Foldable phones generally lose value faster than conventional flagship phones, but the gap is not uniform. In SellCell’s October 30, 2025 comparison of US buyback quotes from more than 40 verified companies, foldables had lost 62.3% of launch value after six months, compared with 49.8% for standard flagships. After 18 months, the gap remained: 71.1% depreciation for foldables versus 60.7% for conventional flagships.
The likely reasons are category risk, less buyer and reseller familiarity, and the possibility of higher screen-repair costs. SellCell presents those as plausible explanations rather than measured causes. Brand and model matter just as much: Samsung’s foldables showed a large six-month gap against Galaxy S phones, while Google’s and OnePlus’s comparisons were much closer.
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What the available data actually shows
The clearest published comparison is SellCell’s US buyback and trade-in analysis, published October 30, 2025. It examined leading foldable and non-foldable flagship phones from Samsung, Google and OnePlus, tracking top resale prices at one, three, six, 12 and 18 months through more than 40 verified US buyback companies.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThese are percentages of each phone’s launch value. They describe depreciation in a buyback channel, not the cash a private seller would necessarily receive and not every country’s second-hand market.
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| Device category | Depreciation after 6 months | Implied value remaining | Depreciation after 18 months | Implied value remaining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foldable phones | 62.3% (SellCell, US buyback comparison, 2025) | 37.7% of launch value | 71.1% | 28.9% of launch value |
| Traditional flagship phones | 49.8% (same dataset) | 50.2% of launch value | 60.7% | 39.3% of launch value |
The implied remaining-value figures are simple subtractions from SellCell’s reported depreciation rates. For example, a phone that has depreciated 62.3% retains 37.7% of its launch value before any separate fees, damage deductions or private-sale negotiation.
The gap widens early and remains later
At six months, the reported difference was 12.5 percentage points. At 18 months, it was 10.4 percentage points. That pattern suggests a foldable does not merely suffer a one-time launch adjustment; in this dataset, it continued to trail conventional flagships as the phones aged.
Those figures should not be turned into a universal rule. SellCell did not measure every foldable maker, every flagship, every retail promotion or every private transaction. A specific model can perform much better or worse than the category averages.
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SellCell’s manufacturer comparisons show why a single “foldables lose X percent” figure can mislead. The six-month results differed sharply by brand.
| Comparison | Foldable depreciation after 6 months | Conventional flagship depreciation after 6 months | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Z Fold and Flip vs. Galaxy S series | 63.7% | 48.3% | 15.4 percentage points |
| Google Pixel Fold vs. Pixel Pro | 58.1% | 56.1% | 2.0 percentage points |
| OnePlus Open vs. OnePlus 11 | 55.2% | 51.0% | 4.2 percentage points |
OnePlus Open and OnePlus 11 were described as nearly equal by 18 months. That result is important: it contradicts the idea that the foldable form factor alone determines a phone’s resale trajectory. Launch pricing, demand, supply, software support, brand strength and the number of willing buyers can all influence a model’s outcome, even though the cited comparison does not quantify each factor.
A separate SellCell analysis summarized by MacRumors reported 64.6% average depreciation for foldables and 55.3% for traditional smartphones at 12 months. Because that is a different analysis and period, it should not be combined with the six- and 18-month figures above as if it were one continuous series.
Why buyers and resellers may discount foldables
No published statistic in the cited material measures how much each proposed cause contributes. SellCell identifies several plausible mechanisms, but its price comparison is observational: it shows a difference in quoted values, not a controlled experiment that proves why the difference exists.
Rank #2
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1. The category still carries unfamiliarity risk
Conventional slab phones have a long resale history. Buyers know what a used model looks like, repair shops know the common failure points, and resellers have established pricing patterns. Foldables are newer and mechanically more complex. A reseller may therefore assign a wider safety margin when deciding what the phone will be worth after inspection and eventual sale.
For an individual buyer, that uncertainty can feel like risk even when the phone works perfectly. Questions about hinge wear, screen creases, durability and long-term software support may reduce the number of people willing to pay a premium for a used unit. Fewer potential buyers usually means less competitive bidding in a resale channel.
2. Repair exposure can affect the offer before anything breaks
Foldable phones use flexible internal displays and specialized hinge assemblies. SellCell cites the possibility that screen repair or replacement is more expensive than for a conventional flagship. A buyback company does not have to wait for a failure to occur: the possibility of a costly repair can be reflected in the price it is willing to pay for a used device.
Current, directly comparable repair prices for recent foldables and conventional flagships were not established in the cited material, so it would be misleading to attach a specific dollar premium to foldable repairs. Samsung’s surfaced Fold6 repair-related offer was a limited, one-time promotion for qualifying purchases that expired July 31, 2025; it is historical context, not a current repair-price quote.
3. Familiar phones have a deeper resale audience
Traditional flagships appeal to shoppers who want a known design, familiar accessories and predictable repair options. Foldables appeal to a narrower group that specifically values a larger internal display or a compact folded form. A smaller audience can make resale prices more sensitive to condition, color, storage configuration and timing.
This does not mean foldables lack demand. It means demand can be less interchangeable: someone seeking a standard flagship may consider several slab models, while someone seeking a particular foldable may wait for a specific design or generation.
4. Launch price and promotion effects can amplify the percentage loss
Depreciation is calculated from launch value. If a phone receives aggressive discounts, carrier incentives or trade-in bonuses soon after release, the used-market price may adjust toward the lower transaction price while the percentage is still measured against the original launch figure. That mathematical effect can make a new category look especially volatile. The SellCell comparison does not separately quantify the impact of launch promotions, so this is a way to interpret the metric, not a measured cause in the report.
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Depreciation, retained value and cash loss are different
Readers often use “value” to mean three different things:
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- Depreciation percentage: the share of launch value that has been lost.
- Retained value: the share of launch value that remains. It equals 100% minus depreciation.
- Cash loss: the difference between what you paid and what a buyer offers, which depends on your actual purchase price, taxes, financing, trade-in credit and fees.
Suppose a phone launched at $1,800 and matched SellCell’s six-month foldable average. A 62.3% depreciation rate would imply a value of about $678, because 37.7% of $1,800 remains. A conventional flagship at the reported 49.8% rate would retain 50.2%, or about $904. Those are illustrations using the reported percentages, not observed offers for a particular $1,800 model.
Trade-in credit can also differ from a cash buyback quote. A manufacturer may offer promotional credit toward a new purchase, while an independent buyer may quote cash or store credit. Compare the net amount after any required purchase, shipping, deductible or condition adjustment.
How to make a fair foldable-versus-flagship comparison
- Match the phone’s age. Compare both devices at six months, 12 months or 18 months after their respective launches. Do not compare a recently released foldable with an older conventional flagship.
- Use the same valuation channel. Put buyback quotes beside buyback quotes, or private-sale prices beside private-sale prices. SellCell’s cited series uses US buyback companies, so it should not be treated as a private-party or international benchmark.
- Match geography and currency. A US quote may not predict a price in Europe, Asia or another market where taxes, warranty coverage, import rules and carrier practices differ.
- Match condition and eligibility. Screen damage, hinge problems, missing accessories, activation locks and other eligibility rules can change an offer. Read the current terms instead of relying on an old estimate.
- Compare the same storage and configuration. Storage capacity, color availability and carrier versions can affect demand. Keep those variables aligned where possible.
- Check several live offers. A single quote is not a market average. Record the date, quoted amount, channel and any conditions so that offers remain comparable.
What trade-in programs can and cannot tell you
Manufacturer trade-in programs are useful for reducing the cost of an upgrade, but their credit is not a pure measure of second-hand market value. Promotional credits may depend on buying another device, selecting a particular plan or meeting strict condition requirements.
Samsung announced a year-round Galaxy Trade-In Program beginning with pilots in Korea and France and said availability may vary by market. Jun Kim, executive vice president and head of the Galaxy Value Innovation Team in Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience Business, described it as an effort to enrich the value of Galaxy devices and support a circular economy. That statement explains the company’s program objective; it is not an independent assessment of resale prices.
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Samsung’s business trade-in terms require eligible models and specified conditions, and both qualifying devices and amounts can change. Check the live offer for your country before treating a quoted credit as the phone’s current value.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to reduce the financial hit when buying a foldable
Buy for use, not an assumed resale percentage
If the larger screen, multitasking layout or compact folded shape will replace another device or improve daily work, the phone may deliver value through use even if its resale value falls quickly. Treat any future trade-in amount as uncertain until a live offer exists.
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Choose a model with a documented support path
Before purchase, verify the manufacturer’s current warranty, repair process and trade-in eligibility in your market. A clear service route can reduce uncertainty, although it does not guarantee a particular resale price.
Protect the parts that buyers worry about
Use the manufacturer-approved protection options and follow the device’s care instructions for the hinge and flexible display. Keep proof of purchase, original accessories and service records. These steps cannot reverse category-wide depreciation, but they can help avoid condition-based deductions.
Time the sale deliberately
Get quotes before the next generation is announced and again after launch. SellCell’s data tracks several ages because value changes over time; a single “after one year” assumption hides the speed of the decline. If a new model is about to arrive, compare the guaranteed trade-in credit with the best cash buyback quote rather than assuming either is superior.
The broader trade-in market is growing
Assurant reported that mobile trade-in programs returned $6.4 billion to consumers in 2025, up 42% from 2024. That figure describes the overall trade-in market, not foldable depreciation specifically. It does show why trade-in credits are becoming an important part of upgrade economics and why buyers should distinguish a promotional credit from an open-market resale price.
A growing trade-in market can create more channels for selling an old phone, but it does not guarantee that a foldable will retain value at the same rate as a conventional flagship. The device’s model, condition, age, region and buyer channel still determine the offer.
Bottom line
Foldables lose value faster than traditional flagships in the best-documented US buyback comparison available here: 62.3% versus 49.8% after six months and 71.1% versus 60.7% after 18 months. The most credible explanations are unfamiliarity, perceived durability risk and potentially higher repair exposure, but no cited study assigns a measured share of the loss to any one cause.
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Do not apply Samsung’s result to every foldable. Google’s six-month gap was only two percentage points, OnePlus’s was 4.2 points and its devices were nearly equal by 18 months. For a purchase decision, compare the exact model at the same age, in the same country and through the same resale channel, then check a live condition-qualified offer.
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