Recommerce© Trade-In Index 2026
With an average price of €189, smartphone resale is becoming the new reflex
The smartphone resale market is accelerating: the average trade-in price reaches €189, driven by device value retention and the "Forward Trade-In" boom.
Recommerce, the European pioneer in refurbishment, unveils the 3rd edition of its Trade-In Index. This exclusive barometer analyzes the trade-in behaviors of Europeans and confirms a major trend: resale is no longer an opportunistic act, but a genuine tool for financing new purchases.
In 2026, reselling a smartphone yields an average of €189, an increase of over 10% compared to 2025 (€170)
This increase reflects a dynamic market where consumers are reselling devices of higher value, and where new habits of anticipating resale are emerging.
The 4 Key Trends of the 2026 Trade-In Index
Seasonality: A trade-in market paced and boosted by manufacturer launches
The year 2026 confirms that the trade-in market is intrinsically linked to the manufacturers' calendar. The launches of new models act as massive catalysts:
The "Samsung Spring": The launch of the Galaxy S26 early in the year generated a similar dynamic, with Samsung then representing more than a third of the global mix of trade-in volumes during this period. Galaxy S models, in particular, continue to gain in trade-in value, reaching nearly €187, a 19% growth compared to the previous year.
Focus: A dynamic driven by the Samsung "Authorized Refurbisher Partner" program The +19% increase in the trade-in value of Galaxy S devices is based on a simple economic principle: the better a smartphone is refurbished, the higher its residual value, allowing Recommerce to offer more attractive trade-in prices to consumers. By becoming the first refurbisher in Europe certified as a Samsung "Authorized Refurbisher Partner", Recommerce completes the circular economy loop with unprecedented guarantees of industrial excellence: This official program relies on a diagnostic of more than 100 control points, the exclusive use of original tools and parts preserving water resistance, an original battery with a minimum capacity of 85%, and the secure reinstallation of the brand's official operating system. |
The “Apple Back-to-School”: Following the release of the iPhone 17, trade-in volumes exploded the following month. Apple then captured nearly 80% of the total trade-in mix, marking the annual peak of activity for the brand.
The sharp rise of Google and Xiaomi: Alongside this Apple/Samsung duel, there is a strong growth in the global mix of traded-in Android models: In one year, the share of Google models has increased by almost two-thirds (+64%) and Xiaomi has grown by nearly 20%.
Exceptional value retention: up to a third of the initial price recovered
The analysis of the residual value of smartphones demonstrates the profitability of resale for the consumer. During the launch year of the iPhone 17, Recommerce paid back on average 25% of the initial launch price to its customers for the trade-in of an iPhone 14, and even 33% for an iPhone 15. Older models are not left behind and retain remarkable value over time: a customer can still recover 20% of the initial price of an iPhone 13 and 9% on an iPhone 11. As for Samsung, the Galaxy S25 retains approximately 34% of its original value in the year the Galaxy S26 is released.The Galaxy S24 retains an average of 30% of its original value, and the Galaxy S23 retains 20% during the same period. This exceptional resilience allows users to recover a significant part of their initial investment, even several years later.
“Our data shows that after the initial depreciation of the first year, the value of a smartphone decreases steadily after the first year, losing almost 15% per year. For the consumer, timing is therefore key: To maximize the renewal budget, reselling the device between the 2nd and 3rd year remains the financial "sweet spot". Also, with a steady but moderate depreciation, keeping the device in good condition, by protecting it with a case and a screen protector keeps it in the high range of value recovery,” states Augustin Becquet, CEO of Recommerce.
3. Resistance of historical models and the rise of recent generations
The 2026 Top 10 most traded-in smartphone models by Recommerce is marked by the massive entry of recent and premium models. The iPhone 13 takes 1st place, closely followed by the 14 and 15 generations, with a strong presence of Pro and Pro Max variants. Older models, such as the iPhone 11 (4th) and the iPhone 12 (5th), however, maintain a solid presence in the ranking. We also note a rise in the Galaxy S23 and S22 5G, which establish themselves in the Top 10. This dynamic is expected to intensify: driven by the manufacturer's longevity initiatives and the exclusive "Samsung Partner Refurbisher" program, the trade-in value of Galaxy devices is increasing significantly, promising continuous growth in trade-in volumes. | Top 10 most traded-in smartphones by Recommerce |
4. Success of the "Forward Trade-In" and expansion to other Tech categories
The market is transforming with the anticipation of trade-ins. The "Forward Trade-In" (FTI) offer generated more than 200,000 commitments in 2025. Recommerce operates over 10 forward trade-in programs across Europe, including the "Smartchange" program with Bouygues Telecom, allowing consumers to integrate the resale value right at the time of purchase.
Finally, this momentum goes beyond mobile: Recommerce is observing a strong increase in trade-in volumes for laptops, tablets, and consoles, with highly incentivizing average values (€358 on average for a computer, €174 for a tablet, €128 for a console).
Conclusion: How to overcome the final barriers to trade-in?
Although the 2026 Trade-In Index demonstrates record momentum, the market still has considerable room for improvement to remove the remaining structural obstacles.
1. Changing habits: raising awareness, reassuring, and incentivizing resale
According to the Recommerce / Kantar barometer, although almost one in two European people (49%) has already bought a used smartphone, reselling their old mobiles is not yet an automatic reflex due to a lack of information on the actual value of the devices and fears regarding data security. To empty the drawers, it is crucial to educate consumers about this residual value while systematically guaranteeing data erasure.
2. Promoting local loops and reducing imports in a context of high pressure on margins
The massive influx of used products imported from extra-European zones (United States, Asia) floods the European market with devices that do not benefit from the same regulatory constraints. This competition weighs heavily on local refurbishers who see their margins drastically reduced, due to rising trade-in prices and uncertain resale values. Supporting local refurbishment channels guarantees consumers a buyback at a fair price and strict quality standards.
3. Simplifying the customer journey through innovative tools: Forward Trade-In and Recommerce Copilot
Technological advancement is put at the service of consumers to make the act of reselling simple and transparent. This involves innovative offers such as Forward Trade-In (FTI), which integrates future resale value at the point of purchase, and AI-based tools such as Recommerce Copilot, which performs a precise and objective diagnosis of the device's aesthetic and functional condition during the trade-in, thereby eliminating evaluation discrepancies to guarantee a firm price to the consumer.
“The increase in volumes and trade-in value proves that reselling one's device has become a tangible financing lever for consumers. The future of the sector will no longer depend solely on processing volumes, but on our ability to systematize this reflex at the time of purchase through Forward Trade-In, while protecting our local ecosystem against imports to sustainably guarantee consumers the best possible residual value”, concludes Augustin Becquet, CEO of Recommerce.
About Recommerce Group:
Founded in 2009, Recommerce Group is the European pioneer and leader in the refurbishment of high-tech products. Its mission: extend the lifespan of electronic devices to reduce their environmental impact and make technology more sustainable and accessible. The group operates through two main activities: the distribution of refurbished products via its Recommerce© brand and its extensive network of retail and telecom operators partners; and the provision of trade-in and resale technologies. To support brands and retailers in their transition to a circular model, Recommerce Group launched CircularX in 2021, a white-label SaaS platform to manage trade-in programs across more than 50 product categories.
Each year, Recommerce handles over 1.1 million devices, supported by an industrial refurbishment process optimized by artificial intelligence. Its more than 250 experts, present in 12 countries, contribute to building a more circular and responsible technological model. The quality and reliability of its operations are recognized by numerous certifications: ISO 9001, 14001, and 27001, the RECQ label (Reconditionnement de Qualité - Quality Refurbishment) issued by DEKRA Certifications, as well as a Gold level Ecovadis rating.
For more information:
Corporate website: recommerce-group.com
Recommerce products: recommerce.com
CircularX platform: circularx.com
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