Updated October 1, 2026 · GizmoCue Editorial Team
AfB vs Back Market
What sets them apart
| Compare |  AfB |  Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €59 | $138 |
| Return window | 14 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Trade-in | No | YesHas it |
| Markets | AT, DE | AU, AT, BE, FI, FR, DE, GR, IE, IT, NL, PT, SK, ES, SE, GB, JP, USCovers more |
| Minimum battery health | Not confirmed | 80% |
Same on both: Warranty (12 months), Unlocked phones (Yes).
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Key differences
- AfB scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Return window is higher at Back Market: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Trade-in: only Back Market.
- Support channels: only AfB offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Back Market offers Chat.
- Founded is lower at AfB: 2004 vs 2014.
- Back Market is available in 15 more countries.
- Products: only Back Market offers Foldables.
- Condition grades: only AfB offers Very good.
- Condition grades: only Back Market offers Like new, Excellent.
Our verdict on each
AfB
AfB suits a buyer in Austria or Germany who wants graded refurbished hardware with 12 months of cover behind it. Phones arrive unlocked, and returns run 14 days, which carries most of the risk that normally comes with buying a used device.
Back Market
Back Market suits buyers who want a broad refurbished catalogue rather than new stock, with a 30 days return window behind every order. Trade in and an extended warranty soften the outlay, but click and collect is not offered, so the fit is shoppers ready to wait for delivery.
Score breakdown
| Area | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8HigherEntry pricing starts at €59, and 14 days of returns eases the risk on a used device. | 9.5Prices start at $138 and the free delivery threshold sits at $0, so delivery adds nothing to a small order. |
| Offer | 8.6Graded stock in very good, good and fair lets you pay for the condition you want, and handsets arrive unlocked. | 8.9HigherCatalogue spans computers, phones and audio and refurbished phones, refurbished laptops and refurbished tablets, with an extended warranty and trade in both on offer. |
| Trust | 9.6HigherA charitable company founded 2004 in Austria, selling refurbished hardware with 12 months of cover. | 8.2Returns run 30 days, standard cover is 1 year on laptops, and support runs on chat, email and help centre. |
Which one suits you
Pick AfB if cost matter most.
Pick Back Market if offer, return window, trade-in, and markets matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Refurbished phones | 29 of 44 | 31 of 44 |
| Refurbished laptops and tablets | 29 of 45 | 32 of 45 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Austria | United States |
Available in 2 countries for both. Additional countries for Back Market: 15.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Refurbished phones, Refurbished laptops, Refurbished tablets | Refurbished phones, Refurbished laptops, Refurbished tablets, FoldablesCovers more |
| Condition grades | Very good, Good, Fair | Like new, Excellent, Good, Fair |
| Operating systems | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Legal entity | AfB mildtaetige und gemeinnuetzige Gesellschaft zur Schaffung von Arbeitsplaetzen fuer behinderte Menschen mbH | Back Market, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Austria | United States |
| Founded | 2004Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Computers
| Fact | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Warranty | Not confirmed | 1 year |
| Most memory (GB) | Not confirmed | 32 |
| Graphics | Not confirmed | Apple |
Gaming gear
| Fact | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Playstation, Switch, Standalone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AfB | Back Market | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 12 monthsat the median | 12 monthsat the median | 12 months |
| Return window | 14 daysbelow the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Minimum battery health | Not confirmed | 80%at the median | 80% |
Median across 45 listed brands.
Pros and cons
AfB
Pros
- Every handset AfB sells is unlocked, so the phone is not tied to one network and you can move to a different provider later.
- Stock is sorted by condition before it is listed, so you choose how much wear you accept rather than taking whatever turns up.
- You have 14 days to send a device back, which does most of the risk work when you cannot test refurbished hardware in person.
Cons
- Cover runs 12 months on refurbished hardware, so read that as the whole term rather than the start of a longer one.
- A 14 days window is short when the decision in front of you is a larger-ticket portable computer.
- The €59 entry figure belongs to one listed handset, so budget on its own listing for anything bigger in the range.
Back Market
Pros
- On return days the store ranks 3 of 80, with 30 days to change your mind on any order.
- Trade in is offered, so an older handset or laptop can offset part of what a replacement costs.
- An extended warranty is available on top of standard cover, useful on refurbished hardware where faults surface early.
Cons
- Click and collect is not offered, so every order waits on delivery rather than a counter.
- Phone support is not among its support channels (chat, email and help centre), so help arrives in writing or in a chat window.
- Standard cover is 12 months on phones and 1 year on laptops, so anything longer sits with the paid extended warranty.
Who each suits
AfB
Who it suits
- A buyer in Austria or Germany who wants refurbished hardware from a company that has been working since 2004.
- Someone who reads the condition grade before paying and would rather pick the wear they accept than take a surprise.
- A household or small office ordering several refurbished devices at once, with 14 days to send a wrong one back.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone planning to trade in an old device for credit, since AfB does not take part payments.
- A buyer outside Austria and Germany, where delivery is not listed.
- A shopper who wants cover beyond 12 months on a refurbished device.
Back Market
Who it suits
- Shoppers replacing a phone, laptop or tablet who want refurbished hardware without new retail pricing.
- Households spread across AU, AT and BE who would rather take one delivery than make a store visit.
- Buyers with an older device in a drawer, since trade in is offered and can cut what a replacement costs.
Who should look elsewhere
- Cameras and televisions: Akkuk.hu and Banggood both list tv and camera categories, which sit outside this range.
- Audio and gaming specialists: JBL lists audio, gaming and refurbished, so a tighter focus fits a shopping list built around sound and consoles.
Country by country
| Country | AfB | Back Market |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Finland | No | Yes |
| France | No | Yes |
| Greece | No | Yes |
| Ireland | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Japan | No | Yes |
8 of 17 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
AfB
How much do the devices cost?+
AfB lists a handset at €59 to start, and that figure belongs to one listed model rather than to the whole range. Larger devices carry their own prices on their own listings. If the price you paid does not suit your situation, 14 days to send the device back still applies.
What condition will the device be in?+
Devices are sorted into condition grades before they are listed, so a listing tells you the state of the unit before you pay. For refurbished hardware the grade matters more than the model year, because two handsets of the same age can sit in different bands. You have 14 days to send it back if the grade is not what you wanted.
Back Market
How long do I have to return a device?+
Returns run 30 days from delivery, and that window covers refurbished hardware as well as the usual reasons for sending something back. Standard cover is 12 months on phones, with an extended warranty available for a longer term. Click and collect is not offered, so a return is a shipped journey rather than a walk in.
What condition will my device be in?+
Devices are graded across like new, excellent and good, so the cosmetic standard is yours to choose. Batteries start at 80% health, which is the part most likely to drive a replacement later and the easiest figure to compare across sellers. Read the grade and the battery health before paying, since the two shape the price gap.