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Apple; Alyssa Powell/Insider
Apple’s iPhones are some of the best, most coveted smartphones around. While often priced higher than the Android competition, iPhones routinely see discounts that can make them easier to buy.
Currently, Apple’s smartphone line-up consists of several different iPhones: the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone SE, and iPhone XR. Some older models are also still worth considering if budget is your primary concern.
Comparing iPhone models
| Average price | Camera lenses | Display size | CPU | 5G | Battery life with video playback | |
| iPhone 12 | $699 to $799 | 2 | 5.4- or 6.1-inch | A14 Bionic | Y | Up to 17 hours |
| iPhone 12 Pro | $999 to $1,099 | 3 | 6.1- or 6.7- inch | A14 Bionic | Y | Up to 20 hours |
| iPhone SE | $399 | 1 | 4.7-inch | A13 Bionic | N | Up to 13 hours |
| iPhone XR | $499 |
1 |
6.1-inch | A12 Bionic | N | Up to 16 hours |
| iPhone 11 | $599 | 2 | 6.1-inch | A13 Bionic | N | Up to 17 hours |
| iPhone 11 Pro | $899 to $999 | 3 | 5.8-inch | A13 Bionic | N | Up to 20 hours |
Of course, it can be overwhelming to figure out the best one for you, so check out our guides to the best iPhones and the best smartphones to help narrow your options down.
We’ll update this list as deals surface.
The best iPhone deals happening now
An improvement on previous models in terms of design and camera quality, the new iPhone 12 is our pick for the best iPhone you can get overall. It comes in 5 colors: white, black, blue, green, and red. Depending on your storage needs, you can choose from the 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage sizes. You can also pick between the normal 6.1-inch display and the 5.4-inch display Mini. The Mini has shorter battery life since it’s a smaller phone.
Since the phone only came out in late 2020, deals for it aren’t very common just yet — it’s even difficult to find available from other retailers without being locked to a carrier. Right now, the best place to find it unlocked is from Apple, but if you’re willing to enter a contract with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint, you can find stock from other retailers, like Amazon and Walmart.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
If you want the best smartphone available on the market now and are willing to pay a premium price, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are for you. These models feature excellent cameras in low light and elegant design. The Pro Max will cost you an extra $100, but it has a larger 6.7-inch display and longer battery life than the smaller 6.1-inch version. Both are available in 4 colors: graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue. You can choose between 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB depending on your needs.
Just like their smaller siblings, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are a bit too young to see any especially good deals yet. Right now, the only place you can reliably find a unit that isn’t locked to a carrier is directly from Apple.
If you have an iPhone 8 or newer you’re willing to part with, Verizon is offering $750 off a new Pro or Pro Max with trade-in and a new line — though the promo credit will apply over 24 to 30 months. If you’re already a Verizon customer, you can get $440 off with a trade-in and upgrade as well, just select the second promotion.
iPhone SE (2020)
Though it only comes with a single-lens camera, the iPhone SE is the best value you can find out of an iPhone. It has an older design, similar in look and feel to the iPhone 8; it’s also the only modern model that retained the home button. It runs using the same powerful chip as the iPhone 11 and can cost as little as $399 if you settle for the 64GB. It comes in 3 colors: white, black, and red.
Since it’s such a new addition to the Apple iPhone lineup, deals on the iPhone SE (2020) are few and far between right now. The best place to find one unlocked is from Apple, but if you’re planning to sign up with a carrier like AT&T or Verizon anyway, you might be able to snag a better price from Amazon or Walmart.
iPhone XR
The iPhone XR may have come out back in 2018, but we still think it’s a good option if you find it at a decent deal price. It has a big, 5.94-inch screen and still includes modern features like Face ID, the Touch ID replacement that uses your front-facing camera to unlock your phone, and wireless charging. It’s the cheapest available option from the Apple lineup without compromising too much from performance. You can choose between white, black, blue, yellow, coral, and red.
The only place to buy a new unit is directly from the Apple store; if you don’t mind buying renewed, Amazon and Best Buy are worth looking into. Right now the street price for one is $499 for the 64GB storage size.
iPhone 11
Though it’s the past generation of iPhone, the iPhone 11 still has great value worth considering if you want to pay less. It has a fast A13 Bionic chip, long battery life that we found lasted over 32 hours, wireless charging, and a dual-camera setup, all for as little as $599. It comes in 6 colors: white, black, green, yellow, purple, and red. It’s our runner-up premium iPhone pick since it still has great features but will cost you so much less than the iPhone 12.
It’s difficult to find this model unlocked and in new condition outside of the Apple Store. Its street price has dropped down to $599 for the 64GB storage capacity, a $100 drop since its release back in 2019.
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
Our picks for the best small premium iPhone and best big premium iPhone respectively, the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max are still great options for their solid triple camera system, speedy A13 Bionic chips, and Face ID to replace TouchID for unlocking your phone. The Pro offers up to 18 hours of battery life with video playback and the Pro Max offers up to 20 hours. We think they’re still a good value if you can find them at a decent deal price.
Apple no longer sells the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, but you can still find them from other retailers — though they’ll likely be locked in with carriers like Verizon and AT&T. If they see a reasonable discount, it may be worth buying so long as you don’t mind entering a contract with a carrier to do so.
Refurbished iPhones
One of the best ways to shop for an older model is through Apple’s refurbished section. As of writing, shoppers can find like-new, last-generation iPhones like the X, XS, XS Max, 11 Pro, and Pro Max for much less than retail. iPhones purchased through Apple’s refurbished section come with the same one-year warranty as if you bought a brand-new model, and all the original accessories that come with new models are also included with refurbished units. If you want an iPhone but don’t necessarily need the latest model, the refurbished models are worth considering.
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