Basics:
Swappa connects buyers and sellers of smart phones, tablets, computers and other electronics
Expected pay: You set it
Husl$core: $$$$$
Commissions & fees: 3% paid by both buyers and sellers
Where: Nationwide
Requirements: Legal right to the device you are selling
What is Swappa?
Swappa is a marketplace for buyers and sellers of all sorts of electronics and, weirdly, designer tennis shoes.
(This post may include affiliate links. You can read about our affiliate policy here.)
How it works
If you want to sell an item on Swappa, you look up the product in Swappa’s catalog to make sure it’s covered. If it is, create an account and link your PayPal account, so the site can pay you.
The site also has some standards for listing, including that you only list working items for sale. You can’t list a cell phone with water damage, a cracked screen or that you owe money on. Otherwise, however, you simply describe what you’ve got in a complete fashion — make, model, storage capacity, etc. — and say how much you want for it.
Buyers can contact you via text message and ask questions and/or negotiate.
Swappa Review:
Unlike many of the other sites that offer to buy your electronics, Swappa is not buying your items for resale. It is connecting you with people who want to buy direct. By cutting out the middle-man (or middle-site), both buyers and sellers can get a better deal.
The disadvantage is that you have to do a bit more work, including verifying that you own the electronics you’re selling. And you’ll have to ensure that your phone is not locked by a carrier. You’ll also communicate and negotiate directly with the final buyer.
In numerous test of this site, we’ve found it to consistently delivery higher prices for sellers and, often, better prices for buyers too. That’s simply the beauty of this business model. Swappa makes all of its money on small commissions on the sale. It doesn’t try to profit by marking up your electronics.
Designer footware
This highly-rated electronics sales site inexplicably expanded into selling designer athletic shoes a few years ago. So, in addition to being able to sell smart phones, tablets, watches and computers, you can sell your Air Jordans and Yeezys here too. But, we’re not sure whether it’s your best bet.
On the one hand, Swappa’s fees are extremely reasonable. The site charges 3% to buyers and 3% to sellers. With shoes, buyers also pay a $15 shipping fee. That compares extremely favorably to sites like Poshmark, which charges 20% and eBay, which charges anywhere from 7% to 13%, depending on the price and seller.
But, Swappa is probably not the first place you’d look for footware. So, you might have more success selling shoes on another platform.
Payment
When someone buys your electronics, you get paid through PayPal. However, the site imposes a 3% commission on sales and charges buyers an equal amount. That’s to pay for the site’s marketing and collection service.
Complaints
The relatively few complaints we found about Swappa largely were from sellers who didn’t like the extensive verification process. A few buyers also complained that some phones that were on payment plans escaped Swappa’s screen and were later found to be problematic. And, several buyers don’t like Swappa’s policy not to support returns for “buyers remorse.”
It is important to check the phone’s IMEI number when buying a product here, since this is a peer-to-peer marketplace and you don’t want to buy a stollen phone.
On the other hand, testing the site extensively, we’ve found that both buyers are sellers are likely to get the best deal here.
Recommendations
For sellers, Swappa is our top choice for selling electronics, requiring a bit more work but usually bringing in considerably more money. You can sign up with Swappa here.
But those who don’t want to go through the hassle of negotiating with individual buyers, can get a reasonable direct-purchase offers for electronics from TheWhizCells or ItsWorthMore.
Our spot-checks of phone purchase prices found that you’d get about $100 more with Swappa, if you were selling a five-year-old iPhone. The differential is less — $25 to $75, when you’re selling an older phone or a less-popular model. And it can be considerably more when you’re selling top-of-the-line electronics.
With shoes, we would recommend Poshmark or eBay, even though the sales commissions are higher on both sites. We also think you’re more likely to find people looking for what you’re selling.
Want to sell with Swappa?
What their users say: From the Better Business Bureau:
“My experience with Swappa was awesome! I have used them a few times now and I will never go anywhere else for electronics.
They provide me with assurance by setting strict guidelines for used phones. This makes sure when a phone is listed at a certain condition level (fair, good, mint) know exactly what that condition level means. The sellers must abide by these standards and often exceed these standards.”
Recommended reading:
Toms Guide also did an extensive review that’s worth reading.
Updated 1/26/2025
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