Desperate TikTok users are going to extreme lengths to get the app back on their phones— and they’re willing to pay big bucks for it. iPhones with TikTok still installed are listing for thousands of dollars on eBay. Some even go for over a million!
Thanks to the nationwide ban, TikTok vanished from the Apple App Store and Google Play. If users deleted the app, there was no way to reinstall it. This has left TikTok fans scrambling to get their fix.
The crazy prices
One iPhone 16 Pro Max with TikTok is going for $5,000 on eBay. Another iPhone 16 Plus is listed at over $3,000. And then there’s a wild listing in Raleigh, North Carolina, where a used iPhone is being offered for a whopping $1 million.
The ad for the iPhone reads: “Screen protector is only damage phone perfect and has TikTok.” Even crazier, a user on Threads said, “If you deleted TikTok I’m selling one of my iPhones 16 WITH TIKTOK INSTALLED $5000.”
While it may sound insane to pay thousands for an app, it’s clear that many are desperate. After the ban took effect on January 19, users who accidentally deleted TikTok quickly realized they couldn’t download it again when it was restored.
The desperation sets in
Many TikTok fans turned to online forums for help, begging for ways to get the app back. One person wrote on X, “I deleted TikTok and now I can’t get it back! I will pay someone $5,000 for an iPhone 16 Pro Max with TikTok still installed. DM me.”
Others were less hopeful. “No way to get it back,” one Reddit user posted. “Have to wait for it to ever come back to the app store.”
Many deleted TikTok thinking it would be banned for good. But after 12 hours, the app was working again, and they couldn’t get it back. One Apple user shared their regret: “I deleted TikTok the day it got banned because I thought it was gonna be banned for a long time, until 12 hours later it was working again and I couldn’t download it.”
Why can’t you get it back?
Unfortunately for TikTok lovers, the situation isn’t so simple. Apple and Google are now following the law that bans the app. In a statement this week, Apple confirmed it would comply with the nationwide ban, even though former President Donald Trump’s extension gave TikTok more time to find a buyer.
The law prohibits distributing or providing hosting services for apps controlled by foreign adversaries. This includes TikTok and other apps like CapCut and Lemon8. As a result, TikTok isn’t available for download or updates at the moment.
Former President Joe Biden might not enforce the ban, but the law is clear. If Apple or Google let users download TikTok, they could face fines of $5,000 per person. This could result in billions of dollars in penalties for the app stores that host TikTok, which has 170 million users in the U.S.
Michael Sobolik, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said, “The law requires Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores if it’s still controlled by a foreign adversary.”
The future of TikTok on your phone
If you still have TikTok installed on your phone, you’re in luck. You can continue using the app, but don’t expect updates anytime soon. Without updates, the app could eventually become incompatible with your device’s operating system.
Apple explained, “If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device. But they can’t be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible.”
It’s unclear when—or if—TikTok will return to the app stores. Former President Trump said the app would be “worthless” if he didn’t approve it. TikTok has 75 days to find a U.S. buyer, according to an executive order signed on Monday.
The TikTok saga isn’t over yet. Users who thought they could just reinstall the app after the ban were hit with a harsh reality when it was restored but no longer available for new downloads. TikTok may be working for some, but for others, it’s gone for good—unless they want to fork out thousands of dollars for a phone with TikTok still on it.
If you missed out on the app, there’s no telling when or if it will come back to the app stores. In the meantime, desperate TikTok fans are paying top dollar just to hold on to their beloved app. It’s a strange new world where the price for TikTok access may be worth more than your phone itself.
