The iPhone 16 Pro Max was Apple’s biggest, fastest and most expensive phone of its generation, and that last part is exactly why the used market for it is so good right now. Every year a wave of upgraders trades in a perfectly healthy 16 Pro Max for the newest model, and those phones land on the second-hand market at a fraction of what their first owners paid. If you have always wanted the big titanium flagship without the flagship invoice, this is how you buy one in Australia with your eyes open.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top used iPhone 16 Pro Max listings on eBay right now
These are live Australian listings, refreshed automatically, so what you see below is what the market is actually asking today.
Listings update automatically and open in a new tab.
Why second-hand is not “second best”
A used iPhone 16 Pro Max is not an old phone. It shipped with the A18 Pro chip, a 6.9-inch ProMotion display, a 5x tetraprism telephoto camera and USB-C, hardware that still sits comfortably in the top tier of anything you can buy today. Apple’s long software support window matters here too: the 16 Pro Max has years of iOS updates ahead of it, so a second owner is not inheriting a device on its last legs. The titanium frame also ages better than the older stainless steel models, it resists fingerprints and small scratches, so well-kept examples genuinely look and feel close to new.
What you are really paying for on day one of any Apple flagship is novelty. Twelve months later the novelty has evaporated but the hardware has not changed at all. The second-hand buyer collects that difference.
The first owner pays for the launch keynote. The second owner pays for the phone.
The savings are real
The 16 Pro Max launched in Australia at a four-figure price that made plenty of people wince. On the used market, clean examples routinely change hands for 20-60% less than new, depending on storage size, battery health and cosmetic condition. That gap is large enough to cover a quality case, a charger, and AppleCare-style third-party insurance, and still leave money in your pocket. Higher-storage models (512GB and 1TB) tend to show the biggest dollar savings, because their new prices were the most inflated to begin with.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Full retail, top of Apple’s range | Typically 20-60% less |
| Hardware | A18 Pro, 6.9″ ProMotion, 5x zoom | Identical, same phone |
| Battery | 100% health | Check health %; 85%+ is solid, and batteries are replaceable |
| Warranty | Apple’s standard warranty | Seller/refurbisher warranty; ACL applies when buying from a business |
| Environmental cost | A whole new device manufactured | Existing device kept in service |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- Battery health: ask for a screenshot of Settings → Battery → Battery Health. On a phone this recent you should expect 85% or better; anything lower should be reflected in the price.
- IMEI check: get the IMEI and run it through an online checker to confirm the phone is not reported lost, stolen or finance-encumbered.
- Activation Lock: confirm Find My iPhone is off and the previous owner’s Apple ID has been signed out. An Activation-Locked iPhone is a paperweight.
- Network status: confirm it is unlocked for Australian carriers, not tied to an overseas network.
- Camera and Face ID: these are the expensive repairs on a Pro Max. Ask the seller to confirm both work, and test them immediately on arrival.
- Photos of the actual unit: stock photos are a warning sign on used listings. You want the real phone, screen on, from several angles.
You have more protection than you think
When you buy from a business seller, including business sellers on eBay, the Australian Consumer Law applies. The phone must be of acceptable quality, match its description, and be fit for purpose, and those guarantees cannot be signed away by a “no returns” line in the listing. Refurbished stock from commercial refurbishers also typically carries its own warranty on top. Private sales carry fewer protections, which is why paying a little more to a business seller with a solid return policy is often the smarter total deal.
Ready to find yours?
Compare live prices across both marketplaces before you commit, the spread between similar listings can be surprisingly wide.
Red flags to walk away from
- Any listing that cannot or will not show battery health.
- “iCloud locked” phones sold “for parts” at tempting prices, you cannot unlock them.
- Prices dramatically below every comparable listing. On a current flagship, too-good-to-be-true is exactly that.
- Sellers who push you to pay outside the platform (bank transfer, gift cards). You lose all buyer protection the moment you do.
- Descriptions that dodge the storage size or say “network status unknown”.
Frequently asked questions
Is a used iPhone 16 Pro Max still worth it now? Yes. It remains one of the most capable phones on the market, with years of iOS updates ahead. The second-hand discount buys you flagship hardware at mid-range money.
What battery health should I accept? 85% or higher is comfortable for a phone of this age. Below that, negotiate the price down by roughly the cost of a battery replacement, or keep looking.
Refurbished or private-sale used, which is better? Refurbished from a business seller costs a little more but comes with a warranty, ACL protection and a tested battery. Private sales can be cheaper but you carry more of the risk yourself.
How do I avoid stolen phones? Check the IMEI before paying, confirm Activation Lock is off, and buy through a platform with buyer protection rather than cash meetups for a phone this valuable.
The bottom line
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is exactly the kind of phone the used market is best at: a premium device that loses a chunk of its price tag long before it loses any of its capability. Check the battery, verify the IMEI, confirm Activation Lock is off, and buy from a seller the Australian Consumer Law actually covers. Do those four things and you get the big titanium flagship experience for a price that finally makes sense.
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