Trade old phones for gift cards with Optus' latest trade-in program

By Anula Wiwatowska

Last updated 18 May 2023

Any Australian over the age of 18, whether an Optus customer or not, can now trade-in eligible devices through the provider, and receive a digital gift card in exchange.

Payment is made via a Digital Prepaid Mastercard with a 36-month expiry, which is redeemable anywhere Mastercard is accepted. It’s ultimately the digital equivalent of cash.

Device value is determined by trade-in partner Likewize and is based on the model, and condition of the device. Not every device is eligible, but smartphones and tablets from “leading manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Google” are considered.

Here are a few quotes we received on undamaged devices:

iPhone mini 13 512GB: $460
iPhone 14 Pro 1TB: $950
Google Pixel 5 128GB: $55
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 256GB: $410

And here are the quotes we received on the same devices if they have display damage:

iPhone mini 13 512GB: $90
iPhone 14 Pro 1TB: $190
Google Pixel 5 128GB: $0
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 256GB: $0

To get a quote, customers will need the IMEI, Model, or Serial Number of the device they’re looking to trade-in. After filling in a condition report, customers will receive a quote that is valid for 14 days. If accepted, customers then send the device for final assessment, after which Likewize will issue a final offer. Once accepted the gift card will be sent, or if rejected the device will be returned to the sender at no cost to the customer.

Previous Optus trade-in offers have allowed new and existing customers to trade-in old devices in exchange for credit towards their bill on a new plan. The amount of credit was calculated in much the same way, but occasionally customers could gain bonus trade-in credit on certain devices during promotional periods. The nature of these offers meant customers were ostensibly locked into the provider for another phone cycle, albeit at a discount.

While the trade-in values in the latest program are below market resale, this offer arguably offers better value for consumers in the current economic climate.