A refurbished iPhone 12 is worth it in 2026 if you want the cheapest iPhone that still has 5G, an OLED screen and MagSafe, and you can live with a shorter software runway than newer models get. It runs iOS 27, the current release, but it sits near the bottom of Apple's support list and gets none of the Apple Intelligence features. On October 5, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 64GB unit RefurbMe tracked was $154 at eBay Refurbished, and the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was $174 at the same seller.
RefurbMe's Time-to-Refurb, the number of days between a model's release and its first refurbished offer, is 68 days for the iPhone 12, level with the 68-day median across every iPhone RefurbMe tracks (as of October 2026, RefurbMe iPhone stats). Back Market listed the first refurbished iPhone 12 on December 18, 2020. Stock has had years to build up since then, and RefurbMe counted 109 in-stock US offers for this model on October 5, 2026.
Buy a refurbished iPhone 12 if your budget tops out below $200 and you want a phone that still feels current in the hand. You get the A14 Bionic chip, a 6.1-inch OLED display, a Ceramic Shield front, 5G and IP68 water resistance, in a flat-edged aluminum design. (Apple) It makes sense as a first phone for a teenager, a backup phone, or a step up from an iPhone 8 or an iPhone 11 for very little money.
Step up to a refurbished iPhone 13 if you plan to keep the phone for three years or more. The 13 is a year newer, starts at 128GB, and its battery lasts longer, while the price gap on RefurbMe is small (see the comparison at the end). If Apple Intelligence matters to you, skip both, because you need an iPhone 15 Pro or later.
A refurbished iPhone 12 starts at $154 unlocked on RefurbMe today, about a fifth of its $799 launch price. Apple announced the iPhone 12 "starting at $799" in October 2020, and it went on sale on October 23, 2020. (Apple Newsroom)
These are the cheapest unlocked listings at each seller that were in stock and seen in the past two weeks, read from RefurbMe's live prices on October 5, 2026. The table compares price only; grades differ between listings and between sellers, so read the grade table further down before you pick.
| Storage | eBay Refurbished | Back Market | Amazon Renewed | Gazelle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64GB | $154 | $185 | $188 | $229 |
| 128GB | $174 | $239 | $222 | No current listing |
| 256GB | $219 | $225 | No current listing | No current listing |
eBay Refurbished had the lowest unlocked price at all three storage sizes on the day we checked. The gap is widest at 128GB, where it undercut Back Market by $65. Carrier-locked units go lower still. An AT&T-locked 64GB iPhone 12 was $139 at eBay Refurbished and $139 at Back Market. A locked phone only works on that carrier until it is unlocked, so read our guide to unlocked versus carrier-locked refurbished iPhones before you take the discount.
The lowest price RefurbMe has recorded for a refurbished iPhone 12 in the US is $124, at eBay Refurbished in July 2026. That is a record, not a price you can count on today, but it shows how far this model dips when sellers clear stock. Set a price alert if you can wait.
The same generation comes in other sizes. The iPhone 12 mini starts at $139 at eBay Refurbished for an unlocked 64GB unit, and the iPhone 12 Pro at $249 at eBay Refurbished for an unlocked 128GB unit. Our iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone 12 comparison covers the size trade-off. If you want the smallest iPhone with a newer chip, see whether a refurbished 13 mini is still worth it.
Canadian and UK readers see a different seller lineup. In Canada, the cheapest unlocked 64GB iPhone 12 seen in the past two weeks was CA$289 at Orchard, read on October 5, 2026. eBay Refurbished followed at CA$305 and Amazon Renewed at CA$308. Back Market, Gazelle and Mac of All Trades do not sell in Canada.
In the UK, the cheapest 64GB unit seen in the past two weeks was £149 at eBay Refurbished. Amazon Renewed and MusicMagpie each had one at £169. Gazelle and Mac of All Trades are US-only. The policy table below uses each seller's US pages, so check the UK or Canadian terms before you order.
Yes. Apple's iOS 27 compatibility page lists iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, so every iPhone 12 model runs the current release. (Apple) The list starts at the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE.
What the iPhone 12 does not get is Apple Intelligence. Apple says Apple Intelligence in iOS 27 is "available on iPhone 16 models or later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone Air", so the iPhone 12 runs iOS 27 without those features. (Apple)
Apple publishes no end-of-support date for any iPhone, so nobody can promise you a number of future iOS releases. The iPhone 11 family and the second-generation iPhone SE are the oldest phones on the iOS 27 list, and the iPhone 12 family comes right after them. When Apple next trims that list, these models are the likeliest to drop off. Our breakdown of how long Apple supports iPhones has the full history.
If you would rather buy a phone with a longer runway and can wait for stock, our guide to when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo will be refurbished tracks the newest models.
Ask for 85 percent battery health or a replaced battery on a refurbished iPhone 12, and treat 80 percent as the floor. Apple says batteries of iPhone 14 models and earlier, which includes the iPhone 12, are designed to retain 80 percent of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions. (Apple) A phone first sold in late 2020 may well have passed that point, unless it sat in a drawer or got a new battery.
The sellers' floors cluster around that figure. Back Market says every smartphone arrives with at least 80 percent battery health, eBay Refurbished's mobile grades promise 85 percent or more at Excellent and 80 percent or more at Very Good and Good, and Amazon Renewed tests to above 80 percent. Gazelle's iPhone 12 page also promises 80 percent or more. Mac of All Trades gives no minimum. The grade table below has the exact wording.
Check the figure the day the phone arrives. Open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health & Charging, and read Maximum Capacity. Then open Settings, General, About. If the phone has been repaired, a Parts and Service History section lists the replaced parts, and Apple marks a nongenuine part as Unknown. (Apple) An aftermarket battery is not a deal-breaker on a phone this cheap, but it should be disclosed. Our iPhone battery health guide explains what happens to performance below 80 percent.
Set your expectations on battery life, too. Apple rates the iPhone 12 at up to 17 hours of video playback, against up to 19 hours for the iPhone 13. (Apple, Apple) A heavy user will want a charger by the evening on either phone once the battery has aged.
MagSafe works on a refurbished iPhone 12 the same way it did on a new one, because the magnets and charging coil are part of the phone. The iPhone 12 was the first iPhone with MagSafe; Apple introduced it with the iPhone 12 models in October 2020. (Apple Newsroom)
Apple's spec page lists MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W and standard Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W for the iPhone 12. (Apple) To get the full 15W from Apple's MagSafe Charger, Apple says to pair it with a 20W or greater USB-C power adapter on the iPhone 15 and earlier. (Apple) The iPhone 12 spec page does not list Qi2, while the iPhone 13 page does.
Test MagSafe in the first week. Snap on a MagSafe charger, case or wallet, check that it lines up and holds, and confirm the phone charges. If it does not, use the seller's return window rather than the warranty, because a return is faster. Our list of the best MagSafe accessories covers what to pair it with.
One seller's "Excellent" is not another's, and that is the real risk when you buy a phone from 2020. The table below comes from each seller's own US policy or product page, fetched on October 5, 2026. Where a page does not state a value, the cell says so.
| Seller | Grade names | What a grade means | Battery | Warranty | Returns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Refurbished | Certified, Excellent, Very Good, Good | Excellent is like-new with no visible wear; Good has moderate wear | 85%+ at Excellent, 80%+ at Very Good and Good, 100% at Certified | One year from vetted sellers; two years on Certified | 30-day free returns |
| Back Market | Premium, Excellent, Good, Fair | Excellent has micro-scratches invisible from 8 inches, Good from 20 inches; no screen scratches at either | At least 80% on every phone; 90% on Premium | 12 months | 30 days |
| Amazon Renewed | Premium, Excellent, Good, Acceptable | Excellent shows no cosmetic damage when held 12 inches away | Above 80%; above 90% on Premium | Not stated for most items; select items add an 11-month Asurion warranty | 90 days on most items; 365 days on Renewed Premium |
| Gazelle | Excellent, Good, Fair | Not stated on the iPhone 12 page | 80% or more | 1-year warranty shown on the product page | Free 30-day returns |
| Mac of All Trades | Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair | Excellent is minimal wear based on the age of the product | Not stated; batteries guaranteed for 30 days | 30 days | 30 days; 10% restocking fee on refunds |
A few details sit behind those cells. eBay Refurbished describes its Excellent grade as like-new condition with no visible wear from quality-vetted sellers, and its Certified grade as pristine and direct from the brand or an authorized seller. Back Market describes its Excellent grade as "very light micro-scratches that are invisible at a distance of 8 inches" and its Good grade as invisible at 20 inches. Amazon sorts Renewed products into "one of four conditions: Premium, Excellent, Good, or Acceptable".
Warranty terms vary more than grades. Back Market's limited warranty covers defects "for 12 months after the delivery date". Amazon says most Renewed items include a 90-day return period, and that select items include its 30-day return period followed by a free 11-month limited warranty serviced by Asurion. Gazelle's product page shows "Free 30-day Returns 1-Year Warranty" and sells a separate one-year protection plan for $49.99 that covers accidental damage. Mac of All Trades says warranty service for a hardware failure must be requested within thirty (30) days of the original order, and refunds carry a 10% restocking fee.
The grades also differ in what they promise to measure. Back Market and eBay Refurbished define grades by visible wear and attach a battery floor; Amazon defines them by distance and adds a battery floor; Gazelle names its grades without defining them on the page; Mac of All Trades defines them relative to the product's age, which on a 2020 phone leaves room for interpretation. For the general picture of how grades map across sellers, see our guide to refurbished grades A, B and C and the warranty comparison across refurbishers.
We ranked the five US sellers on grading honesty first (published, specific grade definitions and a battery policy), then warranty length, then return window, using the table above. Apple does not sell the iPhone 12 refurbished, and its US refurbished iPhone store listed only iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models when we checked on October 5, 2026.
Whichever seller you pick, compare the live listings on the refurbished iPhone 12 page, filter by grade and lock status, and read that listing's own warranty line before you pay. Our guide to the best places to buy refurbished iPhones and the reviews of Back Market and Amazon Renewed go deeper on each seller.
For most buyers who will keep the phone three years or more, yes, because the gap is about $35 at the same storage. On October 5, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 12 was $174 at eBay Refurbished and the cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 13 was $209 at eBay Refurbished.
| Feature | iPhone 12 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A14 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| Storage options | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Video playback | Up to 17 hours | Up to 19 hours |
| Wireless charging | MagSafe up to 15W, Qi up to 7.5W | MagSafe and Qi2 up to 15W, Qi up to 7.5W |
| iOS 27 | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest unlocked 128GB (Oct 5, 2026) | $174 | $209 |
Sources: Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 spec pages; prices from RefurbMe's live listings at eBay Refurbished.
The iPhone 13 buys you a newer chip, two more hours of rated video playback, Qi2 charging and a 512GB option, and it is a year further from the bottom of Apple's support list. The iPhone 12 makes more sense when every dollar counts, when 64GB is enough, or when the phone is a backup. Our iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 comparison goes through the cameras and design, and our guide to whether a refurbished iPhone 13 is worth it covers the step up. If you are weighing an even cheaper phone, read our take on the refurbished iPhone 11, or see the full ranking of the best refurbished iPhones.
If you are also weighing the Pro Max from the same generation, see whether a refurbished 12 Pro Max is still worth it.
Yes, if you want the cheapest iPhone with 5G, an OLED screen and MagSafe. It runs iOS 27 but sits near the bottom of Apple's support list and has no Apple Intelligence. On October 5, 2026, unlocked 64GB units started at 154 dollars at eBay Refurbished on RefurbMe.
On October 5, 2026, the cheapest unlocked units on RefurbMe were 154 dollars for 64GB, 174 dollars for 128GB and 219 dollars for 256GB, all at eBay Refurbished. AT&T-locked 64GB units were 139 dollars. Prices move weekly, so check the live listings before you buy.
Yes. Apple's iOS 27 compatibility page lists the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. Apple publishes no end-of-support date, and the iPhone 12 is among the oldest models on the list, so it is one of the likeliest to drop off when Apple trims it.
It should. MagSafe is built into the phone, and Apple lists MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W for the iPhone 12 with a 20W or greater USB-C adapter. Test a MagSafe charger or accessory in the first week and use the return window if it does not hold or charge.
80 percent is the floor most sellers promise, and 85 percent or more is a good unit. Apple designs iPhone 14 and earlier batteries to keep 80 percent capacity at 500 complete charge cycles, so a 2020 phone with a high reading was lightly used or has a new battery. Check it in Settings, Battery, Battery Health & Charging.
eBay Refurbished and Back Market both give one year on standard refurbished units, and eBay Refurbished gives two years on its Certified grade. Gazelle shows a one-year warranty on its product page. Amazon Renewed gives a 90-day return period on most items, and Mac of All Trades gives 30 days.
Buy the iPhone 13 if you will keep it three years or more: on October 5, 2026 the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was 209 dollars against 174 dollars for the iPhone 12, both at eBay Refurbished, and the 13 has the A15 chip and longer battery life. Buy the iPhone 12 if the budget is tight or 64GB is enough.
To compare every refurbished iPhone 12 listing across sellers in real time, head to the refurbished iPhone page and filter by model, grade and price.
First published: Oct 5, 2026
CEO and Founder at RefurbMe. I made this project back when I was 15 when I had to wake up at 2am to buy my own refurbished Macbook Pro. Passionate about circular economy, great UX and goats.
