A new iPhone isn’t cheap. In fact, just like other flagship smartphones — they can be rather expensive with prices crossing the $1,000 mark if you opt for an iPhone Pro or iPhone Pro Max. If you’re getting ready to upgrade your current iPhone, you are likely asking yourself: How can I save money when buying an iPhone?
At Swappa, we believe the best way to save money on your next iPhone is to simply spend less. And, along with spending less on your next iPhone, we can also help you sell your current iPhone as a way to fund your upgrade.
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The Swappa marketplace is the best place to get a cheap iPhone, so make sure to continue reading to learn our tips and tricks.
How to buy a cheap iPhone
Knowing the best time to buy an iPhone is helpful when it comes to saving money. The best time could be when Apple or your wireless carrier runs a promotion, or around the time Apple launches a new iPhone. But these options both involve waiting. The best way to save money, to get a cheap iPhone, and not have to wait, is to buy newish instead of new.
Newish vs. New
At Swappa, we use the term newish, but you may already know it as used or pre-owned. It is important to keep in mind that buying newish is not about buying junk, especially on Swappa. All of the items listed on Swappa must be fully functional. And, if you search for an iPhone listed in Mint condition, that means you’ll be getting a phone that is in pristine condition with no signs of wear and tear.
Regardless of whether you use the term newish, used, or pre-owned — the bottom line is that buying an older model is a great way to get a cheap iPhone.
Other factors to consider when buying
This portion actually applies to buying newish and new. Of course, if you’re already spending less buying newish — this just means you can spend even less. Depending on the model of iPhone you are looking at, there may be a Plus-sized model or a Pro model. There is an iPhone 8 and an iPhone 8 Plus, and there is an iPhone 12 and an iPhone 12 Pro. The Plus-sized models tend to have a bigger display, and the Pro models often have a better feature or two.
The first question you should ask yourself is whether you need the bigger display or added features. In many cases, the answer is probably something along the lines of how they would be nice, but that they aren’t necessary.
A point to consider is deciding between a carrier-specific iPhone or an unlocked iPhone. This will not necessarily change the price immediately, however, buying an unlocked iPhone will give you some flexibility if you decide to switch carriers down the line. If you were to buy a carrier-specific iPhone and decide to switch carriers, you may end up needing to buy another iPhone, which would obviously add some unexpected costs.
Otherwise, iPhone specs are fairly standard from model to model. For example, if you want an iPhone 11, the only real options are color and storage. The color options are all the same price-wise, but storage can get costly. If you aren’t sure how much storage space you need, you can check to see how much you are currently using in the settings app on your iPhone.
Check your iPhone storage by navigating to:
- Settings -> General -> iPhone Storage
Keeping with the iPhone 11 as an example, the current MSRP for a 64GB iPhone 11 is $599. The MSRP then climbs to $649 for a 128GB model and to $749 for a 256GB model. On Swappa, a 64GB Unlocked iPhone 11 in Mint condition is currently priced from $470, with unlocked 128GB models starting at $585, and unlocked 256GB models starting at $639.
You can review the current pricing data for the iPhone 11 on Swappa.
Here is how you can get a cheap iPhone
You can get a cheap iPhone if you follow these three simple tips.
- Shop newish instead of new.
- Shop for a standard iPhone as opposed to a Plus or Pro model.
- Check to see how much storage you currently use instead of getting more storage “just in case.”
If you are convinced buying newish is the way to go, but you aren’t sure which iPhone you should buy — check out our Best cheap iPhones post, which covers topics such as best big iPhone, best small iPhone, best iPhone camera, best iPhone screen, and of course, the best cheap iPhone.
Along with the tips we’ve mentioned so far, we also recommend selling your current iPhone as a way to fund your upgrade.
Sell your iPhone on Swappa
One of the best ways to lower the cost of your new(ish) iPhone is to sell your current iPhone. Notice how we said “sell” as opposed to trade-in. Apple, and others such as Best Buy, offer trade-in services — but you are going to get more money if you sell your phone.
Using a trade-in service often amounts to trading value for convenience, and we are pretty sure you want to get the most money possible. If you are curious or skeptical about this claim — be sure to read our earlier coverage on the Swappa Blog:
Selling your current iPhone in the Swappa marketplace is the best way to fund your upgrade. Swappa makes it easy for sellers to get started, and equally important is how Swappa is safe and secure (for buying and selling). Swappa is also a very active marketplace, which means you have the opportunity for a quick sale. A few other Swappa perks include:
- Getting access to a support team that is available 24/7/365 if you have any questions or concerns
- Knowing Swappa uses PayPal to process payments because of the extensive seller protections they offer.
Swappa also has a “No Junk, No Jerks” policy which keeps the riff-raff away, and a rating of Excellent on Trustpilot. Make sure to check out our iPhone Buyer’s Guide, and then tap the green button below to save money on your next iPhone.
Snag the best deals on used iPhones wherever you go. Download the Swappa App today!