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What's The Difference Between A Locked And Unlocked iPhone? | Back Market
Find out the difference between a locked vs unlocked iPhone here. Learn what a locked phone is, how to unlock an iPhone, and any disadvantages of buying an unlocked phone.
Durability 80%
Overall performance 62.5%
Camera 60%
Screen quality 85%
Warranty: 12 months
18,543 verified reviews in the last 12 months.
Bernardo M.
Purchased on November 29, 2024
Verified purchaseI don’t usually leave reviews but this time I’m compelled to write one. It’s my first time using backmarket to purchase a refurbished phone for my Mom as a xmas gift. I opted for the excellent condition. Honestly, I was thinking twice to make a purchase thru backmarket because of the mixed reviews that I’ve extensively read, especially the words “brittle screen display” “non-genuine parts installed” such and such. But since, backmarket offers 1-year warranty and 14-day return policy, it’s a no brainer. Thus, I went ahead and made the purchase. The iPhone 14 Pro arrived quick and upon examining it more thoroughly, it’s basically flawless like brand new just like you get from apple, other than 85% battery life (which I’m about to get replaced by apple anyway). I’m so happy about this transaction and I highly recommend it to people who are in the market for one without costing you arm and leg. Shout out to Supplytronics!
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2024
iPhone 14 Pro 128GB - Deep Purple - Unlocked - eSIMTanish N.
Purchased on September 26, 2024
Verified purchaseI loved the product and its quality, also got the item delivered earlier than expected. It was very economical, as I got an iPhone 15 pro 512 GB for just $904, and that to in excellent condition. Also, I got Battery health at 100%, moreover phone still has an active Apple warranty. I am not sure if after refurbishing the phone it is still water resistant or not, and so I wouldn't risk it. The charging cable is not original and very small in length. Rest everything is awesome and I love it. I checked the Antutu and Geek bench benchmark scores, they were a little lower side from the actual score but I guess that is due to the low charging and background applications.
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
iPhone 15 Pro 512GB - Natural Titanium - Unlocked - eSIMRobert P.
Purchased on November 2, 2024
Verified purchaseSo far I'm impressed with my purchase of the refurbished iPhone 13 mini. The phone appears to be in excellent shape with no cosmetic damage. The case and screen are blemish free and the battery charges to 100%! The only difficulty I have had is migrating the data form my old Android phone to the new iPhone. The service provider (T-Mobile) and Apple Support weren't much help. I will definitely consider another refurbished phone from this seller in the future.
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
iPhone 13 mini 128GB - Midnight - Locked T-MobileTyler W.
Purchased on November 13, 2024
Verified purchaseI'm was little scared because I never brought refurbished phone in my life but when I say I'm ordering again brought iPhone 14 plus (product) red no scratches my phone was flawless...it's like I brought the premium my iPhone look new like I brought it from the apple store I would be buying some more electronics from here
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
iPhone 14 Plus 128GB - Red - Unlocked - eSIMJuliana R.
Purchased on October 6, 2024
Verified purchaseI was so hesitant to buy a refurbished phone off Back Market. After losing my phone that I bought from Apple (and am still paying off), I knew I didn't want to spend the $1,300 on a brand new one AGAIN. The iPhone 14 pro max I bought of this site is EXCELENT. I purchased the "good" option, expecting it to come with a few scratches from a previous owner.... It's literally a brand new phone. Not a scratch on it and works absolutely perfectly. Not sure how this site does with other products outside of iPhones... but I will 100% be coming back when the time comes to purchase another.
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
iPhone 14 Pro Max 256GB - Space Black - Unlocked - eSIMKathy G.
Purchased on January 27, 2025
Verified purchaseHesitant to order refurbished phone. I decided after reading ratings on back market to order a iPhone 14 Plus. I ordered premium. Received quickly. In perfect condition. No scratches cracks etc. 100% battery. Looks exactly like a brand new iPhone. Very satisfied and very very happy with Back Market.
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025
iPhone 14 Plus 256GB - Purple - Unlocked - eSIMJhunnar H.
Purchased on December 30, 2024
Verified purchaseThis is my first time ordering from a marketplace for refurbished phones and I would highly recommend Back Market! Refund process is easy and customer service is helpful and responsive! I've ordered 3 iPhones over the course of the last 2 months and Back Market helped me choose the right one for me. 1st iPhone was returned and refunded, 2nd cancelled and refunded, 3rd is now my current phone. 1st iPhone I owned for a couple of days, but returned to upgrade to the Max model. It was a iPhone 15 Pro in Premium Condition sold by Adopt-a-Phone. I was impressed with the condition of the 15 Pro. It came in like-new condition with 100% Battery Health and 10-15 Battery Cycle Counts. No visual defects. 2nd iPhone I ordered but the seller later confirmed the phone was out of stock. Customer Service gave me the option of switching to a similar spec but different color iPhone from the same seller or refund. I opted for the refund. It was a iPhone 15 Pro Max in Excellent Condition sold by DuckSoup. 3rd iPhone (which is now my current iPhone) is a different 15 Pro Max in Excellent Condition from seller ItsWorthMore. The condition of the phone matched Back Market's grading of a Excellent con...
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025
iPhone 15 Pro 1000GB - White Titanium - Locked Verizon - Dual eSIML. mildred D.
Purchased on December 10, 2024
Verified purchaseI purchased the iPhone 13 Pro 512GB - Sierra Blue in Excellent.Condition. It is beautiful with no scratches, nicks or dings. It looks and feels brand new. It has lots of “bells and whistles” compared to my iPhone 8. My purchase was easy and its delivery super fast. I am thrilled with my purchase and I’ll always buy refurbished from Back Market. Oh, by the way, this is my third purchase from them. Moolidee
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2025
iPhone 13 Pro 512GB - Sierra Blue - UnlockedBrittany O.
Purchased on December 14, 2024
Verified purchaseI chose "good" condition and there were 2 chips on the iPhone, in the metal part of the phone not the screen. I guess that's what you get with a used phone tho. The phone itself works great and I am paying for $2.99 a month for insurance because it seems like it'll cover everything so I think that's a good deal. One thing I will say is the phone availability and price was changing pretty much daily and I did miss out on a better deal but that's ok I was dragging my feet on making the purchase bc it was the 1st refurbished thing I've bought. So if you see a good deal get it now! Overall I am happy with my purchase so far! I paid $265 for a black iPhone 12 64gb.
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2024
iPhone 12 64GB - Black - UnlockedCaitlin C.
Purchased on December 6, 2024
Verified purchaseI am very happy with the quality of the refurbished iphone 14 pro I got. And the case and screen protectors are wonderful! First time purchasing a refurbished phone and will definitely be doing so again from here on out!
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2024
iPhone 14 Pro 128GB - Space Black - Unlocked - eSIMSearches so popular you can't sit with them
An unlocked iPhone is an Apple phone that is not tied to a specific carrier or network. This means that it can be used with any compatible carrier that supports the iPhone, as opposed to a locked iPhone, which can only be activated on a specific network like Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile.
Opting for a fully unlocked iPhone gives you more flexibility to choose any phone service that gives you the best coverage or saves you the most money. Having the freedom of an unlocked phone is also particularly advantageous if you travel abroad often and would like to use local SIM cards to avoid expensive roaming charges.
Locked vs Unlocked iPhone
At Back Market, the unlocked iPhones on our marketplace typically save our customers 30-70% on average compared to the price of paying for a new one. We take the time to make sure that the sellers on our site have properly refurbished these phones to a like-new condition. They've been repaired, cleaned, inspected and thoroughly tested to make sure you're saving money on a quality device that you can use with any compatible carrier.
All multi-carrier iPhones on Back Market come with free standard shipping, a 1-year warranty and 30 days to change your mind. We're also here to help you through the process of activating any unlocked smartphones that you've purchased, which we know can be intimidating, but is actually a very simple process. If you want to do it yourself, make sure to check out this article on activating your unlocked phone.