Little-known site selling iPhone 15's for £659 cheaper where people can trade in for cash

Shoppers looking to upgrade their phone without paying flagship prices are increasingly turning to refurbished tech, and one UK-based platform is gaining attention for offering discounts on sought-after devices while also letting customers trade in unwanted gadgets for cash. musicMagpie, a circular economy specialist founded in Stockport, focuses on buying, refurbishing and reselling consumer technology, helping extend the life of devices while making premium models more affordable.

Now part of AO, the service combines savings on refurbished smartphones with a trade-in scheme designed to unlock value from unused tech sitting at home. The platform lists a wide range of refurbished handsets, including recent iPhone models and refurbished watches at prices hundreds of pounds lower than buying new, with devices professionally tested by technicians and backed by a 12-month warranty.

Each product undergoes checks to ensure it is fully functional before resale, offering a more budget-friendly route into premium tech while supporting a reuse-focused model. musicMagpie also enables customers to trade in old devices and media, from smartphones and tablets to books, CDs and games, in exchange for payment. Users receive an instant online quote, ship items for free, and are paid the same day the goods are received and verified, the brand says.

For a faster turnaround, the company has partnered with high-street service provider Timpson, allowing phones to be dropped off in store for payment in as little as 15 minutes. Currently available on the website, for example, is the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max for £539.99 versus £1,199 for a new version.

This one has 256GB of data, comes in a range of colours - black, blue, natural or white - and has been graded 'good'. This phone has a 6.1" display, seven Pro lenses and a customisable action button, as well as being splash, water and dust resistant.

The Apple iPhone 15 is also up for grabs at £379.99, versus £699 new, which has 128GB of data, comes in the colour black and is in 'good' condition. The popular Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is on the website for £404.99, versus £1,409 new, for 256GB and available in the colours: graphite, green, lavender and phantom black.

The phone from Samsung is designed to look stylish while also being made with some recycled materials and more eco-conscious packaging. It comes in natural, earthy colours and includes a built-in S Pen, which can be used to jot down notes, draw, or edit photos without needing a pen and paper.

For those looking for other technology, there is also the Apple Watch Series 8 for £139.99, versus £700 new, available. This has GPS connectivity, a 45mm case and is available in the following materials - midnight aluminium, silver aluminium and starlight aluminium.

There are other platforms which sell similar products - for example, the Samsung Galaxy Fit3 40mm Smart Watch in Black for £59 at Argos. It has 16MB of memory, is touchscreen and has a typical usage time of up to 13 days, the site says.

A more expensive option is the new Apple iPhone 17 Pro for £1,099 at Currys. This one comes in three colours - blue, orange and silver grey - and it has 256GB of hard drive capacity and a 6.3" Super Retina XDR display.

musicMagpie has a 4.5 out of five-star rating on Trustpilot, with one five-star review of the trade-in service reading: "Wow! Never knew this existed. Very easy to sell your phone and get cash quickly. musicMagpie gives a great valuation for your phone. I wish I could give it 10 stars."

Another satisfied customer said: "I'm a frequent customer. I use musicMagpie because it offers a very wide range of products at affordable prices. Quality of the product seems as important to musicMagpie as it is to me."

A handful of others disagreed slightly and said: "Just a bit slow, whether this is down to the courier or MM I'm not sure, think it took two weeks from start to finish. Got paid everything they said though."

Another added: "Always find great condition media at good prices. The couple of times I had a problem it was dealt with quickly."

Overall, most people were pleased with the platform: "Good quality products at very good prices supported by excellent customer service and delivery service."

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