Apple exposes more about a device by IMEI than any other manufacturer, and that is a problem as much as an opportunity: there are a dozen overlapping checks and it is not obvious which one a buyer needs. This page is the map — what each check returns, what it costs, and the order in which they are worth running on a used device.
Every Apple check queries the same activation and warranty records from a different angle. Warranty tells you age and coverage; iCloud tells you whether the phone can ever be activated; MDM tells you whether a company controls it; Sold-To and part number tell you the original market and whether it is a replacement unit.
They are independent. A device can be out of warranty, iCloud-clean, MDM-supervised and blacklisted at the same time — which is why one check is never enough on a purchase.
The free route fails for one of four reasons, and only the last one needs money: the device is still financed; the account was closed with a balance; the buyer is not the account holder; or the IMEI is reported. Everything else is a paperwork problem the carrier can fix.
These checks are the cheapest part of any purchase and the ones that prevent the expensive mistakes: buying an iCloud-locked phone, or paying for an unlock on a device that was never going to activate. The Apple hub lists them with live prices.
15 services in this guide. Prices are live; sign in for volume pricing.
iCloud. If it is locked, nothing else matters.
No legitimate one can.
Part number and coverage dates usually reveal it.
Yes, where Apple exposes the identifier; Wi-Fi-only devices need the serial number.
From $0.02 each; the Apple hub shows live prices.
Last checked 2026-10-28. Carrier rules are summarised from the operators’ own pages; where a rule has changed since, the operator’s page wins.