The iPhone SE 2020 is the last iPhone with a home button and Touch ID, a feature that a lot of people never stopped wanting. Buy it refurbished and you get that familiar feel with A13 speed inside, battery-backed at 85%+, at the lowest price in the range.
At a glance
If you want the cheapest possible iPhone with a home button and Touch ID, the refurbished iPhone SE 2020 is what you need. It packs the same A13 Bionic chip as the iPhone 11 into a compact 4.7-inch body, making it one of the fastest cheap iPhones you can buy at this price point.
The iPhone SE 2020 has a 4.7-inch Retina LCD display, a 12MP single camera and the A13 Bionic chip. It launched in 2020 and still supports iOS 26, so you're not buying a dead-end phone. It’s perfect for anyone who prefers the old iPhone home button style.
If you are comparing iPhone SE 2020 deals, the main difference is testing and aftercare. A professionally refurbished iPhone from The Big Phone Store gives you clear grading, battery checks, warranty cover and support after purchase.
Best for: Buyers who want the cheapest functional iPhone, users who prefer a smaller phone with a home button, children
Performance: A13 Bionic chip
Camera: Single 12MP Wide camera with Portrait mode, Smart HDR and 4K video
Battery: Up to 13 hours of video playback
Software: iOS 26, updates will end soon
Consider other models if: you want a bigger screen, more battery life or a more modern design
Apple launched the iPhone SE 2020 in April 2020 quietly (during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns) with no live event, just a press release. Despite the low-key launch, it sold extremely well. Apple marketed it simply as the most powerful cheap iPhone ever made, and at £419 new it was significantly more affordable than the iPhone 11.
The timing also helped its popularity. With shops closed and people stuck at home, online phone sales spiked, and analyst firm Omdia estimated the SE 2020 as the second best-selling smartphone in the world that year. According to WIRED’s review, the SE 2020 didn’t feel like a budget phone at all. Even at such a reasonable price, it does everything you need it to do, and does it well.
In 2026, the iPhone SE 2020 is worth buying if you want the lowest price on a compact, fast iPhone with a home button, and you're not fussed about a big screen or a modern design.
Based on what customers actually bought over the last 6 months.
Apple iPhone SE 2020 — out of 170 models sold
Best-selling Apple phone #13 of 37 Apple phones we sellPositions are based on our own store order data, not the wider market.
How The iPhone SE 2020 Compares
The iPhone SE 2020 sits below the iPhone 11 in the range. It shares the same A13 Bionic chip but cuts costs elsewhere. Here's what you gain and lose compared to the 11.
Feature | Technical Upgrade | What You Notice Day to Day |
|---|---|---|
Chip | Both use A13 Bionic | Similar core performance, although the iPhone 11 is better suited to multitasking. |
Screen | 4.7-inch LCD vs 6.1-inch LCD | The SE is noticeably smaller and easier to use one-handed, which some may prefer. |
Camera | Single lens vs dual lens | No Ultra Wide on the SE, so no wide-angle shots of nature or large groups. |
Night mode | Not supported | Low-light photos are weaker on the SE than on the iPhone 11. |
Face ID | Touch ID (home button) instead | Different unlock style. Some people prefer Touch ID, while others find the 11’s Face ID faster. |
Battery | Smaller battery (13 hours of video vs 17) | The SE won't last as long on a heavy day, and may need to be charged at least once. |
Price | Usually cheaper | The SE costs quite a bit less than the iPhone 11. If you’re on a budget, that's the main reason to choose it. |
Value Note: The iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 11 share the same chip, so performance is near-identical. The SE costs less but gives you a smaller screen, one fewer camera and no Night mode. If the price difference is small, the iPhone 11 is usually the better value.
The Big Phone Store Team Summary: The iPhone SE 2020 is the right phone if you want the smallest, cheapest iPhone that still runs modern iOS. It's not a phone for heavy users, because the screen is small, the battery is modest and there's only one camera. But for calls, messages and basic tasks, it does the job well at a price that's hard to beat.
There’s something really nostalgic and charming about the iPhone SE 2020. Not having Face ID might matter to some people, but many of our customers actually prefer having a physical home button.
It has all the main modern features you need, but in a traditional iPhone style, and that’s the whole appeal.
The refurbished iPhone SE 2020 suits anyone who wants the cheapest functional iPhone available. It's a strong pick for users who prefer a smaller phone, anyone buying a basic phone for a child, people who need a cheap backup phone, and anyone upgrading from an iPhone 7 or older who doesn't want to change how their phone feels. Skip the SE 2020 if you use your phone a lot throughout the day and need a long battery life, or if you find smaller screens hard to look at.
— Charlie Ingram, Content Writer
Find a cheap iPhone SE 2020 deal across our grades, colours and storage options.
Grades: Like New, Pristine, Very Good, Good
Colours: Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED
Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Every grade (condition) of device we sell at The Big Phone Store is fully working. The grade describes cosmetic condition only, and all devices go through a 90+ point check before dispatch.
Like New includes 100% battery health. All other grades include a minimum 85% battery health, which can be upgraded to 100% with a new battery at checkout.
Feature | Technical Details | Why it Matters |
|---|---|---|
Screen | 4.7-inch Retina LCD, 1334 x 750 resolution, True Tone and 625 nits typical max brightness | It’s compact and easy to use one-handed, ideal for kids and those with smaller hands. |
Camera | Single 12MP Wide camera with Portrait mode, Smart HDR and 4K video | Everyday photos look solid. Even though this isn’t known as a camera phone, you can take good casual pictures. |
Battery Life | Apple lists up to 13 hours of video playback, up to 8 hours streamed video playback and up to 40 hours audio playback | The battery suits light everyday use, but could need charging before the end of the day. For those who don’t scroll a lot, it does the job. |
iOS | Launched with iOS 13 and compatible with iOS 26. It does not support Apple Intelligence | It has all the latest security updates and many of the newest iOS features in 2026, though software support will end in the near future. |
Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm, 148g | One of the lightest and most compact iPhone in our refurbished range. It’s easy to carry and use one-handed, great for texting on the go. |
Try the iPhone 11 if you want a bigger screen, Night mode and better battery life for a small price increase.#
Try the iPhone 12 if you want a better screen, 5G connection, and MagSafe accessories.
Try the iPhone SE 2022 if you want 5G in a compact iPhone with a similar design.
Performance
The main reason to buy the iPhone SE 2020 is the A13 Bionic chip. It's the same processor that powered the iPhone 11, a phone that sold for over £700 new. In the SE 2020 you get that same performance in the cheapest iPhone deal on our site. It still handles everyday apps and browsing well, and it still received the latest iOS and security updates in 2026. For less than £100, that's genuinely impressive.
If you're still undecided, we have dozens of other iPhone models available. See our range or get in contact!
The iPhone SE 2020 is a compact, original Apple-style phone, so we pay particular attention to the home button and Touch ID sensor.
We use a trusted diagnostics platform called Phonecheck to perform 90+ checks on every device.
85%+ battery health confirmed and charging tested
Display brightness, colour and full-screen touch response
Touch ID — tested, not assumed
Front camera and video
Speakers, microphone and haptic feedback
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile signal
All buttons and sensors
IMEI and network history check via CheckMEND
Previous owner’s data fully erased
Account locks removed
Lost, stolen and blacklist status checked
Only devices that pass every required check are approved for sale. If a device doesn’t meet our standards, it won’t be sold. Each reconditioned iPhone SE 2020 we sell is tested, cleaned and graded in-house before dispatch.
From years of working with used phones, we know that problems often start before the phone reaches you. There is a big difference between a second-hand iPhone SE 2020 and a refurbished one, but in both cases it's important to be careful. The main issues are weak battery health, unclear grading, hidden faults, poor replacement parts, blocked phones and sellers listing stock they do not actually have.
Before you buy a refurbished or used iPhone SE 2020, watch out for these common pitfalls.
Risk to Watch Out For | The Issue | What it Means for You |
|---|---|---|
Non-UK or imported models | Some phones may not be intended for the UK market. | You'll pay marginally less upfront, however the phone may sell for as little as 10-20% of its original value later on. Whilst you'll make a small saving to start with, you'll take a huge hit when it's time to dispose of the device, because imported devices are seen as a risk for buyers. |
Phones that are not actually in stock | Some sellers list phones before they physically have them ready to send. | Your phone is your lifeline, and we understand this well. Do you really want to purchase from a company who has a reputation of taking your money and then making you wait for weeks, or in some cases months for your device? |
Weak battery health | A phone can look clean but still have a worn battery. | Many of our competitors don't even mention battery life, and the battery you get is left up to chance. Who wants to spend good money on a device that only turns on for a few hours? Our minimum battery health is 85%, and you can upgrade to 100% at checkout for much cheaper than a high-street battery replacement would cost. |
Hidden faults | Camera, Touch ID, sensors or charging port issues may not show in photos. | Many sellers cut costs by not testing your device properly, or in some cases not at all. We believe that every customer deserves a fully functional device from day one, which is why our return rate is one of the lowest in the industry. |
Poor-quality replacement parts | Cheap screens, batteries or camera parts can affect how the phone feels and performs. | Mobile phones are precisely built and sensitive devices. Some sellers use cheap phone parts that are more likely to break or become faulty. We use genuine Apple parts in 95% of the iPhones we repair. On the rare occasion that third-party parts are used, these will be of the highest quality possible, and only for screens and batteries. See our quality charter. |
Blocked, locked or finance-flagged phones | Risky sellers may list phones that later turn out to be blocked, iCloud locked, finance-flagged or not fully reset. | What might seem like a good deal initially could cost you further down the line when the phone is blacklisted from use. We check that your phone hasn't been reported stolen, isn't on the police register, doesn't belong to another company, isn't hacked, and doesn't have any viruses. |
Weak aftercare | Some sellers offer limited support once the phone has been delivered. | If something goes wrong and you need quick support, you may be stuck talking to an AI chatbot. In some cases, the customer support team may live in a different timezone and can't help you when you need it most. Our award-winning team is here to help you by phone, WhatsApp, email and more. |
The Big Phone Store has been refurbishing phones since 1999, and every device is tested, graded and shipped from our UK operation. The reason customers come back is simple: real stock, clear grading, minimum 85% battery health and UK support from people you can actually speak to.
If you're looking for an iPhone SE 2020 refurbished in the UK, here’s why you should choose us:
What Matters | How We Help | Why it Matters to You |
|---|---|---|
Experience | Refurbished electronics specialist since 1999 | No one has more expertise in this industry than us. We’ve been refurbishing phones since before the iPhone existed. |
Trust | A 4.80 Trustpilot rating with over 5000 reviews | We have 86,140 reviews across all platforms. You can become one of our many satisfied customers today. |
Security | Devices are data-wiped, network status and device history are checked for blacklisting, theft, loss or outstanding finance (using CheckMEND) | Our checks help protect you from blocked, stolen or finance-flagged phones. Unlike with unverified sellers, there’s no risk of being scammed or ripped off. |
Quality | 90+ point quality check | We refuse to sell devices that don't work the same as if they were new. Your device is ready to go straight out of the box. |
Support | UK-based customer support | Get help from real people who won the Best Customer Service (Consumer) award at the MNA 2026, beating major brands such as EE. |
Stock | Website stock means actual stock | Unlike other sites, all devices on our website are in stock and ready to ship from our warehouse today. No false listings or seller delays. |
Device Quality | Every part of the process is done in-house | We have full control over the refurbishment process. Unlike others who outsource their process, we confirm the quality of the devices ourselves. |
Every Apple iPhone SE 2020 refurbished at The Big Phone Store includes a 12-month warranty as standard, which you can upgrade to 2 years, 5 years, or lifetime. You also get free UK delivery for any order over £30 and a 45-day returns process.
Yes. Our refurbished iPhone SE 2020 devices are SIM-free and unlocked for compatible UK networks.
No. A used phone is usually sold as-is by a private seller. A refurbished iPhone SE 2020 is professionally tested, data-wiped, graded and sold with warranty cover.
Yes. The iPhone SE 2020 has Touch ID built into the Home button, making it a good choice if you prefer fingerprint unlocking.
Yes, for everyday use. It has a 12MP rear camera with Portrait mode, Smart HDR, optical image stabilisation and 4K video recording, but it does not have ultra-wide or telephoto lenses.
No. The iPhone SE 2020 supports 4G LTE, not 5G. Choose the iPhone SE 2022 if 5G is important to you.
You get at least 85% battery health as standard. Like New phones include 100% guaranteed battery health.
Yes. Every refurbished iPhone SE 2020 includes a 12-month warranty as standard, with upgrade options where available.
Buy the refurbished iPhone SE 2020 if you want a low-cost, compact iPhone with Touch ID, familiar controls and smooth everyday performance, without paying for a larger all-screen iPhone.
