How To Trade In Your iPhone For Apple's Newest Model

The newest iPhones are almost here, and if rumors are true, they are unlikely to exceed the priciness of 2017's jaw-dropping $1,000 iPhone X. However, at least one of the new models, possibly called the iPhone XS Max, is expected to at least match that costly figure.

Fortunately, if you already own an iPhone, you'll be able to cut down on whatever the confirmed price tags are by trading in or selling your current version. There's no shortage of ways to do so, though it can be tricky to decide which is best.

Ahead, a few reliable options for trading in and getting money to put towards a shiny new iPhone XS.

The easiest and most reliable option is to take your iPhone to your nearest Apple store, where you'll get immediate credit for a new phone. Although Apple hasn't yet listed trade-in values for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X yet, users can currently get as much as $290 for trading in an iPhone 7 Plus. You aren't guaranteed that amount: It all depends on the condition your phone is in and your carrier's financing plan.

If you joined the iPhone Upgrade program when you bought the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X, you don't need to worry about trading in for credit: You're automatically all set to upgrade to the latest model when it's available. Sign in here with your Apple ID and password to check if you signed up for the program.

Amazon's smartphone trade-in program is similar to the one offered by Apple, but instead of Apple credit you'll get Amazon credit. Start by selecting the type of phone you currently have here and answering a few questions about its condition, such as "are there any cracks on the screen?" and "are you still logged in to your iCloud account on the device?" If the answer to both of those is no, you're in good shape. (You can easily log out of iCloud by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign out, or by going to iCloud.com and signing out of the device there.)

After that, you'll be able to lock in a trade-in value, receive a pre-paid shipping label to mail in your phone, and get an Amazon gift card in return. Right now, you can get a little over $300 for many iPhone 7 models, depending on storage size, carrier plan, and condition (iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X are not yet listed as trade-in options).

Best Buy's trade-in program offers credit that tends to align with the offerings you'll find on Amazon. Right now, you can trade in a 64 GB gold iPhone 8 in good condition — signs of normal use, but has no screen damage — for $340. A silver, 64 GB iPhone X in good condition can be traded in for $510.

As with Amazon's trade-in program, once you mail in your phone or take it to a Best Buy store, you'll get a Best Buy e-gift card in exchange.

Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile all have trade-in programs that offer credit towards a new phone. However, when we tried these options, the online price estimates showed better trade-in values at Best Buy than at one of the carriers. The one exception here is Verizon, where the estimated trade-in value is an impressive $565 for a 64 GB iPhone X on a Verizon plan, and $340 for a 64 GB iPhone 8 (the same as Best Buy's value).

If you'd prefer to get paid via check rather than earning store credit, go with electronics trade-in company Gazelle. You can currently earn $500 for a 64 GB iPhone X in good condition (slightly worse than Best Buy and Verizon's trade-in values) or $345 for a 64 GB iPhone 8 in good condition (slightly better than Best Buy and Verizon's trade-in values).

Decluttr offers three ways to get money back: direct deposit, PayPal, or check. The company offers $416 for a 64 GB iPhone 8 (more than Best Buy, carriers, and Gazelle) and $540 for a 64 GB iPhone X, which is less than Verizon, but more than Best Buy and Gazelle.

No matter which of the above options you choose, make sure you follow these steps to erase all your content from your current iPhone. You want to trade in the hardware — not all of your personal information.