I Tried Flipping Phones in 2025: Here’s What I Made
It’s been a while since I went phone hunting, but I wanted to see if flipping phones in 2025 is still worth it. So I hit Facebook Marketplace, found a few deals, fixed them up, and sold them. Let’s see if we made some cash—or wasted a week of repairs.
Phone #1: iPhone 12 — $175 CAD
I spotted this red iPhone 12 listed for $200 on Facebook Marketplace. It had some issues: a broken earpiece speaker, a quiet loudspeaker, and a battery that wasn’t exactly in its prime.
I offered $180 in person, but still didn’t love the deal, so I talked it down to $175.
I tested the phone before buying (always do that), and thankfully, most of it checked out fine. The display had only one scratch under the screen protector, which helps for resale.
The Repair
I cracked it open and, honestly, everything looked great inside. OEM parts, no missing screws and no water damage.
But the earpiece speaker was completely dead, and the mesh was disgusting. A bit of alcohol didn't help, so I removed the speaker module, detached the glued-on flex cable, and soldered the working Face ID sensors onto a replacement speaker (around $7). Also cleaned up the bottom speaker grill while I was in there.
Pro tip: don’t replace this whole module unless you want to lose Face ID.
Final Sale
Cleaned it, took some nice pics, and listed it for $280 CAD. It sold. Easy flip.
Phone #2: iPhone 11 Pro — $50 CAD
This one was $50 and looked like it had been through a war. Cracked screen, destroyed Face ID, shattered front camera, cracked back glass, cracked rear camera lens, and dust inside the actual lens. The guy threw in a case and an old battery. So, why not?
The Inside Scoop
When I opened it, I expected a mess but it was... okay. No waterproof seal (bad), but all the screws were there (good). No sign of water damage either.
What I Fixed
Replaced the rear camera lens ($1)
Cleaned the camera module
Replaced the front camera ($7)
Swapped in a new screen ($75)
Didn’t fix the Face ID or the back glass because fixing everything kills profit. We’re not restoring museum pieces here.
Final Sale
Listed it for $270 and sold it for $230 CAD. Not bad for a $50 buy.
Phone #3: iPhone 13 Pro Max — $440 CAD
Originally listed for $550. I tested everything when I showed up and found a nasty issue with the ultrawide camera. Talked the seller down to $440 because of it.
The Repair
Internally? Mint. Looked untouched. But the wide-angle and .5x cameras were busted. Replaced the entire camera module for $55. After iOS 18 calibration, everything worked great.
Final Sale
Since it was a 128GB model in great shape, I listed it for $650 and sold it shortly after.
Final Verdict
Is Flipping Still Worth It in 2025?
Short answer: Yes, but only if you’re smart about it.
Phones with light issues (like speakers or cracked lenses) are where the money is. Super-damaged phones are tempting, but the repair costs add up fast. And as always, test every function before you buy. You never know what’s broken until you do.
If you’ve got repair skills and an eye for a deal, flipping in 2025 is still alive and well. You won’t get rich off one phone but stack enough of these, and the profits grow.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more teardown, flipping, and tech repair content. 🙌
