A refurbished iPhone 16 Pro is worth buying in 2026 if you want Camera Control, the A18 Pro chip and a 5x telephoto for well under the price of a newer Pro. On October 9, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit RefurbMe tracked was $613 at eBay Refurbished, about 39 percent below the phone's $999 launch price. The cheapest unit of any kind was $542 at Back Market, but that one is locked to AT&T.
Supply is deep two years after launch: RefurbMe counted 163 in-stock US offers for the iPhone 16 Pro on October 9, 2026, from eBay Refurbished, Gazelle, Back Market and Amazon Renewed (RefurbMe iPhone stats).
Table of contents
- Quick verdict: who should buy a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro
- Does Apple still sell the iPhone 16 Pro?
- How much does a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro cost?
- Carrier-locked vs unlocked: why the cheapest unit is an AT&T phone
- What the iPhone 16 Pro adds over the iPhone 15 Pro
- Refurbished iPhone 16 Pro vs 16 Pro Max vs 17 Pro
- Software support and Apple Intelligence
- Battery health: what to check
- Seller grades and warranties compared
- Where to buy a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro
- Will refurbished iPhone 16 Pro prices keep falling?
- FAQ
Quick verdict: who should buy a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro
Buy one if you want a current-feeling Pro without paying for this year's model. The iPhone 16 Pro has the A18 Pro chip, a 6.3-inch ProMotion display with refresh rates up to 120Hz, a 48MP Fusion camera, a 48MP Ultra Wide, a 12MP 5x Telephoto and the Camera Control button. (Apple) It runs iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence.
The 16 Pro sits in the middle of the refurbished Pro range. An unlocked 128GB iPhone 15 Pro cost $137 less on October 9, 2026, and an unlocked iPhone 17 Pro cost $292 more at 256GB. Pick the 16 Pro if you want Camera Control and the 5x zoom at the lowest price a Pro carries them.
Skip it if price is all that matters. A refurbished base iPhone 16 also has Camera Control, and its cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was $452 at eBay Refurbished, $161 less than the 16 Pro.
Does Apple still sell the iPhone 16 Pro?
Not new. The "All models" shelf of Apple's US iPhone store lists the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e and iPhone 16, with no iPhone 16 Pro, which we checked on October 9, 2026. Apple's newest Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro, starts at $1,199.
Apple does not sell it Certified Refurbished either. Apple's refurbished iPhone store listed refurbished iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16e, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max and 15 Plus units on October 9, 2026, but no iPhone 16 Pro. Every refurbished 16 Pro on the market comes from independent refurbishers and programs such as eBay Refurbished, Gazelle, Back Market and Amazon Renewed.
How much does a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro cost?
A refurbished iPhone 16 Pro starts at $613 unlocked on RefurbMe today. Apple announced it in September 2024, when "iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 (U.S.)", and it went on sale on September 20, 2024. (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 9, 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 | Gazelle | Back Market | Amazon Renewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $613 | $647 | $678 | $689 |
| 256GB | $666 | $722 | $679 | No unlocked listing |
| 512GB | $732 | $754 | $761 | No unlocked listing |
| 1TB | No current listing | No current listing | $844 | $839 |
eBay Refurbished had the cheapest unlocked unit at 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. At 1TB, Amazon Renewed's $839 beat Back Market's $844 by $5. Storage is cheap on this model, since eBay Refurbished's 256GB unit cost $53 more than its 128GB unit.
Gazelle needs a second look. RefurbMe last saw its iPhone 16 Pro listings on October 4, 2026, so we opened Gazelle's own product pages on October 9. They showed the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB units in stock, and each of the three cheapest was in Fair condition, the lowest of Gazelle's three grades. Compare them with an Excellent unit elsewhere only after you account for the wear.
Mac of All Trades had no in-stock iPhone 16 Pro on RefurbMe that day. Compare every live listing on the refurbished iPhone 16 Pro page.
256GB storage
White Titanium
128GB storage
White Titanium
128GB storage
Desert Titanium
Prices in Canada and the UK
Canadian supply is thin. RefurbMe counted 15 in-stock offers for the iPhone 16 Pro in Canada on October 9, 2026, all at Amazon Renewed, and the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was CA$1,039. The lowest Canadian price RefurbMe has recorded is CA$799, at eBay Refurbished in July 2026, so a Canadian buyer who can wait should set an alert.
UK buyers have far more choice, with 100 in-stock offers. The cheapest unlocked 128GB unit was £529 at eBay Refurbished, then £539 at Back Market, £579 at MusicMagpie, £595 at Amazon Renewed and £729 at TLX. eBay Refurbished's £529 matches the lowest UK price RefurbMe has recorded for the model. The policy table below uses each seller's US pages, so check the UK or Canadian terms before you order.
Carrier-locked vs unlocked: why the cheapest unit is an AT&T phone
The cheapest refurbished iPhone 16 Pro in the US on October 9, 2026 was a carrier-locked phone. Back Market had a 128GB unit locked to AT&T at $542, $71 below the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit, and it was a single offer. At 1TB the same thing happened, with an AT&T-locked unit at $718 against $839 for the cheapest unlocked one.
Locked phones are not always the bargain, though. All 72 carrier-locked offers in the read were at Back Market, split between AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, and 68 of them cost more than the cheapest unlocked unit with the same storage. The cheapest locked 256GB unit was $695 at Back Market, while an unlocked 256GB unit cost $666 at eBay Refurbished.
Take a locked phone only if you already use that carrier and plan to stay. Apple says it "can't unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier. Only your current carrier can unlock your iPhone." (Apple) To check a phone you receive, open Settings, General, About. If "No SIM restrictions" appears next to Carrier Lock, the iPhone is unlocked.
A US iPhone 16 Pro also has no SIM card slot. Apple's spec page lists the SIM tray as "available on models purchased outside the U.S.", so a US unit works with eSIM only. Our guide to unlocked versus carrier-locked refurbished iPhones covers the checks before and after you pay.
What the iPhone 16 Pro adds over the iPhone 15 Pro
The 16 Pro is the cheapest refurbished Pro with Camera Control. Apple introduced the line as "Powered by the A18 Pro chip and built for Apple Intelligence", with "larger display sizes, Camera Control, innovative pro camera features, and a huge leap in battery life". (Apple Newsroom)
| Feature | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A17 Pro | A18 Pro |
| Display | 6.1-inch, up to 120Hz | 6.3-inch, up to 120Hz |
| Ultra Wide camera | 12MP | 48MP |
| Telephoto | 3x, 77 mm | 5x, 120 mm |
| 4K video | Up to 60 fps | Up to 120 fps in Dolby Vision |
| Camera Control | No | Yes |
| Video playback | Up to 23 hours | Up to 27 hours |
| Weight | 187 grams | 199 grams |
| Cheapest unlocked 128GB (Oct 9, 2026) | $476 | $613 |
Sources: Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro spec pages; prices from RefurbMe's live listings at eBay Refurbished.
The camera is where the money goes. The 16 Pro's 5x Telephoto reaches 120 mm against the 15 Pro's 3x at 77 mm, and its 48MP Ultra Wide replaces a 12MP sensor. Apple says the new 48MP Fusion camera "enables 4K120 fps video recording in Dolby Vision", while the 15 Pro tops out at 4K60.
Battery life is the other real gain. Apple rates the 16 Pro at up to 27 hours of video playback against up to 23 hours for the 15 Pro. If you shoot little video and never zoom past 3x, the cheapest unlocked 15 Pro at $476 at eBay Refurbished saves $137.
Refurbished iPhone 16 Pro vs 16 Pro Max vs 17 Pro
The 16 Pro Max costs less extra than you might expect, and the 17 Pro costs a lot more. Prices below are the cheapest unlocked listings on RefurbMe on October 9, 2026.
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | A18 Pro | A18 Pro | A19 Pro |
| Display | 6.3-inch | 6.9-inch | 6.3-inch |
| Telephoto | 12MP 5x, 120 mm | 12MP 5x, 120 mm | 48MP 4x, 100 mm |
| Video playback | Up to 27 hours | Up to 33 hours | Up to 33 hours |
| Weight | 199 grams | 227 grams | 206 grams |
| Base storage | 128GB | 256GB | 256GB |
| Cheapest unlocked 256GB | $666 at eBay Refurbished | $765 at Back Market | $958 at Back Market |
Sources: Apple's iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro spec pages; prices from RefurbMe's live listings.
The Pro Max is the same phone with a bigger screen and battery. At 256GB its cheapest unlocked unit cost $99 more than the 16 Pro, and at 512GB the gap was $85, with the Pro Max at $817 at Back Market against $732 for the 16 Pro at eBay Refurbished. Our iPhone 16 Pro vs Pro Max comparison goes through the size question, and the guide to the refurbished iPhone 16 Pro Max has its price table. Every live Pro Max listing is on the refurbished iPhone 16 Pro Max page.
The 17 Pro is the stretch option. Its A19 Pro chip, 48MP 4x Telephoto and 33-hour video rating are real upgrades, but the cheapest unlocked unit was $958 at Back Market, $292 more than a 256GB 16 Pro. Read our guide to the refurbished iPhone 17 Pro if the battery matters more to you than the money, and compare live listings on the refurbished iPhone 17 Pro page.
Software support and Apple Intelligence
The iPhone 16 Pro runs iOS 27, the current release, and gets Apple Intelligence. Apple's iOS 27 compatibility page lists the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. (Apple) 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 margin on the current list is wide. The oldest phones on the iOS 27 list are the iPhone 11 family and the second-generation iPhone SE, five generations older than the 16 Pro. Our breakdown of how long Apple supports iPhones has the full history.
Battery health: what to check
Ask for 85 percent battery health or more on a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro, and treat 80 percent as the floor. Apple says batteries of iPhone 15 models and later are designed to retain 80 percent of their original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions. (Apple)
The 16 Pro tells you more than older iPhones do. Apple says that on iPhone 15 models and later you can see the battery's maximum capacity, whether a replacement is recommended, and the cycle count. Check Settings, Battery, Battery Health the day the phone arrives, and ask the seller for the cycle count before you buy if the listing does not give it.
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) Our iPhone battery health guide explains what happens to performance below 80 percent.
Seller grades and warranties compared
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 9, 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 | One year from vetted sellers; two years on Certified | 30-day free returns |
| Gazelle | Excellent, Good, Fair | Not stated on the iPhone 16 Pro page | Not stated on the iPhone 16 Pro page | 1-year warranty shown on the product page | Free 30-day returns |
| Back Market | Premium, Excellent, Good, Fair | Excellent has micro-scratches invisible from 8 inches; no screen scratches | 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 |
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". 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 $59.99 that covers accidental damage. For the general picture of how grades map across sellers, see our guide to refurbished grades A, B and C.
Where to buy a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro
We list the sellers by the best offer on an unlocked 128GB iPhone 16 Pro, from RefurbMe's live prices on October 9, 2026, and note where another storage size changes the order. We checked Gazelle's grades on its own pages; the other listings' grades were not checked, so read each listing's grade before you pay.
- eBay Refurbished. The cheapest unlocked 128GB iPhone 16 Pro at $613, and the cheapest unlocked 256GB and 512GB units at $666 and $732. Its grades come with a battery floor, a one-year warranty from vetted sellers and 30-day free returns.
- Gazelle. An unlocked 128GB unit at $647, in Fair condition on Gazelle's own page. It has a one-year warranty and free 30-day returns, and its iPhone 16 Pro page names its grades without defining them and gives no battery minimum.
- Back Market. An unlocked 128GB unit at $678 and the only seller with carrier-locked units, including the $542 AT&T phone. Every phone arrives with at least 80 percent battery health, with a 12-month warranty and 30-day returns.
- Amazon Renewed. An unlocked 128GB unit at $689, the cheapest unlocked 1TB unit at $839, and the longest standard return window here at 90 days. The catch is the warranty, since Amazon's guarantee page adds an 11-month Asurion warranty only on select items, so check the product page.
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.
Compare refurbished iPhone 16 Pro prices
See live iPhone 16 Pro listings from eBay Refurbished, Gazelle, Back Market and Amazon Renewed in one place.
Compare PricesWill refurbished iPhone 16 Pro prices keep falling?
Probably, but today's floor is not far off the record. The lowest price RefurbMe has recorded for a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro in the US is $510, at eBay Refurbished on August 29, 2026. Today's unlocked floor of $613 is $103 above that, and the AT&T unit at $542 is $32 above it.
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, including models many years old, so it says nothing about what an iPhone 16 Pro will cost next month. Today's $613 floor is about 39 percent below the $999 launch price.
Newer models keep adding supply. Trade-ins from people moving to the iPhone 18 Pro feed older Pro phones into the refurbished market, and the iPhone Duo opens for pre-order on October 16. Set a price alert if you can wait. Our guide to when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo will be refurbished tracks the newest models, the refurbished iPhone 16 guide covers the cheaper non-Pro, and the best refurbished iPhones roundup compares the whole range.
FAQ
Is a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro worth it in 2026?
Yes, if you want Camera Control, the A18 Pro chip and a 5x telephoto for much less than a newer Pro. On October 9, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 128GB unit on RefurbMe was 613 dollars at eBay Refurbished, about 39 percent below its 999 dollar launch price.
How much does a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro cost?
On October 9, 2026, unlocked 128GB units started at 613 dollars at eBay Refurbished, then 647 dollars at Gazelle in Fair condition, 678 dollars at Back Market and 689 dollars at Amazon Renewed. A 128GB unit locked to AT&T cost 542 dollars at Back Market. Prices move weekly, so check the live listings.
Is a carrier-locked refurbished iPhone 16 Pro a good deal?
Only if you already use that carrier. Apple says only your current carrier can unlock an iPhone. Check Settings, General, About, where an unlocked phone shows No SIM restrictions next to Carrier Lock.
Does Apple still sell the iPhone 16 Pro?
No. Apple's US iPhone store lists the iPhone Duo, 18 Pro, Air, 17, 17e and 16, with no iPhone 16 Pro, and Apple's refurbished iPhone store had no iPhone 16 Pro on October 9, 2026. Refurbished units come from sellers such as eBay Refurbished, Gazelle, Back Market and Amazon Renewed.
Should I buy a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro or a refurbished iPhone 17 Pro?
Buy the 16 Pro unless you need the 17 Pro's longer battery life or its 48MP telephoto. On October 9, 2026, the cheapest unlocked 256GB 17 Pro cost 958 dollars at Back Market, 292 dollars more than a 256GB 16 Pro at eBay Refurbished.
How long will Apple support the iPhone 16 Pro?
Apple publishes no end-of-support date. The iPhone 16 Pro runs iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence today, and the iOS 27 list still includes the iPhone 11 family, five generations older.
What battery health should a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro have?
Aim for 85 percent or more and treat 80 percent as the floor. Apple designs iPhone 15 and later batteries to keep 80 percent capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles, and the 16 Pro shows the cycle count in Settings, Battery, Battery Health.
To compare every refurbished iPhone 16 Pro listing across sellers in real time, head to the refurbished iPhone page and filter by model, grade and price.
First published: Oct 9, 2026
