Best Refurbished iPhones Under €400: Our Picks

Buying an iPhone for less than €400 doesn’t necessarily mean settling for an entry-level smartphone. The refurbished market offers access to former Apple flagships, complete with high-quality OLED displays, reliable performance and cameras that can still produce excellent results.

Four models stand out in this price range: the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, they don’t all appeal to the same type of user. Some focus on photography, while others offer better battery life or the comfort of a larger display.

Here’s our selection of the best refurbished iPhones under €400, looking at their strengths, limitations and the differences that genuinely matter in everyday use.

iPhone 13 Pro: the best all-round choice under €400

The iPhone 13 Pro remains one of the most attractive options in this price category. Released in 2021, it retains several premium features that still make a noticeable difference compared with newer smartphones.

Its biggest advantage is its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, featuring ProMotion technology with refresh rates up to 120Hz. This makes animations smoother, particularly when scrolling through websites, navigating apps or playing games.

Under the hood, the A15 Bionic chip continues to deliver solid performance. Everyday applications run smoothly, multitasking remains comfortable and demanding games benefit from capable graphics processing.

Photography is another strong point. The iPhone 13 Pro features three 12MP cameras: a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera and a telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom. It also supports macro photography, Night mode, Apple ProRAW and ProRes video recording.

Its main drawbacks are its 203g weight and battery life, which depends on the actual condition of the battery in a refurbished unit.

Indicative Certideal price: from €330.99, subject to availability and confirmation of the current price.

At this price, the iPhone 13 Pro offers an excellent balance. It retains enough premium features to deliver a complete experience without requiring the bulkier dimensions of a Max model.

iPhone 13 Pro Max: a large-screen flagship with plenty to offer

The iPhone 13 Pro Max builds on the strengths of the 13 Pro, adding a larger display and longer advertised battery life.

Its 6.7-inch OLED display with ProMotion up to 120Hz is particularly comfortable for watching videos, reading documents, gaming and editing photos. Display quality remains one of its strongest features, even several years after launch.

It uses the same A15 Bionic chip and triple 12MP camera system with a 3x telephoto lens. Photographic performance is therefore very similar to the smaller Pro model, offering the same flexibility for portraits, landscapes and low-light photography.

The biggest difference is battery life. Apple originally advertised up to 28 hours of video playback, compared with 22 hours for the iPhone 13 Pro, under its testing conditions.

That extra endurance comes with a considerable increase in size. At 238g, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is one of the heavier iPhones in this category. One-handed use is less comfortable, and its dimensions won’t suit everyone.

Indicative Certideal price: from €370.99, depending on availability and cosmetic grade.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is particularly appealing to users looking for a combination of large display, advanced photography and battery life. Compared with the iPhone 14 Plus, it also retains the advantages of a telephoto camera and a 120Hz display.

iPhone 14 Plus: a large display and generous battery life

Released in 2022, the iPhone 14 Plus takes a different approach from Apple’s Pro models. It prioritises battery life, relatively low weight and ease of use rather than offering every professional photography feature.

It features a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, which is particularly enjoyable for watching videos and browsing. Unlike the iPhone 13 Pro Max, however, it doesn’t support ProMotion: its refresh rate remains limited to 60Hz.

The A15 Bionic chip with a five-core GPU provides excellent everyday performance. Browsing, messaging, photography and gaming all remain comfortable.

Battery life is one of its strongest arguments. Apple advertises up to 26 hours of video playback. More importantly, at 203g, the iPhone 14 Plus is significantly lighter than the 13 Pro Max despite having the same screen size.

Its camera system includes two 12MP cameras: a main camera and an ultra-wide camera. Photonic Engine improves image processing, while Action mode provides additional video stabilisation.

The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens remains a significant compromise. Users interested in portraits and optical zoom will find more possibilities in the Pro models.

Indicative Certideal price: from €351.99, subject to confirmation against the current catalogue.

The iPhone 14 Plus remains an interesting proposition. It isn’t the most technically complete model, but its combination of large display, battery life and manageable weight makes it a credible alternative to older Pro Max devices.

iPhone 12 Pro Max: an older flagship that still looks appealing

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the oldest smartphone in our selection. Released in 2020, it belongs to the generation that marked a major design change for the iPhone, bringing back flat edges.

Despite its age, it retains a premium appearance thanks to its stainless-steel frame and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display.

The A14 Bionic chip still provides satisfactory performance for most applications. Naturally, it is less powerful than the A15 Bionic used in the other three models, but it remains suitable for everyday use.

Photography is one of its strengths. Its triple 12MP camera system includes a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera and a telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom. The LiDAR scanner also supports certain low-light photography features and augmented-reality applications.

It can record 4K video with Dolby Vision, a feature that remains useful for mobile video enthusiasts.

However, its compromises are more noticeable than those of newer models. The display operates at 60Hz, and Apple originally advertised up to 20 hours of video playback. On a refurbished device of this generation, battery condition becomes particularly important.

Indicative Certideal price: from €328.99, subject to verification.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max remains attractive thanks to its large screen and photographic capabilities. However, when its price approaches that of the iPhone 13 Pro, the newer model generally offers better value thanks to its more recent processor and 120Hz display.

Comparing the best refurbished iPhones under €400

Model	Display	Processor	Main advantage	Indicative price
iPhone 13 Pro	6.1-inch OLED, 120Hz	A15 Bionic	Versatility and photography	From €330.99
iPhone 13 Pro Max	6.7-inch OLED, 120Hz	A15 Bionic	Battery life and large display	From €370.99
iPhone 14 Plus	6.7-inch OLED, 60Hz	A15 Bionic	Battery life and lighter design	From €351.99
iPhone 12 Pro Max	6.7-inch OLED, 60Hz	A14 Bionic	Large display and telephoto camera	From €328.99

These prices are indicative references from the editorial selection. They do not confirm current prices or stock availability on Certideal.

Which refurbished iPhone offers the best value for money?

At first glance, these four iPhones seem relatively similar. All feature OLED displays, 5G connectivity and enough performance for most everyday activities. Yet their differences become clearer when looking at the details.

The iPhone 13 Pro is the most balanced option. Its 120Hz display, triple-camera system and relatively compact design make it particularly versatile.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max takes that experience further with longer advertised battery life and a larger display. Its considerable weight remains the main trade-off.

The iPhone 14 Plus focuses on comfort. It gives up certain premium features but retains a large screen and excellent theoretical battery life in a lighter body.

As for the iPhone 12 Pro Max, its appeal depends more heavily on price. It remains capable, but its age makes it less competitive against newer generations.

Software compatibility also deserves consideration. All four iPhones support iOS 26, but none has the hardware required to run Apple Intelligence. Their exact remaining software support lifespan is not publicly known.

Why refurbished iPhones make a difference under €400

In the new smartphone market, a budget below €400 often involves significant compromises. Refurbished devices offer access to features previously reserved for premium phones, including telephoto lenses, high-quality OLED displays and carefully finished designs.

Certideal follows this approach by offering inspected devices across different cosmetic grades. These grades primarily describe the external condition of the smartphones rather than changes to their original technical specifications.

Prices also depend on storage capacity, colour and availability. Two units of the same model may therefore be listed at noticeably different prices.

This variety explains why ranking refurbished iPhones cannot simply depend on their release year. An older Pro model can remain more attractive than a newer standard iPhone, especially when photography or display quality is a priority.

Our verdict: the iPhone 13 Pro remains the benchmark

Under €400, the iPhone 13 Pro is our top choice. It combines a 120Hz display, a versatile camera system and performance that remains more than sufficient for current everyday use. Its 6.1-inch format also makes it easier to handle than the Max models.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is an excellent alternative for large-screen enthusiasts, while the iPhone 14 Plus stands out for its battery life and more manageable weight. The iPhone 12 Pro Max still has its merits, but its main advantage needs to be its price.

This selection perfectly illustrates the appeal of refurbished smartphones: an iPhone from a few generations ago can still deliver a premium experience at a much more accessible price.