grade mobile refurbished phones
⚠️ Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, Snagly may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. We haven’t personally used Grade Mobile’s subscription service for this review; the assessment is based on publicly available information, product listings, and verified customer reviews. We only recommend services we think are genuinely worth your time. Read our full disclosure policy.
🔍 Quick Summary — Grade Mobile
- What is it? UK refurbished phone retailer and phone subscription provider, based in Kent
- Subscription from: £4.83/month (12 or 24-month terms)
- Buy outright from: ~£100 for older models, up to £500+ for recent flagship refurbs
- SIM plans from: £9/month (10GB, EE network, no credit check)
- Phones available: iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, tablets, watches, headphones
- Warranty: Included free for the full subscription term
- Network: EE — ranked #1 for speed, data, and reliability in the UK
- Trustpilot: 4 stars — 17,000+ reviews
- Trade-in: Yes — sell your old phone direct to Grade Mobile
- Our score: 8 / 10 — strong all-rounder for anyone who wants a great phone without the full retail price
Table of Contents
Phone contracts in the UK have become a bit of a racket. You sign up, you’re locked in, you pay through the nose for the handset, the SIM, and whatever random extras the network bundles in whether you want them or not. So when a company comes along with a genuinely different model, it’s worth paying attention.
Grade Mobile is a UK refurbished phone and subscription retailer based in Kent that’s been quietly building a solid reputation since the mid-2010s. They sell refurbished iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, tablets, watches and headphones — either outright or on a flexible subscription model — and they also offer SIM-only deals running on EE’s network. The pitch is straightforward: get a great phone, pay less per month, don’t trash the planet doing it.
We haven’t subscribed to Grade Mobile ourselves for this piece — it’s research-based, drawing on their product listings, pricing, and a thorough look through their Trustpilot reviews. What we’ve found is a company with a lot going for it, one specific thing to understand before you sign up, and a product range that genuinely stacks up well against the high street.
Here’s the full picture.
What Is Grade Mobile?
Grade Mobile (grademobile.co.uk) is a UK tech retailer and phone subscription provider. It’s a trading name of OG Exclusives London Limited, registered in England and Wales, and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference 947743) — which matters because their subscription model is a regulated credit product. You’re not just buying a phone on a payment plan; you’re entering a lease agreement. That’s actually a good thing from a consumer protection standpoint, but it’s worth knowing upfront.
The business operates across several product areas. You can subscribe to a refurbished or new phone on a 12 or 24-month term, buy a refurbished device outright, pick up a SIM-only plan, trade in your current phone, or get a device repaired or unlocked. They also do tablets, watches, and headphones — so it’s not just phones.
Their sustainability angle is genuine rather than just marketing. Grade Mobile refurbishes and resells devices in-house, which keeps electronics out of landfill. They’ve built an ESG framework around it and are transparent about how they operate. For anyone who cares about not binning a perfectly functional piece of hardware every two years, that’s a meaningful differentiator.
They partner with Amazon and eBay as additional sales channels, and ship via Royal Mail. SIM plans run on EE’s infrastructure — the UK’s top-rated network for speed, data performance, and reliability.
grade mobile refurbished phones, Plans & Pricing
Grade Mobile has two main ways to get a phone — subscription or outright purchase — plus standalone SIM deals. Here’s how the pricing breaks down.
| Option | From (per month) | Term | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Subscription | £4.83/mo | 12 or 24 months | Lower monthly cost, option to upgrade or return at end of term |
| Buy Outright | ~£100–£500+ | One-off | Own it outright, no ongoing commitment |
| SIM Only – 10GB | £9/mo (24mo deal) | 24mo / 12mo / Rolling | Light users who mostly use Wi-Fi |
| SIM Only – 30GB | £12/mo (24mo deal) | 24mo / 12mo / Rolling | Most people — good everyday data allowance |
| SIM Only – 100GB | £16/mo (24mo deal) | 24mo / 12mo / Rolling | Heavy users and anyone who uses their phone as a hotspot |
| SIM Only – Unlimited | £24/mo (24mo deal) | 24mo / 12mo | Power users, remote workers, no-limits types |
All prices include VAT. SIM plans on EE network. Subscription devices subject to credit check. SIM-only plans have no credit check.
What You Actually Get With Grade Mobile
Here’s a breakdown of what the Grade Mobile package actually includes:
Grade Mobile Phone Picks — Which Should You Get?
Not sure which phone to go for? Here are four strong picks across different budgets and use cases — all available on Grade Mobile subscription or outright purchase.
iPhone 12
Still a capable phone in 2026. Solid camera, 5G support, and a design that holds up. The best entry point into the Apple ecosystem if you don’t want to overspend.
From ~£7.29/mo (24-month sub) See iPhone 12 on Grade Mobile →iPhone 13
The sweet spot of the range. Improved battery life over the 12, excellent dual camera, and enough performance to last years. Refurbished prices are seriously good now.
From ~£12/mo (24-month sub) See iPhone 13 on Grade Mobile →iPhone 15 Pro
Titanium build, 48MP main camera, and Action Button. A genuinely flagship experience at a fraction of the new price when bought refurbished. Hard to beat if you want the best Apple has to offer.
From ~£28/mo (24-month sub) See iPhone 15 Pro on Grade Mobile →Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The most powerful Android phone on the range. Built-in S Pen, 200MP camera system, and Samsung’s latest AI features. A serious bit of kit for power users who want the full Android flagship experience.
From ~£35/mo (24-month sub) See Galaxy S25 Ultra on Grade Mobile →Prices are approximate based on current Grade Mobile listings — check the links above for live pricing as stock and subscription rates change.
Want to browse the full range? See all refurbished phones | Tablets | SIM-only deals | Trade in your old phone
The Subscription Model — How It Actually Works
The subscription model is what makes Grade Mobile different, and it’s worth understanding properly before you commit — because it’s not a phone contract in the traditional sense.
When you subscribe to a phone with Grade Mobile, you’re entering a lease agreement. The phone isn’t yours at the end of the term unless you’ve chosen an option to purchase it. What you’re paying for each month is the use of the device, plus the included warranty. At the end of your 12 or 24 months, you have three choices: upgrade to a new device, keep your current one and continue the subscription, or return it for free.
- Device delivered free with next-day dispatch
- Warranty included for the full term — covers hardware faults
- 30-day cancellation period from the start of your subscription
- Option to upgrade at end of term to the latest device
- Free return at end of term if you want to walk away
- Phone is SIM-free — use any network you like
- Subscription is a regulated credit product (FCA authorised)
The financial logic is straightforward. A refurbished iPhone 13 on Grade Mobile costs around £12/month over 24 months. A brand new iPhone 13 on a typical high-street contract might be £30–£35/month for the same period — and you’re paying for a bundled SIM you may not want. Grade Mobile separates the device cost from the SIM, which means you only pay for what you actually need.
The thing to be clear-eyed about: the subscription isn’t the same as buying. If you want to own the device outright, Grade Mobile also lets you buy refurbished phones directly — no monthly commitment, just a one-off price. That’s the right move if you’re the kind of person who keeps phones for five years and hates contracts.
The Sustainability Angle — Does It Actually Matter?
Grade Mobile makes a lot of their environmental credentials, and for once it’s not just greenwashing. The core of their business model — buying, refurbishing, and reselling devices rather than manufacturing new ones — genuinely reduces electronic waste in a meaningful way.
Manufacturing a new smartphone produces roughly 70kg of CO₂ equivalent. Refurbishing an existing device produces a fraction of that. The more refurbished phones people buy instead of new ones, the less demand there is for freshly mined rare earth metals and new manufacturing. It’s one of those rare cases where the environmentally better option is also the cheaper one.
- Buying refurbished instead of new can reduce a phone’s carbon footprint by up to 70%
- The UK generates over 1.5 million tonnes of electronic waste annually — phones are a significant chunk
- Grade Mobile’s lease model means devices get returned and re-circulated rather than being binned
- In-house refurbishment process gives them visibility over quality and extends device lifespan
They’ve also published an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework through their corporate site, which is more than most small UK retailers bother with. It’s not a huge multinational operation, but the intention is clearly genuine. If sustainability factors into your buying decisions, Grade Mobile is one of the more credible options in the refurbished phone market.
Network Coverage & SIM Performance
Grade Mobile’s SIM plans run on EE’s network — and that matters, because EE is consistently the best-performing mobile network in the UK. According to their own comparison data, Grade Mobile’s network delivers average download speeds of 65.1 Mbps, which outpaces the likes of O2, Vodafone, and Three. For a SIM that starts at £9/month with no credit check, that’s genuinely impressive.
| SIM Plan | Data | 24-Month Price | Rolling Monthly | Calls & Texts | EU Roaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10GB | 10GB | £9/mo | £11/mo | Unlimited | Up to 20GB |
| 30GB | 30GB | £12/mo | £15/mo | Unlimited | Up to 20GB |
| 100GB | 100GB | £16/mo | £18/mo | Unlimited | Up to 20GB |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | £24/mo | N/A | Unlimited | Up to 20GB |
All plans include 5G where available, Wi-Fi calling at no extra charge, and the ability to keep your existing number. You can also change your plan at any time.
- EE covers 99% of the UK population for 4G
- 5G coverage is expanding rapidly — check grademobile.co.uk/our-sim-coverage for the current map
- Average speeds of 65.1 Mbps — roughly twice some competing networks
- Roaming: up to 20GB in EU countries included on all plans
- Wi-Fi calling included — useful if your indoor signal is patchy
Who Is Grade Mobile Best For?
✅ Grade Mobile Is Great If You…
- Want a flagship phone without the flagship price tag
- Like the idea of upgrading every 12–24 months without the hassle
- Want a SIM plan on EE’s network at a fair price
- Have an old iPhone or Samsung to trade in
- Care about buying refurbished rather than new
- Want device and SIM costs kept separate
- Need a SIM plan with no credit check
❌ Grade Mobile Might Not Suit You If…
- You want to own the phone outright on a subscription (buy direct instead)
- Your credit history might not pass a device subscription check
- You need a very specific model or colour that may not be in stock
- You prefer buying from a retailer with a physical shop
- You’re looking for brand new, sealed-box phones only
Summary verdict:
“Grade Mobile offers one of the better value refurbished phone deals in the UK — flexible, well-warranted, and backed by EE’s top-rated network. The subscription model isn’t for everyone, but the outright purchase and SIM options make it worth a look for almost anyone.”
FAQ
Is Grade Mobile a legitimate UK company?
Yes. Grade Mobile is a trading name of OG Exclusives London Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 08955418) and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference 947743). They’re based in Kent and have over 17,000 Trustpilot reviews with a 4-star rating.
How does Grade Mobile’s phone subscription work?
You choose a refurbished or new phone on a 12 or 24-month subscription. You pay a monthly fee, which includes a warranty for the full term. At the end of your contract, you can upgrade to a new device, keep the current phone, or return it for free.
Do Grade Mobile phones come unlocked?
Yes — all phones sold by Grade Mobile (both subscription and outright purchase) are SIM-free and unlocked, meaning you can use any UK network SIM you choose.
What’s the cheapest phone subscription on Grade Mobile?
Subscriptions start from around £4.83 per month for older refurbished models. Entry-level iPhones like the iPhone 12 are available from around £7.29/month on a 24-month subscription.
Does Grade Mobile do SIM-only deals?
Yes. Grade Mobile offers SIM-only plans on EE’s network starting from £9/month for 10GB, up to £24/month for unlimited data. All plans include unlimited UK calls and texts and EU roaming up to 20GB, with no credit checks required.
What’s Grade Mobile’s returns policy?
Grade Mobile offers a 30-day cancellation window on subscription devices. For outright purchases, their standard returns policy applies — check the shipping and returns page on their website for current terms before ordering.
