Pre-Owned iPhones

Pre-Owned iPhones in South Africa

Every iPhone on this page runs iOS with full access to the App Store, and every phone we sell is network unlocked and ICASA approved. The prices shown on the product cards above are live. They update as stock and exchange rates change, so what you see there is always the current price.

An iPhone from two or three generations back still takes excellent photographs, still gets iOS updates and still feels quick. That is unusual. Most phones are tired by year three, and Apple handsets are not, which is why the pre-owned market for them is so much bigger than for anything else.

You are buying the same phone Apple built. You are buying it later.

What Certified Pre-Owned Actually Means

Plenty of shops use the phrase and leave it there.

A certified pre-owned iPhone is not a handset someone listed on a classifieds site. Ours come through trusted channels, then through PhoneCheck certification before they reach this page. PhoneCheck is an independent device testing platform used across the refurbished trade, and it is why we can give you specifics instead of adjectives.

All six stages, on every iPhone here:

Stage	What it checks
Lock Detection	Manufacturer, carrier and software locks
Diagnostics	Automated scan of every component and function
Battery Health	Capacity, and the battery's ability to receive and hold a charge
Authenticity	The device's background, and whether any parts have been replaced
Cellular Service	SIM functionality, calls and SMS
Secure Erase and Reset	Data securely wiped, handset reset to factory settings

The authenticity check matters more than it sounds. It flags replacement parts, which is how counterfeit screens and third-party batteries get into the second hand market. A private seller cannot tell you whether a screen has been swapped. Most of them do not know.

A used phone is sold as seen. A certified pre-owned iPhone has been tested by a system built to find the fault, and carries a warranty that backs the result.

How Our Refurbished iPhones Are Graded

Condition is what buyers ask about first. Every handset is graded, and the grade sits in the product title above, so you know before you pay.

Grade	What it means
A-Grade	Excellent overall condition. Fully functional, with at most minimal cosmetic signs of previous use, such as very light surface marks that are difficult to notice.
B-Grade	Fully functional, but may show noticeable cosmetic signs of previous use, such as scratches, marks or light scuffing on the body or screen.

The grade covers appearance and nothing else. A B-Grade handset goes through identical PhoneCheck certification, so it works exactly as well as an A-Grade one.

B-Grade is the better buy if you want the most phone for your money. Most of the marks end up behind a case. Take the A-Grade if you want it to look as good as it works.

The Warranty on a Second Hand iPhone

Most sellers of second hand phones go quiet at this point.

Every certified pre-owned iPhone we sell carries a 12 month warranty on the device. The battery, which is the part that ages in any phone, carries its own 6 month warranty. On top of that there is a 7 day satisfaction guarantee, so if the handset is not what you expected when it arrives, you send it back.

Returns are free. We arrange the collection and we pay the courier, and the return window is 7 business days. Full terms sit on our Returns and Refunds Policy page.

A phone bought through a classifieds listing comes with no testing, no warranty and no authenticity check. The price looks similar on the day you buy. The difference shows up in month three, when something stops working and there is nobody to call.

Is a Used iPhone Safe to Buy?

You are probably worried about three things. PhoneCheck answers all three.

Is the previous owner's data still on it? No. Secure Erase and Reset is one of the six certification stages. Every handset is wiped and reset to factory settings, and Lock Detection confirms the device is not tied to a previous account. You set it up from the first screen as your own phone.

Is it locked or blacklisted? Lock Detection checks for manufacturer, carrier and software locks. Cellular Service confirms the SIM, calls and messaging work. A locked or blacklisted handset never reaches this page. Buy privately and nobody runs either check.

Will the battery be worn out? Battery Health is its own certification stage, measuring capacity and whether the battery still holds a charge. That is why we put a separate 6 month warranty on it.

Every battery ages, in new phones as much as pre-owned ones, and how you charge it changes how many years you get. Our guide to charging your phone properly to save the battery covers that, and battery life from a driver's perspective covers what heavy daily use does to one.

Want it spotless on arrival? How to disinfect your smartphone is worth doing with any handset that has had a previous owner.

Dual SIM and Why Network Unlocked Matters

Every pre-owned iPhone we sell is dual SIM and network unlocked, and that combination saves people real money. On these handsets that means a physical nano-SIM and an eSIM together.

Most retailers sell network locked phones. The handset only works on the network that sold it, so moving means a new number or paying to have it unlocked. Ours work on Vodacom, MTN, Telkom and Cell C the moment you open the box, and every one is ICASA approved.

This matters more on a pre-owned handset than a new one. Phones that come out of contracts are frequently locked to the network that issued them, and a locked iPhone bought privately may be one you cannot use on your own SIM at all. PhoneCheck Lock Detection is the stage that rules this out before the phone reaches you.

Two SIMs is what turns that into savings. Keep your usual number on the nano-SIM. Put an eSIM on whichever network is running the better data deal that month. Cheaper data, same number, one phone.

Which Pre-Owned iPhone Should You Buy?

Pick by what you want the phone to do. The highest model number is rarely the right answer.

The Apple iPhone 14 in Midnight is the most current handset here and the one to take if you want the longest runway of iOS updates ahead of you. A 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, 128GB of storage, the A15 Bionic chip, a dual 12MP camera system with Photonic Engine and Night mode, plus Crash Detection and Emergency SOS. It is rated IP68 and takes MagSafe charging.

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro in Sierra Blue or Graphite is the photographer's pick and the strongest argument on this page. You get the Pro triple-camera system with a telephoto lens and a LiDAR Scanner, Apple ProRAW, and the ProMotion display that runs at up to 120Hz. At 256GB it holds a great deal more before you start deleting things, and the stainless-steel frame is the Pro build rather than the standard one. Pro hardware at a pre-owned price puts you in a different class of phone for similar money.

The Apple iPhone 13 in Midnight is the sensible middle. The same A15 Bionic chip and the same Super Retina XDR display as the Pro, with a dual camera rather than a triple, Cinematic mode, and up to 19 hours of video playback on a charge.

The Apple iPhone 12 in Black is the value pick of the full-size handsets. It has the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display as the 13 and the 14, the same Ceramic Shield front and MagSafe charging, and a dual 12MP camera with Night mode and Deep Fusion. What differs is the A14 Bionic chip rather than the A15, 64GB of storage rather than 128GB, and around 17 hours of video playback rather than 19. Those are differences most people stop noticing after a week.

The iPhone 13 also comes in B-Grade alongside the A-Grade above. Identical phone, identical testing, just more visible wear on the body and screen, and it is the cheaper of the two.

The Apple iPhone SE 3rd Gen is the way into iOS and the smallest phone here. Same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13 series, in a 4.7-inch body, with a Home button and Touch ID instead of Face ID. It has 5G.

Worth saying plainly: the screen is smaller and lower resolution than everything else on this page, and the camera is one lens. For a first iPhone, or for anyone who wants a phone that fits one hand, that trade is usually the right one.

Pre-Owned iPhone Prices

A certified pre-owned iPhone lands well below the same handset new. The live figures sit on the product cards above. Trust those rather than anything written here, because they move with stock and the exchange rate.

If the amount up front is the obstacle, there are two ways around it. Mobicred is a revolving credit facility that lets you pay monthly, and Payflex splits the purchase into instalments. Our piece on buying smartphones and gadgets on credit explains how both work before you commit to either.

We would steer you away from a contract. Four reasons to avoid cellphone contracts sets out the maths, and it is even more lopsided on a pre-owned handset. Buy the phone outright, choose your own data deal, and you own the device from day one instead of renting it for 24 months.

Better for Your Wallet and for the Planet

Most of the environmental cost of a smartphone is spent before it is ever switched on, in the mining and the manufacturing. Once a handset exists, the damage is done.

So a working iPhone that finds a second owner is one fewer phone that has to be made, and one fewer sitting dead in a drawer. Keeping an existing phone in use is the single biggest thing a buyer can do about it.

You spend less at the same time. That is rare.

What Else You Might Need

Power is the accessory worth thinking about with any pre-owned phone. A magnetic power bank clips to the back of a modern iPhone and tops it up without a cable, which takes the daily pressure off a battery that has already done a few years.

The Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000 with Built-in Stand doubles as a stand for watching something, and the Xiaomi Super Slim Magnetic Power Bank 5000 is the one that fits a pocket. Both sit in Cellphone Accessories with the rest of the charging range.

Buying a Pre-Owned iPhone from an Independent Shop

Smartphone Shop has traded online since 2010 and holds a 4.9 rating across 126 Google reviews. We are not a network store and we are not a chain. That usually makes us cheaper, and it definitely makes us easier to reach. All our phones are network unlocked and ICASA approved, and every phone we sell carries a one year manufacturing warranty. On the certified pre-owned range that means 12 months on the device, 6 months on the battery and a 7 day satisfaction guarantee.

Some of our stock is global variant rather than local-badged. We say so on the product page where it applies, it is part of why the price is lower, and it carries the same one year warranty as everything else we sell.

If you need handsets in volume for a team, our bulk and wholesale page explains how that works. Certified pre-owned is often the sensible call when you are buying ten of something rather than one.

While you are here, we also sell new phones from Honor, OPPO, Xiaomi, Huawei, Realme and Samsung, plus rugged phones and wearable tech. Best Sellers shows what is moving and Latest Arrivals shows what has just landed.

Last updated: 17 September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What does certified pre-owned mean on an iPhone?

It means the handset has been sourced through a trusted channel and put through PhoneCheck certification, which covers lock detection, full component diagnostics, battery health, authenticity, cellular service and a secure data wipe. It is then graded for cosmetic condition and sold with a warranty behind it. A used phone is sold as seen. A certified pre-owned iPhone has been tested by a system built to find the fault.

Do pre-owned iPhones come with a warranty?

Yes. Every certified pre-owned iPhone we sell carries a 12 month warranty on the device and a 6 month warranty on the battery, plus a 7 day satisfaction guarantee. The warranty covers defects under normal use. It does not cover physical damage, liquid damage or unauthorised software changes. Full terms sit on our Returns and Refunds Policy page.

What is the difference between A-Grade and B-Grade?

The grade describes appearance only. A-Grade handsets are in excellent overall condition with at most very light surface marks that are difficult to notice. B-Grade handsets are fully functional but may show noticeable signs of previous use, such as scratches, marks or light scuffing on the body or screen. Both pass identical PhoneCheck certification, so a B-Grade phone works exactly as well as an A-Grade one.

Do pre-owned iPhones work on South African networks?

Yes, and on any of them. Most retailers sell network locked phones, which ties you to one network and often means changing your number. Every phone we sell is network unlocked and ICASA approved, so you keep both. Our guide to 4G and 5G covers whether 5G is worth paying for where you live.

Is the previous owner's data still on the phone?

No. Secure Erase and Reset is one of the six PhoneCheck certification stages, so every handset is securely wiped and reset to factory settings before it is listed. Lock Detection separately confirms the device is not tied to a previous account. You set it up from the first screen exactly as you would a new phone.

How much does a pre-owned iPhone cost in South Africa?

A certified pre-owned iPhone costs considerably less than the same handset new, and the exact figure depends on the model, the storage and the grade. The product cards above this text carry the live prices, and those are the ones to go by, as they move with stock and the exchange rate.

Can I pay off a pre-owned iPhone monthly?

Yes. Mobicred gives you a revolving credit facility to pay monthly, and Payflex splits the cost into instalments. Neither is a contract, so you own the handset outright and stay free to choose whichever data deal suits you.

How do I know a second hand iPhone is not counterfeit?

Authenticity is one of the six PhoneCheck stages. It checks the device's background and identifies whether any parts have been replaced, which is how counterfeit screens and third-party batteries usually enter the second hand market. A private seller has no way of telling you this, and in most cases no way of knowing it themselves.

Will the battery on a used iPhone be worn out?

Battery Health is tested as its own certification stage, measuring capacity and whether the battery still receives and holds a charge. That is why we put a 6 month warranty on the battery specifically. Every battery ages, in new phones as well as pre-owned ones, and how you charge it makes a large difference to how many years you get.

Can I return a pre-owned iPhone if I change my mind?

Yes. There is a 7 day satisfaction guarantee on every certified pre-owned handset, and the return window is 7 business days. Returns are free, and we arrange the collection and cover the courier ourselves.

Do you sell pre-owned phones other than iPhones?

The certified pre-owned range on this page is Apple. If you are after value in a new handset rather than a pre-owned one, Smartphones Under R5000 is where to look, and it carries a full new-phone warranty.

Do you supply pre-owned handsets to businesses?

Yes. Certified pre-owned is often the sensible choice for a business kitting out a team, because you get proven hardware at a lower cost per head with a warranty still attached and every device authenticity checked. There is no minimum order quantity.