Back Market vs MusicMagpie: which is better for refurbished Apple?

Back Market for longer returns (30 days against 14 days), cheaper iPhones (from £73 against £119) and more listings (1,141 against 377). MusicMagpie is not ahead on any row we can rank today.

Prices checked 31 Oct, 3:10. Sellers pay us a commission. It never changes the order. Is RefurbMe free to use?

Where Back Market and MusicMagpie differ

Each store's own terms. A check marks the better one where we can rank it.

Back Market MusicMagpie

Warranty

1 year
1 year

Returns

30 days
14 days

Battery

Above 80% capacity
Above 80% capacity

Accessories

All smartphones offered on Back Market are delivered with a compatible phone charger. To avoid electronic waste, our devices are delivered without earphones.
USB Charging Cable, Sim Opening Tool

Shipping

Not stated
FreeFree insured delivery on all orders

Paying

Not statedVisa, MasterCard and Paypal
Installments availableKlarna and PayPal Credit. Visa, Mastercard, PayPal Credit, PayPal, Klarna

Student discount

YesStudents get 5% off absolutely everything on Back Market!
Yes10%-off for students with StudentBeans

The grades at Back Market next to those at MusicMagpie

Same letter, different words. Every grade works fully; the grade describes looks. The photos follow the device you picked above.

Back Market MusicMagpie

Premium and Excellent

Premium: Their screens and bodies have almost no signs of use; they contain only genuine manufacturer parts and batteries; and their batteries have a minimum capacity of 90%.
Battery 90%+Original parts
Excellent: The body may have very light micro-scratches that are invisible at a distance of 8 inches (a bit longer than a standard-sized pencil) or more. For items with screens, the screen will have no scratches.
Checked from 8 in awayScreen: no scratches

Pristine

Flawless cosmetically and fully tested, pristine products are as good as new without the price tag.
Grade A: Almost no visible marks

AAlmost no visible marks

Good

The body may have light micro-scratches that are invisible at a distance of 20 inches (about an arm's length) or more. For items with screens, the screen will have no scratches.
Checked from 20 in awayScreen: no scratches

Very Good

You may notice some very light signs of use, but very good products are fully tested and work perfectly.
Grade B: Light marks on the body

BLight marks on the body

Fair

The body may have a few visible scratches and dents that don't affect performance. Devices with screens may have light scratches that are slightly visible when the device is on.

Good

You'll see some signs of wear and tear, but most of it can be covered with a case.
Grade C: Visible marks on body and screen

CVisible marks on body and screen

Back Market or MusicMagpie?

Is Back Market or MusicMagpie cheaper for refurbished Apple devices?

Back Market is cheaper: its lowest refurbished iPhone costs £73, against £119 at MusicMagpie, as of 31 October 2026. Back Market is also cheaper for iPads (£53 against £144) and MacBooks (£189 against £719). Across all its devices, Back Market starts at £53 and MusicMagpie starts at £119. Prices come from RefurbMe's live listings and change daily.

Does Back Market or MusicMagpie have the longer warranty?

The warranty on refurbished Apple devices lasts 1 year at both Back Market and MusicMagpie, as of 31 October 2026. On returns, the figures are 30 days at Back Market and 14 days at MusicMagpie. Each figure is the minimum every listing at the store carries, so some listings come with more.

Does Back Market or MusicMagpie give longer to return a device?

Back Market gives at least 30 days to return a refurbished Apple device, against at least 14 days at MusicMagpie, as of 31 October 2026. On warranty, the figures are 1 year at Back Market and 1 year at MusicMagpie.

How do the grades at Back Market and MusicMagpie compare?

Back Market sells refurbished Apple devices in Premium, Excellent, Good and Fair; MusicMagpie sells Pristine, Very Good and Good. The same name can mean different things at each store, so compare each store's own wording. Every grade works fully; the grade only describes how the casing and screen look.

Does Back Market or MusicMagpie have more refurbished Apple devices?

Refurbished Apple devices in RefurbMe's live listings, as of 31 October 2026: 1,141 at Back Market, against 377 at MusicMagpie. By device: 343 iPhones against 277, 296 iPads against 69 and 331 MacBooks against 16. Back Market has more listings in 4 of the 4 device types both stores sell.

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