Best Refurbished iPhone Under £300 UK 2026

If your budget is under £300, a refurbished iPhone can still make sense in 2026. The trick is not chasing the newest model name. You want a phone that is unlocked, fairly priced, honest about battery health, and not so old that everyday use feels like a compromise.

We checked current PhonesOutlet stock for live, priced refurbished iPhones under £300. At the time of writing, the strongest picks are the iPhone SE 2020 at £95 and the iPhone XR at £110. Stock changes quickly with refurbished phones, so treat this as a practical buying guide rather than a fixed price list.

What matters under £300?

Below £300, condition and battery health matter more than tiny spec differences. A cheap iPhone is only a good buy if it still feels reliable day to day. Before choosing, check the storage, network lock status, battery health, and whether the seller is clear about cosmetic condition.

For most UK buyers, 64GB is workable if you mainly use WhatsApp, banking apps, browsing, photos, and a few streaming apps. If you record lots of video or keep years of photos on the phone, you may want more storage when it is available. Battery health is the other big one. Around the low-to-mid 80s is usable, but you should expect older iPhones to need more regular charging than a newer model.

Best cheapest pick: iPhone SE 2020

The Apple iPhone SE 2020 is the cheapest current pick in this price bracket. The live unit we checked is £95, unlocked, in Superb condition, with 64GB storage and 82% battery health.

This is the one to buy if you want an iPhone for calls, messages, banking, maps, music, and light social media without spending much. It is compact, familiar, and still feels quick enough for normal use. The smaller screen is the tradeoff. If you watch a lot of video, read long pages, or prefer bigger text, the SE can feel cramped.

It is also a sensible choice for a first iPhone, a spare phone, or a parent who wants something simple. At £95, the value is hard to ignore, as long as you are comfortable with the older design and modest battery capacity.

Best bigger-screen pick: iPhone XR

The Apple iPhone XR is the better choice if screen size matters. The current PhonesOutlet unit is £110, unlocked, in Fine condition, with 64GB storage, Black colour, and 89% battery health.

For most people, the XR is easier to live with than the SE because of the larger 6.1-inch display. It is better for maps, YouTube, shopping, emails, and typing. The 89% battery health on this unit is also a useful plus at this age.

The compromise is condition. Fine means you should expect more visible wear than a Superb unit. If you care more about a bigger display and better day-to-day battery than pristine cosmetics, the XR is the stronger all-round buy.

Which one should you buy?

Pick the iPhone SE 2020 if you want the lowest price and a compact phone. It is the budget choice, and it makes sense for light users.

Pick the iPhone XR if you want the more comfortable everyday phone. The bigger display and stronger listed battery health make it easier to recommend for most buyers, especially if you use your phone throughout the day.

What should you avoid?

Avoid zero-price listings, damaged or faulty units, and vague listings that do not show condition clearly. Also be careful with very old iPhones unless the price is low enough to justify the tradeoff. Under £300, it is better to buy a properly checked older model than gamble on a listing with missing details.

If you need more options, browse our best refurbished iPhones, phones under £100, and phones under £200 categories. Those pages are useful when a specific iPhone sells out.

Quick verdict

For the lowest spend, buy the iPhone SE 2020. For the better everyday balance, buy the iPhone XR. If both are still in stock, the XR is the one I would choose for most people because the bigger screen and 89% battery health make it easier to live with.