You’ve seen the listings. They pop up every time a major app faces a ban or gets pulled from the App Store. Right now, if you search for an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay sellers are offering, you’ll find devices priced at a massive premium, sometimes double or triple their actual market value. It feels like a time capsule.
People did this with Flappy Bird back in 2014. They did it with Fortnite when Epic Games got into a legal fistfight with Apple. Now, with the ongoing legislative pressure on ByteDance in the United States, the "pre-installed app" market is heating up again. But honestly? It’s mostly a gimmick. Buying a used phone specifically because it has a free app already sitting on the home screen is a technical minefield that most buyers don't understand until the package actually arrives.
The weird economy of the iPhone with TikTok installed eBay market
Why would anyone pay $1,200 for a used iPhone 13 just because it has TikTok? It sounds insane. It is kinda insane. But the psychology of scarcity is a powerful drug. When users fear they won't be able to access their favorite platform, they look for loopholes. eBay becomes the Wild West for these "solutions."
Sellers capitalize on the FOMO. They write descriptions in all caps, claiming the phone is a "rare collector's item" or "the only way to keep scrolling." However, the reality of how iOS works makes these sales incredibly complicated. You aren't just buying a piece of hardware; you're buying a device tied to someone else's digital footprint, or worse, a device that will lose its "value" the moment you try to make it your own.
The Apple ID trap you probably didn't consider
Here is the thing about an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay vendors won't tell you: apps are tied to an Apple ID. This is the biggest hurdle.
If a seller sends you a phone with TikTok pre-loaded, that app was downloaded using their account. The second that app needs an update—which TikTok does constantly to keep its algorithm and security patches current—the phone is going to ask for the seller's password. You won't have it. You'll be stuck with a version of the app that eventually breaks or becomes a security risk.
Some sellers try to get around this by "selling" the Apple ID along with the phone. This is a massive violation of Apple's Terms of Service. More importantly, it’s a security nightmare for you. If the seller still has recovery access to that email, they can remotely lock the phone using "Find My iPhone" and hold it for ransom. Or they can see your data. It’s a mess.
You could try to sign out and sign in with your own ID. But guess what? If you delete the app to "own" it on your account, and the app is banned from the store, you can't redownload it. The value vanishes instantly.
Side-loading and the "Restored" illusion
Some savvy sellers use tools like iMazing or old-school IPA file injection to put the app on the phone without an active Apple ID login. It works... for a while. But these "enterprise certificates" or side-loaded versions often expire every seven days unless the phone is "managed" by a corporate profile.
Do you really want a random person's corporate management profile on your personal device? Probably not. It gives them way too much control over what you do.
Is the TikTok ban actually going to happen?
Context matters. The push for an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay listings stems from the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act." It’s a mouthful. Basically, the law requires ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American company or face a ban in U.S. app stores.
But even if a ban hits the App Store, it doesn't mean the app stops working on every phone in America overnight. It just means Apple and Google can't offer it for download or provide updates. If you already have it, it stays there. The servers still exist. You might need a VPN to access the content if ISPs are forced to block traffic, but having the app pre-installed on a phone you bought on eBay doesn't bypass a network-level block.
Hardware risks that outweigh the software "benefit"
When you hunt for an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay search results often lead you to older models. Sellers take an iPhone 11 or 12 that’s been sitting in a drawer, download TikTok, and try to flip it for $800.
✨ Don't miss: 8 steps in the scientific method: Why they aren't just for lab coats
You're overpaying for aging hardware.
- Battery Health: These phones often have degraded batteries (below 80% capacity).
- Screen Burn-in: If the previous owner was a TikTok addict, you might see ghost images of the "For You" UI burned into the OLED screen.
- No Warranty: Obviously.
- Activation Lock: If the seller forgets to remove their iCloud, you've bought a very expensive brick.
Better ways to keep TikTok (If it actually disappears)
If you're genuinely worried about losing access, buying a marked-up phone on eBay is the least efficient way to handle it. Tech experts like those at The Verge or 9to5Mac have pointed out that web-based versions of social media apps are becoming incredibly robust.
You can simply access TikTok via Safari. You can "Add to Home Screen," and it looks and feels almost exactly like the app. No eBay markup required. No security risks with someone else's Apple ID.
Also, the "Export" market is a thing. People in countries where apps are banned often just change their App Store region to a different country (like Canada or the UK) using a VPN. It’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game with Apple’s geolocation checks, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than spending a grand on a used iPhone 12.
🔗 Read more: Logic Gates and Circuits: Why Your Entire Digital Life Depends on Tiny Switches
The "Collector's Item" Myth
Don't buy into the idea that an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay listing is a financial investment. It isn't.
Unlike a mint-condition original iPhone from 2007, a used iPhone 14 with a banned app isn't going to appreciate in value. Once the hype dies down, or once a workaround is found, the value of that "pre-installed" software drops to zero. We saw this with the "Flappy Bird iPhones." People listed them for $10,000. Nobody actually bought them at that price, and a few months later, clones of the game were everywhere. The bubble burst fast.
What to do if you're actually going to buy one
If you’re determined to go through with this—maybe you’re a researcher or you just have money to burn—you have to be smart.
- Demand Video Proof: Ask the seller for a video of the phone's "About" section and the app opening.
- Check the IMEI: Make sure the phone isn't reported stolen or blacklisted.
- Confirm the Apple ID Status: Ensure the seller has signed out of iCloud. If the app disappears when they sign out, then the app wasn't yours to begin with.
- Use PayPal/eBay Protection: Never pay outside the platform. If the phone arrives and TikTok won't open because of a licensing error, you need to be able to get your money back.
A better approach to your digital life
Honestly, the obsession with these "pre-loaded" phones highlights how much we've let single platforms dominate our lives. If a ban happens, the community will move. Whether it's to Reels, YouTube Shorts, or a new platform entirely, the "content" isn't tied to the app. The creators will go where the audience is.
Buying an iPhone with TikTok installed eBay offers is essentially trying to buy a seat on a sinking ship because you like the upholstery. It’s better to just wait and see how the legal challenges play out. ByteDance has deep pockets and will likely be in court for years before a total blackout ever occurs.
Actionable insights for the savvy buyer
- Avoid the Markup: If you see a price jump of more than 20% over the standard "Buy It Now" price for that specific iPhone model, walk away. You are paying for "air."
- Prioritize Hardware: Always prioritize the battery health and physical condition over the software. You can always find a way to install an app, but you can't easily fix a cracked logic board or a dying screen.
- Check Local Listings: Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist often have better deals than the national eBay market, where "hype pricing" is more common.
- Consider the Browser: Start practicing using the web version of your favorite apps. It bypasses App Store restrictions and keeps your data a bit more siloed from the OS.
- Verify the Version: Check which version of TikTok is installed. If it’s an old, buggy version from two years ago, it might not even connect to the modern servers properly.
Don't let the fear of a ban lead you into a bad financial decision. A phone is a tool, not a vault for a single application. If you buy a used device, buy it because it's a great phone at a fair price, not because it has a shortcut on the screen that might stop working the moment you connect to Wi-Fi.