Grade Mobile Refurbished Phones Review: Honest Verdict 2026
Refurbished phones from £4.83/month
Flagship phones without the flagship price, plus SIM-only deals with no credit check.
- From £4.83/mo phone subscriptions (12 or 24 months)
- SIM-only from £9/mo on the EE network
- Warranty included for the full subscription term
- Trade-in your old phone, plus free delivery
Is Grade Mobile legit?
Yes. Grade Mobile is a Kent-based refurbished phone retailer (a trading name of OG Exclusives London Ltd, FCA reference 947743) and has been selling refurbished tech since 2014. They hold a 4-star Trustpilot rating from 17,000+ reviews. Every phone is SIM-free and unlocked, so you can use any network you like.
Our phone picks
Prices are for a 24-month subscription.
iPhone 12
Still a capable phone: solid camera, 5G and a design that holds up. The cheapest way into iPhone.
See iPhone 12iPhone 13
The sweet spot. Better battery than the 12, a great dual camera, and enough power to last years.
See iPhone 13iPhone 15 Pro
Titanium build, 48MP camera and the Action button. A flagship experience without the new-phone price.
See iPhone 15 ProGalaxy S25 Ultra
Built-in S Pen, a 200MP camera system and Samsung’s latest AI features. The power user’s pick.
See Galaxy S25 UltraPrices are approximate and change with stock, so check the live price before you commit.
Want to browse more? All refurbished phones | Tablets | SIM-only | Trade in your old phone
How the subscription works (read this bit)
A Grade Mobile subscription is a lease, not a purchase. You pay monthly for the use of the phone plus the warranty. At the end of your 12 or 24 months you can upgrade, keep it on, or send it back free. You don’t automatically own it.
The upside is that the phone and SIM are separate, so you only pay for what you need. A refurbished iPhone 13 at around £12/mo is far cheaper than the £30+ a month you’d often pay for a new one on a high-street contract, with a bundled SIM you may not want.
Want to own it? Buy outright from their refurbished range instead: one-off price, no lease.
SIM-only plans
Grade Mobile’s SIM plans run on EE, consistently one of the UK’s best-performing networks. All include unlimited calls and texts, 5G where available, Wi-Fi calling and EU roaming up to 20GB.
| Plan | Price (24-month deal) |
|---|---|
| 10GB | £9/mo |
| 30GB | £12/mo |
| 100GB | £16/mo |
| Unlimited | £24/mo |
There’s no credit check on any SIM plan, which is handy if your credit history is patchy. See the SIM deals.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Much cheaper monthly cost than a new phone on contract
- Warranty included for the whole subscription term
- Unlocked phones, with device and SIM kept separate
- No-credit-check SIM plans on EE
- Free delivery and a trade-in service
- Genuine sustainability angle, with devices refurbished in-house
Cons
- A subscription is a lease, so you don’t own the phone at the end
- Credit check needed for subscriptions (not SIMs)
- Some reports of trade-in valuations coming in lower than estimated, so photograph your phone before sending
- Smaller range than Back Market or Music Magpie, and stock varies
- Subscription prices are reviewed each April
Check before you sign up: Grade Mobile reviews subscription prices every April, so check the terms for any increase during your agreement before committing to 24 months. Buying outright, or going SIM-only with a separate phone, avoids the issue.
Who is it for?
Go for it if you want a flagship phone without flagship pricing, like upgrading every year or two, have an old iPhone to trade in, or need a no-credit-check SIM.
Skip it if you want to own the phone on a subscription, might not pass a credit check for a device, or only want brand-new sealed phones.
Verdict
Grade Mobile is one of the better-value refurbished phone options in the UK. It’s flexible, well-warranted and backed by EE’s network. The lease model isn’t for everyone, but between subscriptions, outright purchase and SIM-only there’s something for most budgets.
Ready to have a look?
FAQ
Are Grade Mobile phones unlocked?
Yes. All phones, whether subscription or outright purchase, are SIM-free and unlocked for any UK network.
What’s the cheapest subscription?
From around £4.83/mo for older models. The iPhone 12 starts from around £7.29/mo on a 24-month subscription.
Is there a credit check?
Yes for phone subscriptions, no for SIM-only plans.
Can I cancel?
There’s a 30-day cancellation window on subscription devices. For outright purchases, check Grade Mobile’s returns page for current terms.
Do they do SIM-only deals?
Yes, from £9/mo for 10GB up to £24/mo for unlimited data, all on EE with no credit check.
