Apple's iPhone 18 Pro announcement contains two trade-in offers, and the gap between them is larger than most people notice. Apple Trade In gives $175 to $885 in instant credit for an iPhone 13 or later. Separately, Apple says carrier partners will give up to $1,200 in credits for an iPhone 14 or later, in any condition. Both are on Apple's own page. They are not the same deal and they are not interchangeable.
The two offers, side by side
| Apple Trade In | Carrier trade-in via Apple | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum | $885 | $1,200 |
| Eligible phones | iPhone 13 or later | iPhone 14 or later |
| Condition required | Value varies by condition, year and configuration | Any condition |
| How you get it | Instant credit at checkout | Credits applied over time |
| Service commitment | None | Yes — credits are tied to staying on the plan |
Why "any condition" matters more than the extra $315
Apple's own trade-in terms say values vary based on the condition, year and configuration of the device. A phone with a cracked screen, a dead battery or water damage drops sharply, and a phone that will not power on is usually worth nothing through that route.
The carrier offer, as Apple describes it, accepts an iPhone 14 or later in any condition. That is the sentence worth rereading. A drawer phone you had written off entirely is the one that benefits most from this, and the difference is not $315 — it is $1,200 against zero.
The condition nobody mentions at checkout
Both routes assume the phone you are handing over is yours to hand over. If it is still on an instalment plan or carrying unfinished bill credits of its own, you owe the remaining balance first. That is the most common way an upgrade goes sideways, and it is not usually surfaced until the paperwork stage.
Check the balance before you start: on most carriers it is under device payments in the account app, listed as a remaining amount rather than a monthly one.
Which one to take
- Phone is in good shape and you value flexibility: Apple Trade In. Less money, but it is yours at checkout and ties you to nothing.
- Phone is damaged, old or dead: the carrier route, every time. Any condition is worth more than a higher cap you cannot reach.
- You move carriers often: Apple Trade In. Bill credits reward staying put and punish leaving.
- You were keeping the phone anyway: neither. A second line on a spare iPhone can be worth more than the credit.
What a spare iPhone costs to keep active, from $8/mo.
Read the maths →
Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.
Frequently asked questions
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