Looking for a new iPhone but not keen on spending a lot? As of October 2020 Apple is selling four iPhones at a lower prices than usual: the iPhone SE is the cheapest at £399/$399, while the iPhone XR starts at £499/$499, then there is the iPhone 11 starting at £599/$599 and finally the iPhone 12 mini starting at £699/$699.
What is the cheapest iPhone?
Right now the cheapest iPhone is the iPhone SE starting at £399/$399.
Here’s what you need to know about the iPhone SE:
- The iPhone SE was introduced in April 2020
- Has a 4.7in screen
- Features the A13 Bionic processor
- Offers one 12MP camera on the back and a 7MP selfie camera on the front
- Offers 13 hours of video playback
- Features Touch ID
- Has a Home button
However there is actually an even cheaper iPhone available if you don’t buy from Apple. The iPhone 7.
Some resellers are still selling the iPhone 7 from 2016. Right now you can buy it new for around £299 from Currys PC World and John Lewis. We wouldn’t really recommend buying the iPhone 7 now though, read Should you buy the iPhone 7 to find out why.
What is the cheapest iPhone with Face ID?
If you would prefer to have a more modern looking iPhone with Face ID and a full screen front, then the cheapest iPhone is the iPhone XR, starting at £499/$499.
Here’s what you need to know about the iPhone XR:
- The iPhone XR was introduced in September 2018
- It has a 6.1in screen
- Features a A12 Bionic processor
- Has one 12MP camera on the back and a 7MP TrueDepth camera for Face ID on the front
- It offers 16 hours of video playback
What is the cheapest way to buy an iPhone?
You can actually get an iPhone from Apple for even less than Apple’s starting price, Apple also lets you pay in installments, and offers cut-price iPhones that have been refurbished. Below are our tips for getting a cheaper iPhone:
Trade in an old iPhone
You can save money on the cost of a new iPhone by exchanging an old model when you buy a new model from Apple. For example, Apple offers as much as £170 off when you buy an iPhone XR and trade in an iPhone 8, and it will knock £130 off an iPhone SE if you trade in a iPhone 8.
Spread the payments
Apple allows you to pay monthly for your new iPhone. In the UK you can get a 0% APR loan from Barclays to pay for the iPhone and pay that off in monthly instalments over a 24 month period.
In the US you can spread the cost via Apple Card Monthly Instalments. These are also at 0% APR but also include 3% Daily Cash.
Buy refurbished
Apple has a refurbished and clearance store on its website where it sells iPhones that have been reconditioned. This isn’t the same as buying a secondhand iPhone from someone on eBay.
Apple says that refurbished products undergo “full functional testing, genuine Apple part replacements (if necessary),” as well as “a thorough cleaning”. These products weren’t necessarily returned due to a fault either, they might be ex-demonstration models.
Check out what’s on offer at Apple’s Refurbished store here.
Check the best iPhone deals
Apple rarely discounts its iPhones, but other resellers do. Therefore it’s well worth checking our round up of the best iPhone deals to see if you can save money.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld almost two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.