After the recent TikTok ban, many users are selling smartphones with the app pre-installed from eBay and other resale platforms as Apple has not added the app back on the App Store even though the ban has been lifted for now. Why? Here is the reason. Prices for these phones with TikTok installed vary widely, ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or if not, here’s how you can get it for free.
After the temporary ban on January 19, 2025, which removed TikTok from Apple’s App Store and Google Play, desperate users are seeking alternative methods to access the platform. The most extreme listings include:
- An iPhone 15 Pro with TikTok and CapCut installed selling for $13,997
- An iPhone 16 Pro Max listed at $5,000
- Some listings reach as high as $1 million for a single device, as reported by NYPost.
The ban stems from the Protecting from Foreignversary Applications Act (PAFACA), which mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, either sell its stake or cease operations in the United States. President Trump has issued an executive order that delays enforcement for 75 days. This allows his administration to evaluate the national security implications.
About 170 million American users are affected by the ban, which has led to a unique secondary market. Users who deleted the app during the blackout can’t redownload it, causing the prices of devices to rise.
We request you to be extremely cautious while buying these devices. Many listings may be speculative or fraudulent, with no guarantee of actual sale completion.
This phenomenon echoes previous instances of rare digital scarcity, such as the 2014 Flappy Bird app removal, where similarly inflated pricing occurred. eBay merchants offered phones with the app pre-installed for up to $1,499, and some listings received bids of over $90,000.