We break down the best deals from the big carriers and retailers.
It’s been a long time since you could only get an iPhone directly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, it’s offered by all major carriers and big retailers, and many of them want to entice you to buy with them by offering special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly, either in-store or online. Update 10/01/21: Depending on the model, color, and capacity, many iPhone 13 models are currently backordered by as much as a month. You might have to shop around, or wait, to get exactly what you want. If you haven’t yet put in your order for an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro, here’s a summary of some of the best deals and promotions offered by popular retailers to help you get the best deal on your new iPhone. For each, we’ll tell you about any current promotions and offers, when you should consider buying there, and most importantly when you shouldn’t. Buying direct from Apple is one of the few ways to buy an unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro, and it’s the go-to place to join the iPhone Upgrade Program. Apple will let you trade in your old iPhone (in good condition) as credit toward a new purchase, too. Apple is once again partnering with carriers to offer discounts on the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13. You get a $30 discount if you buy a phone activated on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile/Sprint. One other way to look at it: Apple’s heavily-advertised $699/799 prices for the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 are only applicable to phones activated on a carrier network, and the true starting price of those phones is $729/829. As was the case last year, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max do not have such a deal and start at $999 and $1,099. Apple is also partnering with carriers on trade-in deals. So much so that it set up a whole page to break them down for you. For AT&T, you can get practically any iPhone 13 model for $0 a month (the iPhone 13 Pro Max will cost you $2.75 per month), which comes out to an “up to $1,000” discount. But you have to trade in an iPhone XS Max or newer, you have to upgrade an existing line or activate a new one, there’s a $30 upgrade/activation fee, and the money comes in the form of bill credits that must be applied over a 36-month installment plan. Still, if you meet all those conditions, it’s a pretty great deal. On T-Mobile, you get both a trade-in credit from Apple (from $200 for an iPhone X up to $790 for an iPhone 12 Pro Max) plus $500 in T-Mobile bill credits if you have the Magenta Max plan or upgrade to it. If you have a lesser plan, you get $200 in bill credits. The bill credits are applied over 24 months. Verizon offers up to $800 in trade-in credit for any iPhone X or newer, which means you can get an iPhone 13 Pro for $6.63 per month over 30 months. If you buy an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 mini, the bill credit is applied over 24 months. However, the offer is only good for unlimited plans. In every case, you can expect to pay tax on the full value of the phone at the time of purchase, and you should expect it to take a couple of billing cycles before the bill credits kick in. Apple It’s nice to be able to buy directly from Apple and still get carrier trade-in deals, though the actual specifics of those deals are still as byzantine and restrictive as ever. Apple did this for the first time with the iPhone 12 last year, and it apparently proved popular enough to do it again. As usual, Apple is probably the best and easiest way to buy a new iPhone that is carrier unlocked and activation-free, so you’re not locked into several-year payment plans or specific service requirements (or if you use a carrier that isn’t one of the big three). If you want to buy your phone with the iPhone Upgrade Program, you’ll have to do it at the Apple Store or in the Apple Store iOS app. If you always want the latest iPhone every year, the iPhone Upgrade Program is a pretty good option. You pay off your iPhone in 24 monthly installments but can swap it in for a new iPhone after 12 months (thus renewing the 24-month contract). You have to buy AppleCare+ as part of the program, however, which starts at $199. When buying directly from Apple with an Apple Card, you get 3 percent cash back. What’s more, Apple will now let you pay for a new iPhone with your Apple Card in 24 monthly installments, interest-free. If you plan to switch to a different carrier or open a new line, buying directly from the carrier can be a better bargain—many carriers offer nice incentives to switch over or activate new lines. From time to time, carriers may offer deals (“buy one get one free” or other rebates), though those usually require some sort of long-term commitment. The best carrier deals tend to be for new line activations and transfers, though. Apple offers trade-in value for your old iPhone, but it’s often less than what you’ll get through a carrier (with the caveat that carriers want to lock you into a long-term payment plan). AT&T’s deal gives you “up to” $1,000 off, but what that really means is a big monthly bill credit on a 36-month installment plan. You’ll need to buy your iPhone 13 on an installment plan, paying taxes on full retail price (upfront) and a $30 activation/upgrade fee.
