Trade-in comparison
The Big Phone Store vs Envirofone
They hold the higher Trustpilot score. We are built specifically around trade-ins, including the faulty and broken ones.
Reviewed 26 August 2026
Which? Recommended Provider
Trustpilot ratingout of 5
Trade-in bonusopen to every customer, yes or no
Faulty phonespriced on the device, yes or no
Devices acceptedof 5 device categories
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 pricesIs The Big Phone Store legit?
Yes. The Big Phone Store is a long-established UK retailer, trading since 1999, and holds 4.8 on Trustpilot, which is the highest score on this page and slightly above our own 4.7. Where Envirofone differs is trade-ins: they are our whole business rather than one side of it, faulty and broken handsets are priced on their actual condition, and the Envirocash bonus is open to every customer rather than to students only.
- 4.8 on Trustpilot for them, 4.7 for us from over 46,000 reviews
- Faulty and broken phones are our core business, not a sideline
- Envirocash bonus for every customer, not a student-only offer
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 £910
iPhone 17 Pro Maxup to £880
Galaxy Z Fold 8up to £765Live 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 The Big Phone Store, line by line
The Big Phone Store against Envirofone, line by line, for trading in your device.
| What matters | Envirofone | The Big Phone Store |
|---|---|---|
| Established | 2005, focused on tech trade-ins | 1999 |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.7 from over 46,000 reviews | 4.8 |
| Pricing transparency | Inspection-based pricing with an upfront condition guide | Post-inspection price changes can vary |
| Trade-in bonuses | Envirocash bonuses available to all customers | Limited offers, for example student-only bonuses |
| Value optimisation | Dynamic pricing based on real device condition | Flat pricing approach |
| Faulty phone trade-ins | Designed specifically for faulty and broken phones | Faulty devices accepted but not the core focus |
| Speed from send to payment | Same-day inspection and same working day payment | Timelines vary |
| Device types supported | Phones, tablets, wearables, consoles and laptops | Phones, tablets and accessories |
| Online selling | Fully online, so the process is the same every time | A combination of online and in-store processes |
| Warranty | 12-month warranty included as standard | 12-month warranty |
| UK customer service | Yes, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm | Yes |
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 The Big Phone Store does well
- 4.8 on Trustpilot, the highest score on this page and above our 4.7
- Trading since 1999, so a longer history than ours
- Both online and in-store options, if you would rather hand a phone over
- A 12-month warranty on refurbished purchases, the same as ours
What Envirofone does better
- Trade-ins are the whole business, so faulty and broken handsets are the norm rather than an exception
- Envirocash bonus available to every customer, not just students
- Same-day inspection and same working day payment on a fixed timeline
- Watches, consoles and laptops accepted as well as phones and tablets
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.
The Big Phone Store questions, answered
The things people ask before choosing between The Big Phone Store and Envirofone.
See all selling FAQsOther The Big Phone Store alternatives
Looking at The Big Phone Store alongside the rest of the market? These are the services it is most often compared with.
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.
