Swapphone: Bringing Smarter, Circular Phone Subscriptions to the Netherlands

Swapphone was built on a modern but straightforward promise: make smartphones more affordable, more circular, and more flexible. In a world where buying a new phone every 1–2 years is expensive, and environmentally wasteful, Swapphone created a more innovative alternative: high-quality refurbished iPhones and Samsung devices available on a flexible subscription.

For consumers, it’s a win. Get a phone, pay monthly, upgrade when needed, return when done — no long-term ownership, no depreciation risk, and no upfront costs.

But as Swapphone grew, its backend systems didn’t grow with it. Their subscription model was already successful, but the technology powering it was outdated and couldn’t support the next phase of their vision — especially their growing interest in B2B subscriptions.

That’s where circuly came in.

The Customer

Swapphone is a Dutch phone-as-a-service company offering refurbished iPhones and Samsung phones on flexible subscription plans. With minimum terms starting at 3 months and options extending up to 24 months, Swapphone has positioned itself as an affordable and sustainable alternative to traditional phone ownership.

The Challenge

Swapphone wasn’t new to subscriptions. They had already built a functioning subscription model and had refined their internal processes over years of real-world experience. But their existing system was:

• Outdated and difficult to scale
• Missing modern features around asset tracking, order management, and self-service
• Not suited for managing upgrades, downgrades, or buyouts
• Lacking a robust credit check system, which is crucial in a high-risk rental vertical like smartphones

And because their internal processes were carefully tuned and highly efficient, they needed a system that could fit their workflow — not force them to change everything.

Swapphone wasn’t in a rush. They wanted to move to the right system, not just a new system.

The Solution

Swapphone partnered with circuly to modernise the entire subscription backend for their phone rental business.

circuly now powers:

• End-to-end subscription management
• Asset tracking to monitor each device through its full lifecycle
• Order management for new subscriptions, upgrades, and returns
• A customer self-service portal to reduce support workload
• Upgrade & downgrade logic, starting from month 4
• Buyout options, enabling customers to purchase devices at the end of their term
• Credit checks to reduce fraud and protect revenue
• Automated workflows that preserve Swapphone’s already-refined operational processes

circuly’s flexibility allowed Swapphone to maintain what worked and automate what didn’t.

The Benefit

With circuly, Swapphone can now operate on a modern, scalable system without sacrificing their hard-earned operational expertise.

They benefit from:

• Centralised asset and subscription management
• Automated billing, invoicing, and payment retries
• A flexible system that supports B2C and B2B subscriptions
• Reduced fraud risk through integrated credit checks
• Streamlined upgrade and swap workflows
• A future-proof backend that can evolve with their model

Operations stay lean. Customer experience improves. Fraud risk drops. Growth becomes predictable — without adding complexity.

Swapphone business model

Swapphone’s model is built on refurbishing and reusing high-quality smartphones to maximise lifecycle value.

Devices: Refurbished iPhones and Samsung phones
Minimum Duration: 3 months
Maximum Duration: 24 months
Upgrades: Possible starting at month 4
Swaps: Allowed under upgrade logic
B2B Capabilities: Fleet subscriptions for businesses
Buyout Option: Customers can purchase the device at the end of their term

By controlling the lifecycle of every phone, Swapphone reduces e-waste while keeping monthly costs low.

Three operational pillars behind Swapphone

1. Device Lifecycle Management

Every device is tracked from onboarding to refurbishment, through swaps, to final buyout or retirement.
Refurbished devices re-enter circulation multiple times — the core of Swapphone’s circular model.

2. Flexible Upgrades & Returns

Starting from the 4th month, customers can upgrade to a newer model.
Circuly automates the entire process: return logic, new subscription creation, cancellation of the old one, and all communication flows.

3. Fraud Prevention & Risk Management

The smartphone rental market faces high fraud volumes.
Swapphone relies on circuly’s credit check integrations, payment retries, and fraud flagging to protect asset value and reduce default risk.

Where circuly supports Swapphone

Enable & automate upgrades and swaps

circuly powers upgrade workflows starting from month 4:

• Customers initiate via the self-service portal
• Circuly creates the return order
• A new subscription is automatically generated
• The old one is closed cleanly
• Notifications and confirmations are sent automatically

Everything runs in the background — without manual support intervention.

Centralise payment & invoice management

With circuly, Swapphone can:

• Charge recurring payments reliably
• Generate monthly invoices
• Retry failed payments automatically
• Get visibility on payment failure reasons
• Maintain clean financial records

Smooth payments = smooth cash flow.

Reduce fraud through integrated credit checks

Before approving a subscription, circuly triggers:

• Automated credit checks
• Fraud scoring and risk insights
• Rules to block or flag high-risk orders

This is critical for businesses managing high-value, easy-to-resell assets like smartphones.

Manage asset tracking with full lifecycle visibility

Circuly connects every subscription to a specific IMEI-tracked device.

Swapphone can see:

• Where every device is
• Which customer it belongs to
• How many cycles it has been through
• When refurbishment is due
• Inventory availability

This is essential for margin optimisation.

Empower customers through self-service

The circuly Portal reduces manual workload by allowing customers to:

• View subscription details
• Request upgrades
• Initiate returns
• See invoices
• Update payment details

The more customers can do on their own, the more scalable Swapphone becomes.

Lessons for brands exploring product-as-a-service

Swapphone demonstrates how a phone subscription model can thrive when supported by:

✔️ Efficient lifecycle management of refurbished devices

✔️ Strong fraud prevention tools

✔️ Flexible upgrade paths

✔️ Combined B2C + B2B capabilities

✔️ Automation over manual work

✔️ A robust backend that adapts to existing operations

Any brand entering phone, electronics, or high-value rentals can learn from Swapphone’s methodical approach: refine your processes first, then scale with the right technology.

Conclusion

Swapphone didn’t just set out to offer phones on subscription — they built a circular model that extends device life, reduces waste, and makes premium smartphones accessible. By partnering with circuly, they now operate on a future-ready backend that supports their proven processes, protects against fraud, and enables upgrades, buyouts, and B2B expansion.

For any brand considering electronics-as-a-service, Swapphone’s journey is a powerful example of how to combine refurbished products, flexible plans, and the right technology to build a sustainable and scalable subscription business.

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