Cheap iPhone deals

When buying your new mobile, never just go direct to the network as this is almost always the most expensive way. Resellers usually offer the same contract deals for £100s less, while paying for a handset outright and pairing it with a cheap Sim-only deal can sometimes be the cheapest option.

To make it easier, our Cheap Mobile Finder tool looks at 1,000s of deals from more than 60 retailers and resellers to find the cheapest way to get your new phone, be that on contract or by buying the phone outright and pairing with a cheap Sim.

Consider a second-hand or refurbished handset

Don't forget to check out second-hand models on eBay* and refurbished ones directly from your network.

You can also use our Cheap Mobile Finder to compare refurbished phones against new to find a great deal. 

Apple has three payment schemes available: two in store (iPhone Payments and its iPhone Upgrade Programme), and the other when buying online (iPhone Monthly Payments).

Apple's iPhone Upgrade Programme – which gives you the option to swap handsets and includes AppleCare, extended warranty and technical support service - can usually be beaten by other methods. See our full analysis of the iPhone Upgrade Programme (the examples are old but the same principles apply).

iPhone Monthly Payments (online)

If purchasing online and opting for iPhone Monthly Payments, you'll pay the total price divided into 24 monthly instalments. For both payment schemes, you'll be credit-checked by Barclays and will need to be accepted for what's technically an interest-free loan. As an example, it'll cost you £33.29/month for 24 months for the iPhone 15 128GB model.

iPhone Payments (in store only)

iPhone Payments is Apple's interest-free financing scheme, available in store on the latest iPhones. You pay a small amount upfront (currently £69) and then the rest in 20 monthly interest-free instalments. Here's how to do it:

1. Reserve a 'shopping session'. As there's limited capacity in stores, it's best to reserve a 'shopping session' online before visiting.

2. Opt for iPhone Payments. As there's a credit check, you'll need to take bank details, a valid UK driving licence or passport, debit card and your current mobile. You'll need to be a UK resident aged 18+, have a UK bank account and have lived in the UK for three or more years.

3. If accepted (it could take up to an hour), you'll pay £69 upfront and the rest in 20 monthly instalments. 

   Your loan will be with Barclays at 0% APR interest, which you'll repay by monthly direct debit. If you don't keep up with repayments, Barclays would take the same action as any other loan provider – it could result in a mark on your credit file, for example.

Once you've got the phone, you'll then need to find a separate cheap Sim-only deal.

If you don't get close to using your allowance of minutes, data and texts each month (or you have unlimited), you're essentially overpaying for your contract. Bust your limit, though, and the extra charges can be costly.

In our last MSE data usage poll, 70% of the 5,000 respondents said they use less than 3GB a month. However, regulator Ofcom says it's a lot more than this, with average mobile data usage in 2022 said to be 8.1GB a month.

If you want to check your usage, our handy Data Calculator in our Cheap Mobile Finder tool can help you. Key in your usage (for when you're not using Wi-Fi) and it'll give you a general idea of how much data you need.

All iPhones come in different storage sizes – depending on the model, they're available with 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. Generally, you'll pay £50-£200 to go up a size (if you're buying directly from Apple).

As a rule of thumb, 64GB can hold 2,000 apps, 1,600 albums or 20 HD films, which is enough for some.

Unlike most other smartphones, iPhones don't have memory card slots so you can't expand the storage if you decide you want more. However, be careful not to overestimate how much storage you'll need and end up paying for a more expensive model 'just to be safe'.

You can free up space by storing data to the cloud – this will often work out cheaper than opting for a device with more storage space. See our point below on how to back up your iPhone for free.

For even more top tips for saving storage space on your phone and paying less overall, see our How to increase phone storage guide.

Losing your data, photos and contacts is a nightmare. But you can easily back up and save this crucial info - often for free.

The most common way is to back up to 'the cloud' – which means storing your data on remote servers, allowing you to free up space on your phone.

Back up to Apple iCloud from 99p/month

Apple's own iCloud is the most popular way to back up your iPhone and you can set it to do this automatically every night.

You get 5GB of free iCloud storage (usually only enough for a 'basic' backup of device settings, home screen and app organisation, and some app data).

Extra storage costs from £0.99/mth for 50GB, to £54.99/mth for 12TB. While not free, it'll often work out cheaper than opting for a phone with bigger storage.

Other apps to store data on 'the cloud' cheaply

Apps such as Dropbox give you 2GB for free, whereas Google Photos and Google Drive give you up to 15GB of free storage. These basic accounts will allow you to transfer content from your phone to 'the cloud' – where your files are stored digitally – which can then be securely accessed from any device.

If you need more storage, Google charges £1.59/mth or £15.99/yr for 100GB of space, which is enough for about 30,000 photos. If you want to store more with Dropbox, its cheapest plan costs £7.99/mth or £95.88/yr, but you get a huge 2TB of storage.

Do it the old fashioned way – with a cable

If you don't want to pay for a 'cloud service', you can back up your smartphone the traditional way - via a USB cable and Finder (if using MacOS Catalina or later MacOS) or iTunes (if using Windows or earlier MacOS). Take a look at the step-by-step guide on how to back up data using your computer on Apple's site.

The quality of the signal you'll receive will depend on where you are. Across all the networks, big cities and towns should have a decent 5G [RH] or 4G signal – while those in rural areas can struggle to get even 3G. Check out our 5G guide for more info on where you can get it.

All the networks have coverage checkers on their sites, but these tend to be optimistic. Ofcom's research into 4G is the most up-to-date – and unbiased – coverage info we've seen. View its mobile checker to see what signal strength is likely to be in your area before taking out a contract with a new network.

Accidents can and do happen. Because mobiles are worth so much these days, if you lose 'em, break 'em or have 'em nicked, it can be costly to replace them.

Insurers play on this fear with hefty prices and unnecessary cover. Yet you can get insurance for your iPhone from £80/year. Read our full Mobile Phone Insurance guide for more info and best buys.

If your phone's stolen...

Report it to the police and let your network know ASAP. This is important to prevent unauthorised use of your phone, and may also be critical for insurance claims.

Watch out for the insurance hard sell during checkout

Retailers and resellers will attempt to sell you their own mobile insurance policies. These tend to be more expensive and offer differing levels of cover.

While you can turn down the insurance, the option to do so can sometimes be small or well hidden, so look out for it.

If you lose your iPhone, there's a way to make it ring – even when it's on silent

Don't panic if you lose your iPhone and realise you've it set to silent. You can use the Find My iPhone service on iCloud to make it ring.

Haggling on monthly mobile phone contracts can slash the price you pay. If you have a contract deal and you're nearing the end of your fixed term, your network will be frantically trying to keep you, so it's the best time to haggle. Long-term customers have a better chance of success here.

Our latest poll showed the best mobile providers to haggle with are Three, Sky Mobile and O2. See our Mobile Phone Haggling guide for help with getting a better deal. Bear in mind though it's usually harder to haggle on a contract for a new phone, particularly if you're after the latest model.

Before you call your provider, arm yourself with 'new customer' deals

All of the deals in our Cheap Mobile Finder are for new customers, but you could use the deals listed here to try and haggle yourself a better one with your current provider.

It's often possible to grab extra cashback when you sign up for a mobile contract. You'll need to sign up via a specialist cashback website rather than directly with the network provider or mobile reseller. Cashback websites use affiliate links to generate revenue, so if they get paid when you sign up, you'll get paid.

Unfortunately, this cash is never guaranteed, as sometimes cashback sites don't track deals in progress, so it's generally best to pick the right tariff first and view any cashback as an added extra. To find out more about how these sites can pay you, and how you can make the most of them, read our Top Cashback Sites guide.

Retailer cashback. Don't confuse cashback sites with cashback you can get directly from a retailer, usually through redemption. This kind of cashback isn't straightforward, and can often require you to send several copies of your monthly bill on certain days.

We usually steer clear of these deals, unless it's sent out automatically.

Now you know the cheapest ways to buy a new iPhone, there are a few final things you need to be aware of...

• Prices can rise each year
  
  Mobile networks are permitted to increase your monthly tariff price each year, but only if their T&Cs state so before you sign up. And all the major networks have such terms, including EE, O2, Three, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone.
  
  Changes are usually made in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI, a measure of inflation) between February and April each year, but recently some firms have chosen to change the way their prices rise each year, opting to increase by inflation, plus a percentage amount on top. We've seen such recent announcements from all of the biggies, including EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three.
  
  If a provider hikes your monthly bill and its T&Cs don't allow this, you can leave your contract penalty-free.
  

• You'll be credit checked
  
  Most providers will carry out a credit check, so if you tend to struggle getting credit, you may want to check your credit score before applying for a mobile contract.
  

  MoneySavingExpert.com's free Credit Club gives you your free Experian credit score and credit report. While it won't tell you for definite whether you'll pass a credit check for a contract, it will give you a general idea of whether you'll be seen as a good or bad credit risk.
  

  If you think you're unlikely to pass a credit check, or tried and were declined, it could be better to opt for an affordable handset and pair it with a pay-as-you-go Sim instead.
  

• Some deals are for new customers only
  
  The deals here and on most comparison sites are geared towards new customers of the relevant network. If you're already with that network, even if your existing contract is up and you try to get the deal, then technically you'll be 'upgrading' rather than taking out a new contract, and you may have to pay more as a result.
  

  Of course, you can still get the deal if you take out a separate new contract. But if you do, frustratingly you won't be able to transfer your existing number across to your new mobile directly.
  

  There is a way around this, though it's a bit of work. You can get the deal on a separate new contract, and also get yourself a free pay-as-you-go Sim from a different network.
  

  Port (ie, move) your existing number across to the free pay-as-you-go Sim, then port it again to the new contract once it's been set up. To port your number over, you'll need to request a porting authorisation code from your provider.
  

• Once your contract is over, switch to avoid overpaying
  
  The majority of phone contracts which include a handset are paid for monthly over a two-year period, meaning the handset is paid for at the end. Though the handset has been paid for, most providers continue to charge the same monthly price after the initial contract period is over, meaning in effect you're paying for the phone again.

  
  To avoid this, make a note of your contract end date, and remember to contact your provider one month before it ends to give it notice, which means you're free to leave or change deal. If you're happy with your phone, consider switching to a cheap Sim-only deal or use our Cheap Mobile Finder to compare Sim-only deals. If you're happy with your network, see our top tips for haggling a new deal.