Phone grading: A, B, C — and what each grade actually means
Refurbishers grade phones A / B / C — but the letters don't mean the same thing on every platform. This is the cross-platform cheat sheet: what each grade includes, what's tested vs not, and how to read between the lines.
The grade scale (when it's used honestly)
Across the major refurbished platforms, the grading scale follows a consistent pattern: cosmetic only. Functional testing is the same across all three grades — A, B, and C all have to pass the full diagnostic. The grade is about how the chassis looks, not whether the phone works.
| Grade | What you'll see | What's tested |
|---|---|---|
| A — Excellent / Premium | No visible wear at arm's length. Indistinguishable from new at 18 inches. | Full diagnostic pass; battery typically ≥85% health. |
| B — Good | Light scuffs visible at angles or close inspection. No deep scratches. | Full diagnostic pass; battery typically ≥80% health. |
| C — Fair / Acceptable | Visible scratches, small dents, screen edge wear. No cracks. | Full diagnostic pass; new battery often installed. |
Platform-by-platform grade definitions
Apple Certified Refurbished
No grading scale — every device is held to "indistinguishable from new" cosmetically. New shell, new battery, new accessories. This is effectively grade A+ across the board, paired with full 1-year Apple warranty.
BackMarket
Three tiers: Premium (no visible signs of use), Excellent (very subtle scratches at angle), Good (more noticeable scratches; phone fully functional). All tiers carry a 1-year warranty as of 2025+. Premium roughly maps to industry "A"; Excellent to "B"; Good to "C".
Gazelle / ecoATM
Two tiers for refurbished resale: Like New and Good. There's no published "Fair" tier — devices that would grade C aren't sold direct, they're routed to wholesale. Both tiers carry a 30-day return policy plus 90-day warranty.
eBay Refurbished
eBay Refurbished standardizes the seller side of the marketplace into Certified Refurbished (manufacturer-only, 2-year warranty), Excellent (third-party seller, "no visible damage", 1-year), Very Good ("minor scratches"), and Good ("more visible scratches"). All eBay Refurbished sellers go through approval; the warranty is enforced by eBay, not the seller.
Decluttr / Swappa
Decluttr uses Excellent / Good / Fair, similar to BackMarket. Swappa is more granular: Mint / New Other / Good / Fair / Broken (Broken sold for parts only). Swappa requires sellers to publish IMEI and photos before listing, which makes it the most transparent of the C2C platforms.
Hidden grade differences to watch
The grade letter isn't the only filter. Read these too:
- Battery health threshold — varies from 80% (loose) to 90% (strict). On iPhone 13+, the difference between 80% and 90% is roughly 6 months of usable battery life.
- OEM vs aftermarket parts — third-party screen replacements disable True Tone on iPhone and reduce resale grade. Ask before buying.
- Carrier lock status — even Grade A units can be carrier-locked. Always confirm "unlocked" in writing.
- Box contents — does it include charging cable? Power adapter (regional)? Generic vs OEM box? Affects perceived value but not function.
If you're a reseller setting your own grade rubric
Publish your grade definitions in plain language on your buyback site, and stick to them. A consistent A-grade matters more than a generous one — buyers learn what to expect from your shop and your return rate stays low. The single biggest mistake new resellers make is grading their inventory better than its photographs.