Buying guides
Apple Certified Refurbished vs Third-Party Refurbished iPhones in Canada (2026)
What Apple Certified Refurbished really includes, which iPhones Apple sells refurbished in Canada right now, and when a third-party refurbished iPhone is the better buy.
Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones come straight from Apple with a new battery, a new outer shell, a new white box and a 1-year Apple warranty. The catch in Canada is choice: on October 21, 2026, Apple's refurbished store listed only the iPhone 15 family and the iPhone 16 Plus, from $819. A good third-party refurbisher sells far more models in several cosmetic grades, so you can pick an older iPhone, a newer one, or a lower grade to spend less. Both are safe if the seller gives you a real warranty, a battery standard and an easy return.
Short answer
- Pick Apple Certified Refurbished if you want an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 Plus that looks new, with a new battery and AppleCare eligibility, and you are fine with Apple's price.
- Pick a third-party refurbished iPhone if you want a different model (iPhone 11 to iPhone 17 Pro Max), want to choose the cosmetic grade, or want to trade in your old phone in the same place.
- Skip any seller that will not tell you the battery health standard, the warranty length and the return window before you pay.
Apple Certified Refurbished vs third-party refurbished
| Apple Certified Refurbished | Third-party refurbished (SmartSource) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who refurbishes it | Apple | Our own technicians, in-house |
| iPhone models (Canada) | iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max and 16 Plus (checked October 21, 2026) | iPhone 11 to iPhone 17 Pro Max, plus iPhone SE |
| Battery | New battery | Minimum 80% battery health. Below 80% gets a new battery before it is listed |
| Outer shell | New outer shell | Original, graded by condition: Fair, Good, Excellent or Premium |
| Choice of condition | One condition (like new) | 4 refurbished grades plus New Sealed on some models |
| Warranty | 1-year Apple limited warranty, AppleCare optional | Up to 1-year warranty, SmartCare+ accident cover optional |
| Returns | 14 days (Apple's standard return policy) | 14-day returns |
| Unlocked | Yes (SIM-free / unlocked) | Yes, every phone. IMEI checked against blacklists and lost or stolen reports |
| In the box | Brand new white box with all accessories and cable | Phone, tested and factory reset |
| Trade in your old phone | Apple Trade In (Apple credit) | Cash trade-in |
Apple details from apple.com/ca/shop/refurbished/about and apple.com/ca/shop/refurbished/iphone, checked October 21, 2026. Apple's stock changes daily.
Apple refurbished iPhone prices in Canada
These are the lowest prices Apple listed for each configuration on October 21, 2026, in Canadian dollars. Our column shows today's live starting price for the same model across all our grades. Tap a model to see the price for each grade and storage size.
| iPhone | Storage | Apple Certified Refurbished | SmartSource, from |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15 | 128GB | $819 | $569.99 |
| iPhone 15 | 256GB | $949 | $569.99 |
| iPhone 15 Plus | 128GB | $949 | $699.99 |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 128GB | $989 | $889.99 |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 256GB | $1,099 | $889.99 |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | 256GB | $1,239 | $899.99 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | 128GB | $1,059 | $839.99 |
Apple prices checked on October 21, 2026. Our "from" price is the lowest grade and storage in stock right now and updates live. Premium and higher storage cost more.
What "Apple Certified Refurbished" actually means
Only Apple can use the words "Apple Certified Refurbished". Apple says every one goes through full functional testing, gets genuine Apple replacement parts where needed, and is cleaned and inspected. For iPhone, Apple goes further: every refurbished iPhone gets a new battery and a new outer shell, so it looks and lasts like a new phone. It ships in a new white box with all accessories, and it is covered by Apple's standard 1-year limited warranty.
"Refurbished" on its own is not a protected word. Any seller can use it, from a careful refurbisher to someone reselling phones they have barely checked. That is why the seller's standards matter more than the label.
What to check before you buy any refurbished iPhone
- Battery health standard. Ask for a minimum number. 80% is the line Apple uses for a healthy battery. Ours is 80% minimum, and anything lower gets a new battery. Read what battery health is good on a used iPhone.
- Warranty length. 1 year is the standard to expect. 30 or 90 days is a red flag on a phone you will keep for years.
- Return window. You want at least 14 days to test it yourself.
- Unlocked and clean IMEI. The phone should be unlocked and checked against blacklists and lost or stolen reports. You can check any IMEI with our free IMEI check. More on this in what an unlocked phone is.
- Clear grades. The seller should say exactly what each grade looks like, with the screen and the body described separately.
- Activation Lock removed. It must be signed out of the previous owner's Apple Account, with Find My off.
Our grades describe looks only. Every phone works 100%, whatever the grade. Fair has visible scratches, Good has light scratches, Excellent has hairline marks at most and Premium is flawless. See every grade on why refurbished and our promise.
When Apple refurbished is the better buy
- You want the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max or 16 Plus, and only a like-new phone with a new battery will do.
- You want AppleCare on it.
- You want a sealed new box with accessories.
When a third-party refurbished iPhone is the better buy
- You want a model Apple is not selling refurbished right now, like the iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17.
- You are happy with a few light scratches to spend less, so a Fair or Good grade makes sense.
- You want to sell your old phone for cash and buy the new one in one place.
- The phone is for a kid or a backup phone. See the best first phones for kids.
iPhone 15
À partir de $569.99New: $1,099.00Acheter d'occasion →
iPhone 15 Pro
À partir de $889.99New: $1,499.00Acheter d'occasion →
iPhone 13
À partir de $419.99New: $1,099.00Acheter d'occasion →
Questions people ask
Does Apple sell refurbished iPhones in Canada?
Yes. Apple's Canadian online store sells Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones. On October 21, 2026 it listed the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max and 16 Plus, from $819. Stock changes daily.
Is Apple Certified Refurbished the same as new?
Close. Apple refurbished iPhones get a new battery and a new outer shell, ship in a new box and have the same 1-year limited warranty as a new iPhone. Inside, some parts may be original parts that passed testing.
Is a third-party refurbished iPhone safe to buy?
Yes, from a seller with a written warranty, a battery health minimum, a return window and an IMEI check. We give every phone up to a 1-year warranty, at least 80% battery health and 14-day returns, and every phone is unlocked and checked against lost or stolen reports.
Do Apple refurbished iPhones come with a new battery?
Yes. Apple says refurbished iOS devices come with a new battery and outer shell. Third-party refurbishers set their own battery standard. Ours is 80% minimum, and phones below that get a new battery.
Can I get AppleCare on a refurbished iPhone?
You can buy AppleCare for Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones. For phones bought from us, SmartCare+ covers drops, cracked screens and spills for 1 year, on top of our warranty. SmartCare+ is not available in Québec.
Are Apple refurbished iPhones unlocked?
Apple lists its refurbished iPhones as SIM-free or unlocked. Every phone we sell is unlocked too.
Why is the iPhone I want not on Apple's refurbished store?
Apple only sells refurbished models it has in stock, and in Canada that is usually a narrow range. Older models like the iPhone 13 and 14, and the latest models, are often not there.
What is the difference between refurbished, used and pre-owned?
Used usually means sold as-is. Refurbished means tested, repaired where needed and cleaned. Read new vs used vs refurbished for the full breakdown.
Still deciding on a model? Read which iPhone you should buy, or see every refurbished iPhone we have today.
Évitez le prix du neuf
Procurez-vous le iPhone 15 d'occasion à partir de $569.99, testé par de vrais techniciens, avec une garantie d'un an et des retours sous 14 jours.
