Apple will give you between $175 and $885 in instant credit toward an iPhone Duo when you trade in an eligible iPhone, but that headline number is doing a lot less work than it looks like. Even the best possible trade-in on Apple’s books, an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition, still leaves you paying $1,114 for the entry-level $1,999 iPhone Duo. If you’re planning to fund your foldable with your current phone, you need the real numbers before pre-orders open on October 16, not the ones sitting in your head from last year.
What Apple is actually offering for your old iPhone
Apple doesn’t publish a fixed price list for trade-ins anymore. Instead, the Trade In page runs you through a short questionnaire about your device and its condition, then spits out an estimate. Apple’s own footnotes make clear that the number changes based on the model, the year, and the condition you report, and the amount only becomes final once Apple has physically received and inspected the device. For iPhone Duo buyers specifically, Apple has confirmed a range of $175 to $885 for an iPhone 13 or later, and that credit gets applied instantly at checkout rather than showing up as a bill credit over time.
iPhone Duo trade-in values by model
The table below shows the recorded trade-in values Apple has been offering since its September 9 update, along with what you’d still owe on a 256GB iPhone Duo after the credit is applied. Treat these as ceilings for a device in good condition rather than guaranteed payouts, since Apple’s inspection process can and does adjust the final number.
| Trade-in device | Recorded trade-in value | Balance owed on 256GB iPhone Duo |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | $885 | $1,114 |
| iPhone 17 Pro | $785 | $1,214 |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | $610 | $1,389 |
| iPhone 17 or iPhone Air | $585 | $1,414 |
| iPhone 16 Pro | $510 | $1,489 |
| iPhone 16 | $430 | $1,569 |
| iPhone 15 Pro | $370 | $1,629 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | $285 | $1,714 |
| iPhone 13 | $175 | $1,824 |
Look at the pattern rather than any single row. Even a top-tier iPhone 17 Pro Max trade-in covers less than half of what a base iPhone Duo costs, and anything two years old or older barely dents the price. If you were hoping your trade-in would meaningfully offset the jump into a foldable iPhone, these numbers should reset your expectations before you get to checkout.
The trade-in trap: why the top number isn’t your number
Every figure Apple publishes is a maximum for a device it grades as being in good condition, and the gap between what you think your phone is worth and what Apple actually offers is where most people lose money. Apple’s own process states that you answer a few condition questions honestly, and once the company receives your device and verifies it, you will most likely get the full estimate. The word “most likely” is carrying a lot of weight in that sentence. A cracked screen, a battery that’s degraded below a certain health threshold, or a failed diagnostic test can knock the offer down significantly, and in some cases the only option left on the table is recycling with no credit at all. Several trade-in trackers have found that Apple’s inspectors tend to grade devices one tier lower than customers rate themselves, which can shave 25 to 40 percent off the number you were expecting.
Timing matters: the September 9 reset already cost people money
Apple revised its entire iPhone trade-in schedule on September 9, the same day it announced iPhone Duo, and every single value went down. An iPhone 16 Pro that was worth $630 in August dropped to $510. The iPhone 16 Pro Max fell from $720 to $610, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max slid from $530 to $455. Anyone who held onto an older iPhone through launch week specifically to get a better trade-in offer ended up worse off than if they’d traded in during August, which flips the usual advice people give around new iPhone launches.
There’s no guarantee the numbers sitting on the page today will still be there when iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16. If you’re planning to trade in toward a Duo, the smart move is running Apple’s estimator during pre-order week itself rather than locking in a decision based on today’s figures.
Don’t have an iPhone worth trading? Check your iPad or Mac instead
While iPhone trade-in values dropped on September 9, Apple actually raised its Mac and iPad trade-in values on the same day, and the difference is large enough to change how you should think about funding an iPhone Duo purchase. A MacBook Pro is currently recorded at $1,315 in trade-in credit, a Mac Studio at $1,460, an iPad Pro at $905, a MacBook Air at $705, and a Mac mini at $620. A MacBook Pro trade-in alone would leave just $684 owed on a base iPhone Duo, which no iPhone in Apple’s current range comes close to matching. If you happen to have an older Mac or iPad sitting in a drawer, it may genuinely be worth more toward your Duo than the iPhone in your pocket.
Apple also accepts Android devices, for what it’s worth. A Pixel 9 Pro XL is currently recorded at $290 and a OnePlus 13 at $250, so switching platforms doesn’t mean starting from zero.
Apple Trade-In versus selling your iPhone yourself
The advantage Apple has over every other option is speed. The credit applies the moment you check out, rather than trickling in as a bill credit over 24 to 36 months the way most carrier trade-in programs work, and there’s currently no carrier alternative to compare it against anyway, since no major US carrier has published iPhone Duo trade-in terms as of this writing. Verizon, Boost, and T-Mobile have stayed quiet on Duo-specific offers, so Apple’s number is effectively the only one on the table right now.
Third-party buyback services like Back Market, Decluttr, and Music Magpie typically pay 15 to 30 percent less than Apple, but they pay in cash to your bank account rather than store credit tied to a new purchase. If you’re not planning to buy an iPhone Duo at all and just want money for your old phone, a cash buyback might make more sense than credit you’re locked into spending with Apple. If you are buying a Duo, Apple’s instant credit is hard to beat on convenience even when the raw dollar figure is a little lower.
How to get the most out of your trade-in
- Run Apple’s Trade In estimator the week pre-orders open on October 16 rather than relying on today’s numbers, since Apple has already changed values once around this launch and hasn’t ruled out doing it again.
- Complete your trade-in within 14 days of placing your new order. Apple’s credit expires after that window, and you’ll be charged full price for the iPhone Duo if the old device doesn’t arrive in time.
- Be honest, not optimistic, about your phone’s condition when you answer Apple’s questionnaire. Overstating the condition just delays the disappointment to the inspection stage instead of avoiding it.
- Back up your device and sign out of Find My before you send it in. A phone still linked to your Apple ID can get rejected from the trade-in program entirely.
- Compare your Mac or iPad’s trade-in value alongside your iPhone’s. In several cases right now, an older Mac is worth more toward a Duo than a two-year-old iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
How much will Apple give me for my iPhone toward an iPhone Duo?
Apple’s published range is $175 to $885 for an iPhone 13 or later, with the top of that range requiring an iPhone 17 Pro Max in good condition. Your specific model determines where you land in that range, and the table earlier in this guide breaks down the recorded values by model.
When should I trade in my iPhone for an iPhone Duo?
Wait until iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16 and check Apple’s estimator then, rather than trading in early based on today’s figures. Apple already lowered every iPhone trade-in value on September 9 and hasn’t published a schedule for future changes, so the number you see closer to launch is more reliable than the number you see now.
Does trading in for an iPhone Duo work differently than trading in for a regular iPhone?
The trade-in process itself is the same. What’s different is that Apple hasn’t extended the higher carrier trade-in credits, some going up to $1,200 on iPhone 18 Pro, to the iPhone Duo, and no carrier has published Duo-specific terms yet. Right now, Apple’s own instant credit is the only confirmed option for offsetting the cost of a Duo with your old device.
Is it better to sell my iPhone myself instead of trading it in?
If you’re buying an iPhone Duo, Apple’s instant credit is generally more convenient even though the dollar amount can run 15 to 30 percent lower than a private sale or third-party buyback. If you’re not buying a new iPhone and just want cash, a service like Back Market or Music Magpie will likely pay more than Apple would for the same device.
