A refurbished iPhone 12 Pro is worth it in 2026 if you want a telephoto lens and LiDAR for about $225, and you accept a 2020 battery. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was $224 at Gazelle, and the phone runs iOS 27 but not Apple Intelligence.
RefurbMe's Time-to-Refurb for the iPhone 12 Pro is 53 days, against a 68-day median for the iPhone family (as of October 2026, RefurbMe iPhone stats). Time-to-Refurb counts the days from Apple's announcement of a model to the first refurbished unit RefurbMe saw in stock. For the 12 Pro that first unit appeared on December 3, 2020, at Mac of All Trades. On October 22, 2026, RefurbMe counted 38 in-stock US offers for it.
Buy one if you want a zoom lens in a 6.1-inch phone for the least money. The iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch OLED display, the A14 Bionic chip and a Pro 12MP camera system with Ultra Wide, Wide and Telephoto cameras. (Apple) It weighs 189 grams and has a stainless steel frame.
Skip it if you don't care about the zoom. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 13 was $225 at Back Market, $1 more than the 12 Pro floor. The iPhone 13 has the newer A15 Bionic chip and Apple rates it at up to 19 hours of video playback, against 17 hours for the 12 Pro. Skip both if you want Apple Intelligence, which neither phone gets.
The $224 floor is a Fair unit. Gazelle's iPhone 12 Pro product page lists that unit in Fair condition, the lowest of its three grades. If you want a better grade, read the grade on each listing before you pay, since the other sellers' unlocked 128GB units cost $42 or more above it.
A refurbished iPhone 12 Pro starts at $224 unlocked on RefurbMe today. Apple's launch release priced the iPhone 12 Pro from $999. Pre-orders opened on October 16, 2020, and the phone 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 three days, read from RefurbMe's live prices on October 22, 2026. The table compares price only. We checked the grade of Gazelle's unit and no other, so read the grade on each listing before you pay.
| Storage | Gazelle | Back Market | Amazon Renewed | eBay Refurbished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $224 | $266 | $276 | $281 |
| 256GB | No unlocked listing | $275 | No unlocked listing | $339 |
| 512GB | No unlocked listing | $361 | No unlocked listing | $339 |
Apple no longer sells the iPhone 12 Pro new. The "All models" shelf of Apple's US iPhone store lists the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e and iPhone 16, which we checked on October 22, 2026. Apple's own Certified Refurbished store first carried the 12 Pro on March 14, 2022, but RefurbMe had no Apple listing for it that day, so every unit above comes from an independent refurbisher or program. Compare every live listing on the refurbished iPhone 12 Pro page.
Canadian supply is close to empty, with 6 in-stock offers on October 22, 2026. eBay Refurbished had the only unlocked units seen in the past three days: 256GB at CA$576 and 512GB at CA$631. Orchard had no iPhone 12 Pro listing seen in that window.
UK buyers have far more choice, with 96 in-stock offers. Grade Mobile had the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit at £189. Back Market followed at £221 and Reboxed at £238. Back Market's cheapest unlocked 256GB unit was £213, less than its own 128GB unit, and Back Market and Reboxed both had an unlocked 512GB unit at £265. The policy table below uses each seller's US pages, so check the UK or Canadian terms before you order.
The 12 Pro is a 6.1-inch phone with a Super Retina XDR OLED display at 2532 by 1170 pixels and 460 ppi. That is the same size and resolution as the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro. What it lacks is ProMotion, which Apple added on the 13 Pro with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.
The camera is the reason to pick it over a standard iPhone. The Telephoto camera gives 2x optical zoom in, and the phone shoots Apple ProRAW photos and HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps. Apple's launch release says "iPhone 12 Pro models also introduce a new LiDAR Scanner for immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences and MagSafe". On the spec sheet, the LiDAR Scanner enables Night mode portraits.
The rest has aged well. The phone charges on MagSafe wireless chargers at up to 15W, supports 5G on sub-6 GHz and mmWave networks, and is rated IP68 to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes. It takes a nano-SIM and an eSIM. The port is Lightning, not USB-C, so a wired charge needs a Lightning cable.
For most buyers, the iPhone 13 is the better buy at the same money. The 12 Pro keeps the telephoto, the LiDAR Scanner and the steel frame. The iPhone 13 has the A15 Bionic chip and two more hours of rated video playback. The 13 Pro keeps the telephoto and the LiDAR Scanner and adds ProMotion, a 3x zoom and five more hours of rated video playback. (Apple)
| Feature | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz |
| Chip | A14 Bionic | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| Rear cameras | Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto | Main, Ultra Wide | Telephoto, Wide, Ultra Wide |
| Optical zoom in | 2x | None | 3x |
| LiDAR Scanner | Yes | No | Yes |
| Video playback | Up to 17 hours | Up to 19 hours | Up to 22 hours |
| Weight | 189 grams | 174 grams | 204 grams |
| Cheapest unlocked 128GB (Oct 22, 2026) | $224 at Gazelle | $225 at Back Market | $331 at Back Market |
Sources: Apple's iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro spec pages; prices from RefurbMe's live listings seen in the past three days.
The price gap is small and depends on the seller. At Back Market, the cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 13 was $225, $41 less than its 12 Pro at $266. At Gazelle the order flips: its cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 13 was $239, $15 more than its Fair 12 Pro at $224. Unless you shoot a lot with the zoom, take the iPhone 13 for the newer chip and the longer battery rating. Our iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 13 comparison covers every difference.
The 13 Pro costs more. Its cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was $331 at Back Market, $107 above the 12 Pro floor and $65 above Back Market's own 12 Pro. That buys a 3x zoom, ProMotion and five more hours of rated video playback. Our refurbished iPhone 13 Pro guide has its sellers.
Only if you want the 6.7-inch screen. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has the same A14 Bionic chip, a 2.5x telephoto against 2x on the 12 Pro, and Apple rates it at up to 20 hours of video playback. It weighs 228 grams, 39 grams more than the 12 Pro. (Apple)
At Gazelle, both phones were in stock in Fair condition. The cheapest unlocked 128GB 12 Pro Max was $285, $61 more than the 12 Pro. Our refurbished iPhone 12 Pro Max guide has its prices by seller.
If you can give up the telephoto entirely, the iPhone 12 costs less again. Gazelle had an unlocked 128GB iPhone 12 at $175, $49 below the 12 Pro. You lose the zoom and the LiDAR Scanner. Our refurbished iPhone 12 guide has its sellers.
Yes. The iPhone 12 Pro runs iOS 27, the current release, and Apple's iOS 27 compatibility page lists the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. (Apple) It does not get 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". (Apple)
Apple publishes no end-of-support date for any iPhone, so nobody can promise you a number of future iOS releases. The oldest phones on the iOS 27 list are the iPhone 11 family and the second-generation iPhone SE. The 12 Pro is newer than both, which points to more updates but guarantees none. Our breakdown of how long Apple supports iPhones has the full history.
Battery is the main risk on this model. Ask for 85 percent battery health or more and treat 80 percent as the floor. Apple says batteries of iPhone 14 models and earlier are designed to retain 80 percent of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions. (Apple)
The 12 Pro shows less battery data than newer models. Apple says the cycle count appears in Settings only on iPhone 15 models and later. Open Settings, tap Battery, then tap Battery Health & Charging to see the maximum capacity and whether a replacement is recommended. Check it the day the phone arrives, inside the return window, and ask the seller for the cycle count if the listing does not give it.
Then open Settings, tap General, and then tap About. If the phone has been repaired, you see a Parts and Service History section there, and Apple marks a nongenuine part as Unknown. (Apple) A recent genuine battery replacement is good news on a 2020 phone. Our iPhone battery health guide explains what happens to performance below 80 percent.
Each seller sets its own battery floor. Back Market promises a minimum 80 percent battery capacity on its Excellent, Good and Fair phones and 90 percent on Premium. eBay Refurbished lists 85 percent or more at Excellent and 80 percent or more at Very Good and Good. Amazon Renewed promises more than 80 percent, and more than 90 percent on Renewed Premium. Gazelle's iPhone 12 Pro page does not state a battery minimum.
One seller's "Excellent" is not another's, so compare the terms before the price. The table below comes from each seller's own US policy or product page, fetched on October 22, 2026. Where a page does not state a value, the cell says so.
| Seller | Grade names | What a grade means | Battery | Warranty | Returns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gazelle | Excellent, Good, Fair | Not stated on the iPhone 12 Pro page | Not stated on the iPhone 12 Pro page | Optional 1-year WarrantyLife plan, sold at checkout | Free 30-day returns |
| Back Market | Premium, Excellent, Good, Fair | Excellent has almost no signs of wear and no screen scratches | Minimum 80% at Excellent, Good and Fair; 90% on Premium | 12 months | 30-day free returns |
| 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 |
| 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 | One year from vetted sellers; two years on Certified | 30-day free returns |
Back Market says an Excellent device shows "Almost no signs of wear. The body may have very light micro-scratches." Its limited warranty covers defects "for 12 months after the delivery date". eBay Refurbished describes its Excellent grade as like-new condition with no visible wear from quality-vetted sellers. Amazon sorts Renewed products into "one of four conditions: Premium, Excellent, Good, or Acceptable".
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 its help center says that warranty is a WarrantyLife protection plan you add before checkout. For the general picture of how grades map across sellers, see our guide to refurbished grades A, B and C.
Take 256GB if you buy at Back Market. Its cheapest unlocked 256GB unit was $275, only $9 more than its 128GB unit at $266. Gazelle's $224 floor is 128GB only, so 128GB is the pick there if you keep your photos in iCloud.
At 512GB, eBay Refurbished had the cheapest unlocked unit at $339, the same price as its own 256GB unit. That is $115 above the Gazelle floor, which only makes sense if you shoot a lot of 4K or ProRAW and keep it on the phone.
On the 12 Pro, the cheapest unit is unlocked. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest locked unit was a 128GB phone locked to T-Mobile at $252 at Back Market, $28 more than Gazelle's unlocked floor of $224, though $14 less than Back Market's own unlocked 128GB unit at $266.
Higher up the range, a locked unit can save more. Back Market's cheapest 256GB unit locked to Verizon was $262, $13 less than its unlocked 256GB unit at $275. Its 512GB unit locked to AT&T was $309, $30 less than the cheapest unlocked 512GB unit at eBay Refurbished.
Buy unlocked unless you already use that carrier. A locked phone works only on that carrier until the carrier unlocks it, and Apple says "Only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone". To check a phone you receive, open Settings, General, About. If "No SIM restrictions" appears next to Carrier Lock, your iPhone is unlocked. (Apple) Our guide to unlocked refurbished iPhones explains the trade-off in more detail.
We list the sellers by the best offer on an unlocked 128GB iPhone 12 Pro, from RefurbMe's live prices on October 22, 2026, and note where another storage size changes the order. Grades were not checked listing by listing, except Gazelle's unit, so read each listing's grade before you pay.
For more detail on each seller, read our guide to the best places to buy refurbished iPhones and the reviews of Back Market and Amazon Renewed. If you are still choosing a model, our list of the best refurbished iPhones ranks the current options.
Compare refurbished iPhone 12 Pro prices
See live iPhone 12 Pro listings from Gazelle, Back Market, Amazon Renewed and eBay Refurbished in one place.
Compare PricesSlowly. The lowest price RefurbMe has recorded for a refurbished iPhone 12 Pro in the US is $179, at eBay Refurbished on August 28, 2026. Today's unlocked floor of $224 is $45 above that record.
RefurbMe's Refurb Discount for the iPhone family, the median saving of a refurbished unit against its launch price, is 77 percent (as of October 2026, RefurbMe iPhone stats). That median covers every iPhone RefurbMe tracks, from this year's models to ones many years old, so it says little about where the 12 Pro goes next. RefurbMe's iPhone 12 Pro stats page puts today's $224 floor 78% below launch.
The record low shows that sub-$200 units do turn up. Set a price alert if you can wait for one.
Yes, if you want a telephoto lens and LiDAR for about 225 dollars and you can live with a 2020 battery. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was 224 dollars at Gazelle, in Fair condition. It runs iOS 27 but not Apple Intelligence. If you don't need the zoom, the iPhone 13 is the better buy at about the same price.
On October 22, 2026, unlocked units started at 224 dollars for 128GB at Gazelle. Back Market had the cheapest unlocked 256GB unit at 275 dollars. eBay Refurbished had the cheapest unlocked 512GB unit at 339 dollars. Prices move weekly, so check the live listings.
Yes. Apple lists the iPhone 12 Pro on its iOS 27 compatibility page. It does not get Apple Intelligence, which needs an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, iPhone Air or an iPhone 16 model or later.
Apple publishes no end-of-support date for any iPhone. The 12 Pro runs iOS 27 today, and the oldest phones on the iOS 27 list are the iPhone 11 family and the second-generation iPhone SE, so the 12 Pro is not the oldest supported model.
Buy the iPhone 13 unless you want the telephoto lens or the LiDAR Scanner. It has the A15 Bionic chip and two more hours of rated video playback. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 13 was 225 dollars at Back Market, 1 dollar more than the 12 Pro at Gazelle.
Aim for 85 percent or more and treat 80 percent as the floor. Apple designs iPhone 14 and earlier batteries to keep 80 percent capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. The 12 Pro does not show the cycle count in Settings, so ask the seller.
Only if you already use that carrier. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest locked unit, a T-Mobile 128GB phone at 252 dollars at Back Market, cost 28 dollars more than the cheapest unlocked one. At 256GB, Back Market's Verizon unit at 262 dollars was 13 dollars below its own unlocked unit.
To compare every refurbished iPhone 12 Pro listing across sellers in real time, head to the refurbished iPhone page and filter by model, grade and price.
First published: Oct 22, 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.
