Frequently Asked Questions

Most payouts go out the same business day we receive and verify your device. Cash App and Zelle land within minutes. Bitcoin (BTC) sends on-chain within ~30 minutes. Local Austin pickups get cash on the spot.

We send you a revised offer with photos and a written explanation. You can accept the new offer, or have the device shipped back to you free of charge. No surprise deductions.

Yes — provided your device matches the condition tier you selected (Sealed, Excellent, Good, Fair, Broken) and isn't carrier-locked, KG-locked, or financially encumbered. Read the condition tier descriptions on the quote page carefully.

14 days from submission. If FedEx delivers your device within that window, you're guaranteed the quoted price (subject to condition matching). If something slips past 14 days, we re-quote based on current market — sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

Yes — as long as we haven't sent payment yet. Text us at (877) 549-2056 or reply to your confirmation email with your offer number + the new method. Once Cash App / Zelle / BTC has fired, it's irreversible from our end, but we'll work with you on next steps if you catch it after.

Enter the code on the quote page before adding to cart. Active codes apply a percentage bonus on top of your quote. Codes can be combined with promotions.

Yes. We email a pre-paid FedEx label as soon as you submit. You drop the box off at any FedEx location.

1. Submit your trade-in on our site and pick "Ship It." 2. Within seconds we email you a prepaid FedEx label (PDF) along with packing instructions. 3. Pack your device in any plain box or padded mailer — no special supplies needed. Wrap in bubble wrap, balled paper, or even a t-shirt so it doesn't rattle. 4. Tape the label flat on top, barcode visible. 5. Drop at any FedEx location or self-service drop box — no appointment, no waiting. 6. FedEx scans it, we get a tracking ping, and you can watch it on our /track page or in FedEx's app.

Two ways. (1) Use the FedEx tracking number we email you at fedex.com/track. (2) Visit our /track page, enter your phone or email, and see the live status of every device you've sent us — from \"label minted\" to \"received\" to \"paid.\" No password, identity is the contact info itself.

Two options. (1) FedEx Office: forward the label email to your phone, show the QR code at any FedEx Office counter, and they'll print + ship it free. (2) Reply to the label email asking for a paper label — we'll USPS one to you within a day. Most customers use FedEx Office because it's faster.

Your shipment is automatically insured for the full value we quoted you. We declare that amount with FedEx on every prepaid label and cover the cost ourselves — so if your device is lost or damaged in transit, you're protected for the full quote. There's nothing for you to add at the counter.

Yes. If you reject the final offer for any reason, we ship the device back to you at our cost — no questions asked.

The prepaid label runs on our shipping account, so if your box comes in heavier than the label estimated, FedEx bills us — never you. Just make sure the package contains the device you quoted.

Phones (iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel), tablets (iPad, Galaxy Tab), MacBooks + PC laptops (HP, Lenovo, Dell, ASUS, Acer, Alienware), game consoles (PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), smartwatches (Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Pixel Watch, Garmin), drones (DJI), VR headsets (Meta Quest, Valve Index, Apple Vision Pro), and Mac desktops (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio). If you have something unusual and don't see it on the picker, hit "Other" — we'll give you a manual quote within an hour.

Yes — most of them. Pick the 'Broken' tier when getting your quote. Some catastrophic damage (severe water, motherboard failure with no power) may be priced as parts.

We can still buy devices that aren't fully paid off — but the offer may be lower. Carriers can blacklist a device for unpaid balance, which makes it unsellable on the secondary market. We adjust the offer to account for that risk. Stolen or fraud-reported devices are different — those we do not buy.

Pull it before you ship. We discard SIMs at the wipe stage regardless, so leaving yours in just means you're losing a piece of plastic that's still tied to your number. Same goes for SD cards on Androids.

Only if you picked Sealed condition — that requires the original box + all unopened accessories. For Excellent / Good / Fair / Broken, just send the device. Power cable is optional but appreciated for laptops + consoles (we'll knock the offer down a little if missing on those specifically).

iPhone: Settings → General → About → look for "Model Name" (e.g. "iPhone 16 Pro Max"). Android: Settings → About phone → Model number. MacBook: Apple menu → About This Mac. Most laptops have a sticker on the bottom. Game consoles: model is printed on the back near the serial. If you're not sure, pick the closest match in our picker and our intake team will adjust the offer if it turns out to be a different SKU.

An unlocked phone works on any carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, prepaid). A carrier-locked phone only works with the carrier that originally sold it. Unlocked phones resell at a premium — we pay $50-300 more for unlocked depending on model. Most phones bought outright (paid in full) are unlocked. Phones bought on carrier installment plans are usually locked until paid off. Check by inserting a different carrier's SIM — if it works, you're unlocked.

Every device gets a full factory wipe before resale or recycling. We're certified to handle data sanitization to NIST 800-88 standards. You can also wipe the device yourself before shipping — recommended.

Check spam / promotions first (Gmail loves to filter us). If still missing, email CustomerService@topcashcells.com with the name + device you submitted and we'll resend within an hour. You can also use our /track page to confirm the lead landed — it shows every submission tied to your phone or email.

We'll send you photos + the specific issue we found. You have three options: (1) Accept the revised offer. (2) Submit a counter-offer — tell us what you think it's worth and we'll either agree or explain why we can't. (3) Request a free return — we ship the device back at our cost. No hard feelings, no restocking fee.

You must be 18 or older. Anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian to complete the trade.

Yes — visit our bulk trade-in page for a dedicated quote and pickup option.