Two years ago, I randomly met a guy at a fueling station who had a number of Galaxy Z Fold 3s to sell. As someone with experience selling used tech online, my eyes turned dollar green instantly.
I posted them on every marketplace I could find. Window shoppers. Lowball offers. Not a single unit moved.
Looking back, the whole thing was probably a scam anyway. No pictures of the actual devices, a vague story about a “friend abroad” wanting to sell, and somehow I was the stranger he trusted to handle it. Classic red flags I was too excited to notice.
But the experience left me with a real question: why was a phone that cost $1,800 just two years prior getting such low offers? I’m talking around $600.
Fast forward to today, and I’m in a similar spot. My dad’s old Z Fold 3 needs to go, and that question is back. Why do foldables lose value so fast? Here’s what I found out.
Why Foldables Lose Value Faster Than Normal Phones
1. High Starting Prices = Steeper Drops
One of the foremost reasons foldables lose value so fast is their expensive launch price. Most foldable prices start around $1800-$2000. And as the saying goes, The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Simply put, the higher launch price creates more room for depreciation especially since buyers in the used market are rarely willing to pay a premium for yesterday’s innovation. A $1,800 phone dropping to $900 still feels expensive when a brand-new mid-ranger does most of the same things for $400. And when you layer in lingering doubts about foldable durability and repairability, buyers demand an even steeper discount just to feel like the risk is worth it.
At launch, brands price foldables on hype, novelty, and R&D costs. But once a device hits the secondary market, those factors mean nothing. Demand and supply take over, and the market sets the real number fast.
2. Rapid Innovation Cycles
Talking about R&D(Research and Development).
Foldable phones are still relatively new technology; a novelty even. So unlike regular phones where most companies are just iterating and refining, foldable manufacturers are still figuring things out. Every new generation brings meaningful hardware changes, better hinge mechanisms, thinner profiles, and improved crease visibility. That rapid pace of improvement makes older models feel genuinely outdated, not just unfashionable.
Take the jump from the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to the Fold 7. Three generations apart and the difference is hard to ignore. Thinner body, brighter display, better crease reduction, and a hinge that feels worlds away from where the Fold 4 left off. That’s not a subtle refresh, and the used market prices older devices accordingly and without mercy.
And no one is going to pay top dollar for what seems very outdated, plus for the current generation, the uncertainty of what comes next weighs heavier than on regular phones where upgrades are more predictable and incremental.
3. Durability Concerns & Buyer Hesitation
Another issue that causes foldables to lose their value much faster than regular phones is the durability concerns of long term use, especially the hinge and folding display.
Unlike slab phones where in a few glances you can judge the physical condition of the device, assessing the current condition of foldables hinge is nowhere as easy. And yes, hinge wear is very real, enough fold cycles can affect it even the latest ones like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 which had issues after 200,000 folds when Samsung said it could last for 500,000 folds.
This causes buyer hesitation in the secondary market, because you have no idea how the previous owner treated it, or how many folds are left before it stops feeling right. And as you’d imagine most people aren’t willing to bet on not drawing the short end of the stick. Further reducing demand.
4. Limited Secondary Market Demand
When demand equals supply, the market reaches equilibrium. But when supply outweighs demand, prices fall, or in the case of foldables, crash.
First of all, compared to regular phones there are much fewer foldable buyers. It reflects in how Foldables from all brands put together is still less than 5% of the total smartphones sold yearly.
Added to the fact that durability concerns make Foldables harder to sell in the refurbished/second hand market; less demand.
It all comes down to imbalance, more foldables on the market than buyers willing to take the risk. And when that happens, sellers are forced to drop prices fast just to attract interest.
5. Repair Costs Are Extremely High
Here’s another thing buyers think about even before they make an offer: what happens if something goes wrong?
With a regular smartphone, a cracked screen repair is painful but manageable. With a foldable, it’s a different conversation entirely. Replacing a folding display can cost anywhere from $400 to $600 out of warranty, and that’s assuming parts are even available for your model. The hinge is no cheaper.
Buyers in the secondary market aren’t just pricing the phone, they’re pricing the risk. And when a repair bill could run half the cost of the device itself, that risk gets baked into every offer. So even if the phone is in perfect condition, the possibility of it not staying that way drags the price down before negotiations even start.
So that’s the full picture. High launch prices, rapid innovation, durability concerns, a thin buyer pool, and repair costs that spook even interested buyers. Every one of these works against you when you’re trying to sell. The good news is where you sell makes a bigger difference than most people realize. Here are the best options.
Best Places To Sell Your Foldable Phone
If you want to skip the hassle and just want to sell your foldable phone easily, then The Whiz Cells is your best option.
The Whiz Cells is a specialised buyback platform, that makes selling your used foldable phone quick and easy while still paying you market value. No lowball, no scam, just your phone’s actual market value.
Selling your foldable phone to The Whiz Cells, only takes a few minutes and payments are processed within a day of receiving your device. Here’s how;
How to Sell Your Foldable Phone
- Go to TheWhizCells.com.
- Search for your device.
- Select your device details: carrier status, storage, condition, and whether the device is paid off.
- Get your offer and check out.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to ship your phone.
If you’d rather sell directly to another person and still want a safer experience than Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, Swappa is worth considering.
Swappa is a peer-to-peer marketplace built specifically for used tech, which means buyers there already know what they’re looking at. You’re not explaining to a confused stranger why a foldable costs more than a regular phone. The platform also verifies listings and handles payments through PayPal, which adds a layer of protection on both sides.
The tradeoff is time and energy without guarantee of a sale that was worth the effort spent. You’re waiting for the right buyer to find your listing, dealing with lowball offers and foldables being a niche product means that wait can stretch. And with foldables being a tough sell even on a good day, what looks like a higher offer on paper can shrink quickly once you factor in failed deals, time spent, platform fees, and a cautious buyer pool. A guaranteed buyback offer often makes more sense.
How to Minimize Depreciation Loss
Depreciation on foldables is real, but it isn’t entirely out of your control.
Sell before the next generation launches
Foldable prices drop the moment a new model is announced, not even released, just announced. List your device a few weeks before the expected announcement window. Waiting costs you money.
Keep it in excellent condition
Condition matters more on foldables than any other phone category. Visible hinge wear or inner screen damage gives cautious buyers every reason to lowball or walk away. Use a case, be deliberate with how you fold and unfold, and protect the inner display from day one.
Use a buyback platform over private selling.
Private marketplaces come with no guarantees, just waiting, lowball offers, and deals that fall through. A buyback platform like The Whiz Cells gives you a firm offer and fast payment without the stress.
The common thread is timing. With foldables, waiting almost always costs you.
Final Thoughts
Final ThoughtsFoldables are impressive devices, but impressive engineering and strong resale value are two different things.
The depreciation is steep because every factor working against resale value hits foldables at once. High launch prices, rapid innovation, durability concerns, expensive repairs, and a small cautious buyer pool. No single reason explains it. All of them together do.
This will change as the category matures, but for now, if you’re thinking about selling, sooner beats later. And if you want to skip the hassle entirely, The Whiz Cells will give you a fair market offer today, fast payment, no lowball offers, no runaround.
