Samsung makes great phones. They just don't hold their value like iPhones do, and if you buy or sell Galaxy phones it helps to know exactly how fast they drop.
I pulled the numbers for every Galaxy model we track. For each one I took the base storage, Good condition, unlocked, and compared the median price it's selling for on the used market to what Samsung charged at launch.
The short version
- A Galaxy S phone keeps about 72% of its launch price in its first year, based on the S26.
- About 54% after two years (S25).
- About 39% after three (S24).
- About 31% after four (S23), and it levels off in the low 20s after that.
For the first three years, an iPhone at the same point in its life is 10 to 20 points higher.
Galaxy S26, S25, S24, S23, S22, S21 against iPhone 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12. Source: Andover Analytics daily marketplace prices, fall 2026.
The biggest difference is year one. The iPhone 17 is still selling for about 95% of its launch price. The Galaxy S26 is at 72%, and it's a newer phone. After that the two lines run roughly parallel, with the iPhone staying ahead until they both bottom out around 20% to 30%.
Why Samsung drops faster in year one
The main reason, as I see it, is that almost nobody pays full price for a new Galaxy. Samsung runs trade-in deals, carrier promos and price cuts constantly, starting pretty much at launch. So the real street price of a new Galaxy is well under the sticker price, and the used market prices against what people actually paid, not MSRP.
Apple discounts a lot less, so a used iPhone gets measured against a launch price people really did pay.
Every Galaxy model
Source: Andover Analytics daily marketplace prices, fall 2026.
A few things stand out.
The Ultra holds a little better, but not much. The S24 Ultra kept 41% versus 39% for the regular S24. The S22 Ultra kept 26% versus 23%. You get a couple points of protection for paying $400 or $500 more up front. In dollars, an S24 Ultra still sells for about $530 against $309 for the S24, so if you want the most cash back at the end, the Ultra still gets you there.
The S25 Edge was a miss. It launched at $1,099 and has kept about 44% at a year and a half old. The regular S25 kept 54% and it's older. Same story as Apple's thin phone, the iPhone Air. Buyers aren't paying extra for thin.
The FE models are decent value plays. The S25 FE has kept 57%, better than the S25 and S25 Plus. It launched cheaper, so there's less to lose.
Foldables fall hard after the first year. The Z Flip8 and Z Fold8 are holding up great so far, around 70% to 73%, but they're only a few months old. Look at the older ones: the Z Flip7 is at 49% after about 15 months, the Flip6 is at 32% after a little over two years, and the Flip4 is under 20%. Hinges and folding screens make buyers nervous, and that shows up in the price.
The A series is a different game
Cheap Galaxy phones look like they hold value well in percentage terms. The Galaxy A16 has kept about 60% of its $200 launch price. The A36 kept about 53%.
But there's a floor on what any working phone sells for. When a phone only costs $200 new, it can't fall very far before it hits that floor. In dollars, an A16 has lost about $80. An S25 has lost about $365.
What this means if you're selling a Galaxy
Sell sooner rather than later if it's less than two years old. Over the last six months, Galaxy phones under two years old dropped about 7% in price. Older ones were basically flat.
And check buyback offers. For a lot of Samsung models, Gazelle had the best guaranteed offer of anyone we track, but it's still usually less than you'd get selling it yourself. I compared the two in Trade-in vs selling yourself.
What this means if you're buying one
This is where Samsung's depreciation works in your favor. A Galaxy S24 Ultra that cost $1,300 at launch, almost three years ago, sells for about $530 in Good condition. That's a lot of phone for the money, and Samsung's long software support means it's still getting updates.
If you buy used Galaxy phones to flip, the faster depreciation cuts both ways. Your margins can be good on the buy, but you can't sit on inventory as long as you can with iPhones.
Common questions
Do Samsung phones hold their value?
Not as well as iPhones. A Galaxy S phone typically keeps about 54% of its launch price after two years and about 39% after three. A comparable iPhone keeps about 67% after two years and about 50% after three.
Which Samsung phone holds its value best?
Among models more than a year old, the Galaxy S25 FE has held up best at about 57% of its launch price. Among older flagships, the Ultra models do a couple points better than the base models.
How much is a 3 year old Samsung phone worth?
About 35% to 40% of its launch price in Good condition and unlocked. The Galaxy S24 is selling for about $309, against a launch price of $800.
Do Galaxy foldables lose value faster?
Yes, after the first year. The Z Flip6 has kept about 32% of its launch price after a little over two years. A regular Galaxy S phone at the same age is usually above 40%.
For the matching iPhone breakdown, see Which iPhones hold their value best. You can also see current prices for every Galaxy model on our Samsung price pages.