Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS SmartphoneRecycling.com?

SmartphoneRecycling.com, powered by recycling leader GRC Wireless (grcwireless.com), is a leading bulk smartphone, cell phone & tablet recycling program in the U.S. with over 10 million devices recycled since 2002. We are the pioneer of Incentive Based Recycling, a recycling system designed to maximize the financial return to our participants. Over 20,000 businesses, nonprofits, organizations & agencies have earned tens of millions of dollars through our zero landfill program.

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS CAN PARTICIPATE IN SmartphoneRecycling.com?

Our participants include businesses, lost & founds, police departments, government agencies,sheriff’s offices, nonprofits, domestic violence shelters, schools, wireless dealers, repair centers, and more. We also work with individuals and consumers.

CAN LOST & FOUNDS USE SmartphoneRecycling.com?

Yes! We provide a valuable and environmentally necessary recycling program for lost & founds across the United States. Thousands of malls, shopping centers, amusement parks, casinos, airports, airlines, rental car agencies, cruise lines, schools, museums, universities, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, government agencies and municipalities use SmartphoneRecycling.com to responsibly recycle unclaimed smartphones, cell phones & tablets.

WHAT DEVICES DOES SmartphoneRecycling.com RECYCLE?

We recycle smartphones, iPhones, cell phones, iPads & tablets.

HOW MUCH DOES SmartphoneRecycling.com PAY PER DEVICE?

We pay up to $450 per fully functional smartphone & tablet. We pay great prices for damaged & locked devices, and pay for all cell phones. Click here to view our current pricing. We pay a minimum of $.10 for all devices, regardless of age or condition.

DOES SmartphoneRecycling.com ACCEPT ACTIVATION LOCKED DEVICES?

Yes. We accept all activation locked devices, including iCloud locked (Find my iPhone), Google locked, DEP locked, MDM locked, and more. We pay the ‘damaged condition’ price listed on our pricing page. Click here to view our current pricing.

WHAT IS THE ‘DONATION’ OPTION TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS?

If your organization prefers to donate the proceeds of your phone shipment, we offer a great option that helps support U.S. Troops. When you select the “donate” option, your recycling proceeds will benefit our longtime nonprofit partner Operation Gratitude (OperationGratitude.com), a leading military support nonprofit. SmartphoneRecycling.com has served as Operation Gratitude’s recycling partner since 2004. If you select the ‘donation’ option, you will receive a Certificate of Recycling detailing your shipment contents and value. All donation certificates are issued at the conclusion of the current month.

IS THE PERSONAL DATA ERASED FROM RECYCLED DEVICES?

Click here to visit our data erasure page, which explains our approach to data security & data erasure.

ARE ALL DEVICES PROCESSED THROUGH A ZERO LANDFILL SYSTEM?

Yes. We process all devices through our environmentally responsible zero landfill recycling system. Click here to learn more.

DO YOU ACCEPT CHARGERS AND OTHER ACCESSORIES?

We do not accept chargers, wires, earbuds, aircards, or manuals. Most county disposal/trash facilities will accept the charger and accessories that we do not accept.

DO YOU ACCEPT OTHER DEVICES BESIDES SMARTPHONES, CELL PHONES & TABLETS?

Our program is limited to smartphones, cell phones & tablets, including iPhones, iPads, iPods & Apple Watches.

We do not accept inkjets, toners, modems, GPS devices, hotspots, jetpacks, home phones, cordless house phones, IP phones, gaming devices, or digital cameras.

HOW AND WHEN IS PAYMENT ISSUED?

SmartphoneRecycling.com pays via check. We will mail a check within 2-3 weeks of processing & finalizing your shipment. You are always welcome to e-mail us at info@grcwireless.com to check the status of your shipment.

IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECYCLING INCLUDED WITH EACH CHECK?

Yes. SmartphoneRecycling.com will include a detailed Certificate of Recycling with your check. The report will include model, quantity, price per phone, and total amount paid. If you are recycling corporate devices and would like a serialized IMEI report (detailing the results on each device), please request a custom price quote. Click here to learn more.

WHO PAYS FOR THE SHIPPING?

SmartphoneRecycling.com pays for all shipping costs. You can print FedEx Free Shipping labels online or request a Recycling Kit, which includes FedEx prepaid labels.

DO YOU PROVIDE “COLLECTION” BOXES?

No. We do provide collection boxes for two important reasons:

NEW COLLECTION BOXES VIOLATE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: Our dedication to the environment extends to all aspects of our business, including the use of collection boxes. With millions of boxes already available for shipping, it would be irresponsible to produce new boxes for this purpose. The “re-use” of boxes is essential to the preservation of our forests.
COLLECTION BOXES LEAD TO THEFT DURING SHIPMENT: Based on our experience, decorative boxes that indicate “cell phone recycling” will lead to theft during shipment.

We suggest that you use any type of sturdy cardboard box for shipping, such as readily available “copy paper” boxes.