Trade-in comparison
CeX vs Envirofone
CeX pays you over the counter today. The catch is that the headline price is the voucher price, and the voucher only spends at CeX.
Reviewed 26 August 2026
Which? Recommended Provider
EnvirofoneCeX
Trustpilot ratingout of 5
What you are paidshare of the headline price
Speedsame-day payment, yes or no
Broken devicesof 3 broken device types
Envirofone leads on 3 of 4
Bars are drawn from the basis printed on each row. Sources: Trustpilot and each service's published terms, checked 26 August 2026
Paying today
All pricesShould I sell my phone to CeX or Envirofone?
Sell to CeX if you want the money in your hand today and there is a store nearby. Be aware that its headline figure is usually the voucher price, and the cash price sits roughly 10 to 20 percent below it, spendable only at CeX. Envirofone quotes one cash price, pays it into your bank on the same working day it inspects your phone, and takes faulty, cracked and network-locked handsets, tablets and laptops that CeX will not.
- One cash price paid into your bank, not store credit worth more than the cash
- 4.7 on Trustpilot against 4.1
- Free tracked postage from home instead of a trip to the high street
Does CeX buy broken or cracked phones?
CeX does buy broken and non-working phones, at reduced prices, and cracked screens are accepted on a case-by-case basis in store. What it will not take is a non-working tablet, laptop or console. Envirofone takes faulty, cracked, water-damaged and network-locked devices across all of those categories, and prices each one on its actual condition after a same-day inspection rather than dropping it into a flat band.
- Broken phones, tablets and laptops all accepted, not phones only
- Network-locked handsets priced and bought, no unlocking needed first
- If the inspection changes the offer you have three days to decline, and it comes back free
What Envirofone is paying today
Price any device
iPhone Duoup to £1450
iPhone 18 Pro Maxup to £1250
iPhone 18 Proup to £1200
Pixel 11 Pro Foldup to £970
iPhone 17 Pro Maxup to £880
Pixel 11 Pro XLup to £815Live trade-in prices for the highest-value phones we buy, updated through the day. Your own price depends on the model, storage, condition and network status.
Envirofone vs CeX, line by line
CeX against Envirofone, line by line, for selling your phone and for buying second-hand.
| What matters | Envirofone | CeX |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | Online specialist, sell from home by post | High-street chain with 390+ UK stores, plus online |
| Founded | 2005, over 20 years specialising in phones and tech | 1992, originally the Computer Exchange in London |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.7 from over 46,000 reviews | 4.1 |
| What you are paid in | Cash to your bank, or Envirocash if you want the bonus | Cash, or a CeX voucher worth 10 to 20% more than the cash |
| Trade-in pricing | Dynamic faulty pricing, valued after inspection | Fixed prices per model and condition grade |
| Payment speed | Same working day bank payment | Instant in store, several days if sold online |
| Broken and cracked phones | Faulty, cracked, water-damaged and network-locked all accepted | Broken phones accepted at reduced prices, not tablets or laptops |
| Where you do it | Entirely from home, free tracked postage or door collection | In store over the counter, or post it to them |
| Quality control | 70+ point PhoneCheck inspection on every refurbished device | In-store testing, typically 30 to 60 minutes |
| Marketplace focus | Phones, tablets, wearables, consoles and laptops | Phones, games, DVDs, Blu-rays and electronics |
| Delivery speed when buying | Same-day dispatch with next-day delivery available | 3 to 5 working days by post, or free Click and Collect |
| Warranty when buying | 12-month warranty | 5-year warranty |
Payment is made the same working day for devices inspected before 3pm, subject to your bank's own timescales. Competitor details are taken from their published terms and public Trustpilot ratings at the date above.
Where each of us is stronger
What CeX does well
- Instant cash over the counter, with no waiting and no posting
- A 5-year warranty on purchases, far longer than our 12 months
- More than 390 UK stores, so there is usually one nearby
- Buys games, DVDs and general electronics as well as phones
What Envirofone does better
- One cash price paid to your bank, rather than store credit worth more than the cash
- 4.7 on Trustpilot from over 46,000 reviews, against 4.1
- Faulty tablets and laptops accepted, which CeX does not take
- Which? Recommended Provider for refurbished tech retailers
How selling to Envirofone works
Three steps, a few days end to end. No listings, no haggling, no seller fees, and you sell from the comfort of your own home.
Search your model, pick the storage and tell us the condition. Faulty, cracked and network-locked phones all get a number, and it is the number we pay.
A Royal Mail QR code by email, shown at the Post Office counter with no printer needed. Or pick a day and Royal Mail collects it from your door.
Same-day inspection and a certified data wipe, then bank transfer or Envirocash. If the condition differs you get a new offer, or it comes home free.
Direct only
You will not find us on comparison sites
We deliberately do not list on phone recycling comparison sites. Those sites take a cut of every trade-in, and that cut comes out of the price you are offered. Selling to us direct is the only way to get our price, which is the whole price.
- No middleman taking a commission out of your quote
- No seller fees, so you keep every penny of the quoted price
- One company handles the quote, the testing and the payment
Independently checked, publicly rated
Which? and Trustpilot, not our own marketing.
Which? Recommended Provider
Officially recommended by Which?
Which? Recommended Provider for refurbished tech retailers, October 2025. Independently assessed, not paid for.
CeX questions, answered
The things people ask before choosing between CeX and Envirofone.
See all selling FAQsYou can sell a phone to CeX two ways: take it into any of their 390-plus UK stores, where staff test it for roughly 30 to 60 minutes and pay you on the spot, or sell online and post it to them, in which case payment takes several business days. Envirofone is postal only: get an instant quote, send it free with a Royal Mail QR code or a door collection, and get paid on the same working day it is inspected.
Both, but not at the same rate. The CeX voucher price is typically 10 to 20 percent higher than the cash price for the same device, and the voucher can only be spent at CeX. Envirofone quotes one cash price and pays it into your bank account, with an optional Envirocash bonus only if you choose to spend it with us. When comparing, check the CeX cash figure against ours, not the voucher figure.
Yes, CeX buys broken and non-working phones at reduced prices, and cracked screens are assessed in store. It does not buy non-working tablets, laptops or other hardware. Envirofone accepts faulty, cracked, water-damaged and network-locked phones, tablets and laptops, and prices each one on its actual condition after a same-day inspection.
CeX publishes a fixed price per model and condition grade, with the voucher figure shown ahead of the cash one. It does not vary with the individual device beyond the grade it is put in. Envirofone quotes instantly from the live trade catalogue and adjusts after inspection if the condition differs from what you described, so a phone in better shape than its grade is not capped at the grade price.
It depends which CeX number you are looking at. Its headline figure is usually the voucher price, and its cash price is typically 10 to 20 percent lower. Compare the cash figure against ours. Envirofone also adds an Envirocash bonus if you spend the proceeds with us, which is the equivalent of the CeX voucher uplift but paid on top of a price you can also just take in cash.
The main postal alternatives are Envirofone, Music Magpie, Mazuma Mobile and The Big Phone Store. All four quote online, take the device by free post and pay into your bank, so there is no trip to a store and no voucher. Envirofone is the only one of the four that is a Which? Recommended Provider, and it accepts faulty tablets and laptops as well as phones.
Yes. CeX takes online trade-ins and you post the device to them, but payment then takes several business days rather than being instant, which removes the main advantage of using CeX in the first place. If you are going to post it anyway, compare the postal services: Envirofone pays on the same working day the device arrives and is inspected.
CeX holds a 4.1 rating on Trustpilot. Customers generally like the convenience of trading in over the counter, though reviews commonly mention inconsistent pricing between stores and the voucher being pushed ahead of cash. Envirofone holds 4.7 from over 46,000 reviews and pays cash to your bank on the same working day.
CeX resells second-hand stock that has been tested in store rather than put through a standardised refurbishment programme, and it does not run a general phone repair service. Envirofone refurbished devices go through a 70+ point PhoneCheck inspection and carry a 12-month warranty, with 30-day returns and free delivery.
Other CeX alternatives
Would rather post it than queue at a counter? These are the other trade-in services worth comparing, all of which collect or post free.
Made your mind up? Find your price in about ten seconds.
Free tracked postage, same-day inspection, and the money in your bank the day your phone lands. If you do not like the final offer, it comes back free.
© Copyright 2026. Envirofone Limited, All rights reserved. Company Reg Number: 10452936. VAT Reg: GB494285158.
Policies: Modern Slavery Statement