iPhone 13 trade in offers: which telco has the best deal?

Apple’s newest iPhone 13 series is now available to buy from all three major telcos, but the premium series doesn’t come cheap. While you can spread the cost of your device over 12, 24, or 36 months with a handset payment plan, you’re still looking at a total price of $1,199 or more, plus your monthly mobile plan fees.

But if you’re looking to upgrade your existing smartphone, trading in can be an easy and convenient way to shave hundreds off the full price of your new iPhone. Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone have each announced trade-in offers for iPhone 13 buyers, which can save you up to $1,100 on Apple’s 2021 device range.

Telstra iPhone trade-in deals

Telstra has knocked it out of the park with its new trade-in credit offer, which could earn you a whopping $1,050 in credit, depending on the model and condition of your unwanted smartphone.

The maximum trade-in credit applies to the 2020 iPhone 12 Pro Max with 512GB of storage, so it’s unlikely you’ll want to trade that specific phone in so soon. However, if you have an out-of-contract iPhone from the last few years and you’re ready to upgrade, Telstra leads the pack in trade-in credit: for example, you can claim up to $700 for the iPhone 11 Pro, and up to $400 for the iPhone XS Max.

These values apply through to November 2, 2021 to phones that are in good working order, although you’re still able to trade in damaged devices. If your phone powers on and off as intended, but has minor functional issues or physical damage, you can still make a trade-in claim — your phone will just be valued at a lower cost.

Telstra partners with Kingfisher to run its trade-in program, and only accepts selected devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, and OPPO. Once you’ve completed the trade-in process, your credit will be applied to your Telstra account within two billing cycles (or be sent to your nominated credit/debit card or bank account).

If you’re new to Telstra but looking to trade-in for the iPhone 13, simply select this option during the online check-out process and follow the prompts. If you’re weighing up the iPhone 13 from Telstra, you can compare plans below.

The following table shows a selection of published 24-month Telstra plans for the 128GB iPhone 13 on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our mobile phone comparison tool to see plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.

Vodafone iPhone trade-in deals

If you’re trading up from a previous Apple iPhone, you can grab $150 of bonus credit from Vodafone, alongside the standard trade-in value. Customers can trade in selected models from the iPhone 11, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR ranges, and receive an extra $150 towards the cost of the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max.

Currently, the biggest total credit you can claim is $1,100, which is on offer when you trade in the iPhone 12 Pro Max 512GB in good working order. This includes $150 in bonus credit, plus the standard trade-in credit of $950. This credit offer is available until October 14, 2021.

Vodafone customers can trade in other devices — including older iPhones, and devices from other manufacturers such as Samsung, — but won’t be eligible for the $150 bonus credit.

You can check your device eligibility and start the trade-in process via Vodafone’s trade-in app. Credit is applied to your Vodafone account in equal monthly installments when you sign on to a new iPhone 13 plan over 12, 24, or 36 months. If you’re looking for iPhone deals from Vodafone, you can compare plans below.

The following table compares all 24-month Vodafone 128GB iPhone 13 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

Optus iPhone trade-in deals

If you’re interested in the iPhone 13 from Optus, the telco is currently offering trade-in credit of up to $400 on older Apple devices, including the iPhone 12 Pro Max, from now through to October 31, 2021. The $400 figure applies to iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 models in good working order, with older iPhones valued at up to $200.

Although the telco doesn’t have the strongest offer when it comes to upgrading from older iPhones, it may be a better option if you’re a current Samsung or Google user. For example, Optus is offering credit up to $590 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G in good condition; in comparison, Vodafone will pay out up to $460. If you’re a Galaxy S20 user, you can claim up to $310 with Optus, compared to $300 with Telstra, and $245 with Vodafone.

As with Telstra and Vodafone, Optus will apply the trade-in credit to your mobile bill once the process is complete. If you’re considering an Optus iPhone 13 plan, you can begin comparing below.

The following table compares all 24-month Optus 128GB iPhone 13 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.

Which telco has the best trade-in deal?

The amount of credit you can claim for your unwanted phone will depend on:

• the model and storage size of your device
• your phone’s physical condition and working ability
• your choice of telco

Below is a comparison of the maximum current trade-in value of several popular smartphones across Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, when traded in for any new iPhone 13 model. These prices are a guide only and may be subject to change; check provider websites for a more accurate quote for your current device.