, what your current device is worth right now, and the cases where trading in is genuinely not worth it.

At a glance (Techtree prices, as of November 4, 2026):

• Techtree pays up to $894 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition, 69% of the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• An iPhone 16 Pro Max is worth up to $665 (51% of the new Pro Max) and an iPhone 15 Pro Max up to $476 (37%).
• A Pro Max loses about $281 of trade-in value in its first year, one of the most expensive years to wait.
• A 42mm aluminum Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS) at up to $133 covers 33% of the same $399 Series 12; a titanium Series 11 is worth up to $277. AirPods are rarely worth trading in on their own.
• Every Techtree quote is locked for 21 days, ships free and pays 1 to 2 business days after inspection.

What Apple launched in September 2026

Apple held its annual iPhone event on September 9, 2026 at Apple Park, the first product keynote under new CEO John Ternus. Pre-orders opened Saturday, September 12, and the phones and wearables reached buyers on Friday, September 18, in more than 65 countries, with 20 more following on September 25.

A few things worth knowing before you decide what to do with your old device:

• There is no standard iPhone 18 this year. Apple launched the Pro models only. The base iPhone 18, the 18e and the Air 2 are expected in spring 2027, so if you were waiting for the cheaper model, you are waiting until next year.
• The Pro models went up $100. The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max launched at $1,099 and $1,199. Their replacements start at $1,199 and $1,299, which makes what you get for your old phone matter more than it did last year.
• The iPhone Duo is a separate launch. Pre-orders open October 16 and it ships October 23, so there is a month of runway if the foldable is the one you want.
• The 18 Pro is a real jump. The A20 Pro is built on a 2-nanometer process with sustained performance up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro, and the 48MP main camera gains a variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4 with manual aperture and shutter controls.

What your iPhone is worth now

These are our own prices as of November 4, 2026, for a complete, working device in good condition (light wear, fully working), up to the best configuration. Your exact figure depends on storage, carrier and condition, and the instant quote shows it in about thirty seconds.

"Retained" is that model's value as a share of what we pay for the brand-new iPhone 18 Pro Max today, which is the cleanest way to see the curve. Every model we buy is listed in our trade-in price index, with its best Brand New, Good and Fair prices.

Does the trade-in actually cover the upgrade?

This is the question that matters, and the answer is much better than most people assume. Against the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max:

• iPhone 17 Pro Max: $894 covers 69%. You pay $405.
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: $665 covers 51%. You pay $634.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: $476 covers 37%. You pay $823.
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: $415 covers 32%. You pay $884.

Your trade-iniPhone 17 Pro Max$894

You cover$40569% of the upgrade is paid

The upgradeiPhone 18 Pro Max$1,299

If you are on a one-year or two-year upgrade cycle, the trade-in is doing much of the work. Even a three-year-old phone still covers 37% of the newest Pro Max. The drawer is the only option here that pays nothing.

What a year of waiting costs

Our own price book, read across generations, shows where the value actually goes. For the Pro Max in good condition:

• Year one costs $281. The 18 Pro Max sits at $1,175 today; the 17 Pro Max, one year older, is $894.
• Year two costs $229, from $894 down to $665.
• Year three costs $189, from $665 down to $476.

The steepest dollar losses land early, and the sharpest single moment is a successor launch. A phone is worth the most the day you decide to sell it, and a little less every week after. If you already know you are upgrading this fall, the cheapest version of that decision is the one you make now, not in January.

Should you trade in an Apple Watch or AirPods?

The upgrade math changes a lot once you leave phones, and it is worth being blunt about it.

Apple Watch is still worth trading in, but compare like for like. The $399 Series 12 is the 42mm aluminum GPS model. The same 42mm aluminum GPS Series 11 is worth up to $133 in good condition, which covers 33% of the new watch and leaves $266 to pay. Titanium holds far more: a titanium Series 11 is worth up to $277. Aluminum vs titanium compares every case, and the Series 5 to 12 guide lines up every generation. The Ultra 3 at up to $323 covers 40% of the $799 Ultra 4, which is respectable for a watch that holds its value unusually well. Our Apple Watch Ultra value guide lines up all four generations.

AirPods are a different story. A pair of AirPods Pro 3 in good condition is worth up to $28, which covers 22% of the $129 AirPods 5. Fourth-generation AirPods with ANC come in around $20. Earbuds live in pockets, take the most abuse of anything Apple sells, and their used market reflects that. Trading in AirPods on their own is rarely worth the effort. Sending them with a phone or a watch in the same box, where the shipping is already paid for, is the sensible way to do it.

Worth tradingSeries 11$277titanium; aluminum covers 33% of a new Series 12

Better bundledAirPods Pro 3$2822% of entry AirPods 5

When trading in is not worth it

An honest list, because the answer is not always yes:

• Your phone is not paid off. If it is still on a carrier instalment plan, the balance travels with the device. Settle it first, or the trade-in creates a bill rather than clearing one.
• It is account-locked, financed or blacklisted. Activation Lock, Find My, a carrier finance lock or a blacklisted IMEI all stop a quote, so sign out and switch the locks off before you ship. A paid-off phone that is only carrier-locked is fine: Techtree buys it as it is. Our guide to selling a locked phone covers each lock and the order to clear them in.
• It has a real job left. A working spare, a kid's first phone, a dashcam, a travel backup. A four-year-old iPhone at $415 is worth more to you as a second device than as $415.
• It does not power on. A device that will not turn on cannot be quoted at all. Repairing it first is almost never worth it on a phone more than three years old.
• It is AirPods alone. See above. Bundle them or keep them.

How to get the top price

1. Quote it before you open the new box. Your price is locked for 21 days from the quote, so you can get the number today and ship next week without losing it.
2. Be accurate about condition. Over-grading is the main reason a payout comes back lower than expected. The grading criteria are plain English, and choosing the right grade up front means the number you see is the number you get.
3. Send it complete. The quote asks what you are including, and the offer it shows already accounts for anything you leave out.
4. Do not wait for a better week. The value curve above is not seasonal. It only goes one way.

Ready to see your number? Get an instant quote in about thirty seconds, with free prepaid shipping and payment 1 to 2 business days after inspection.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth trading in my iPhone for the iPhone 18 Pro? Yes, if you are upgrading anyway. As of November 4, 2026, Techtree pays up to $894 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition, which covers 69% of the $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max.

How much is my iPhone 17 Pro Max worth? Up to $894 in good condition at Techtree, as of November 4, 2026. Your exact price depends on storage, carrier and condition.

How much value does an iPhone lose in a year? For a Pro Max in good condition, the first year costs about $281 in trade-in value and the second about $229, based on Techtree's own price book.

Should I trade in my Apple Watch for the Series 12? If you are upgrading anyway, yes. A 42mm aluminum Series 11 (GPS) at up to $133 covers 33% of the same $399 Series 12, and a titanium Series 11 is worth up to $277.

Are AirPods worth trading in? Rarely on their own. AirPods Pro 3 in good condition are worth up to $28 at Techtree, about 22% of the $129 AirPods 5.

Can I trade in an iPhone with a cracked screen? Yes. A cracked screen with a working display is Techtree's Minor Damage grade; see what a cracked phone is worth.

How long is a Techtree quote valid? 21 days from the quote, so you can lock today's price and ship after your new phone arrives.