The iPhone 12 is among the newest in a line of 2020 iPhones jam-packed with the latest hardware and features. Less exciting is the premium price tag that comes along with the iPhone 12. At Apple, iPhone 12 prices start at $799 for the lowest storage configuration. But like any other piece of consumer tech, it’s only a matter of time before the price drops and you start finding cheap iPhone 12 deals.
The big question for thrifty buyers is when will the iPhone 12 price drop, and if it’ll be cheap enough to warrant a purchase. In this post, we’ll be discussing that including reasons why buying a gently used model on Swappa might make a whole lot more sense.
This article is part of our larger series on the iPhone 12 family. Learn more about the iPhone 12 lineup by visiting our iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max articles.
Apple iPhone 12 price drop in 2021
It’s no secret that, unlike other phone makers, Apple doesn’t have “holiday sales” where they discount the price of their iPhones. Instead, it’s left up to carriers to devise promotions that can be used to entice new customers with a discounted iPhone or BOGO offer. Unfortunately, if you’re not a new wireless customer or willing to add a line to your existing plan, you’ll more than likely have to pay full price for a shiny new iPhone, which is why would-be buyers end up going into iPhone 12 price drop prediction mode.
Read more 👉 When will phone prices drop?
As we’ve seen countless times in years past, iPhone prices at Apple don’t drop until new models are introduced to replace them. When this happens, the iPhone price drop will traditionally happen in September when outgoing models are replaced with new ones and are oftentimes discounted by $100 as a result. For example, Apple could lower the iPhone 12 price from $799 to $699 when the new model is introduced in September 2021. Of course, speaking about any price drop is speculation, and cannot be considered official until it is announced by Apple
That said, there is no need to wait if you are hoping to score an iPhone 12 deal — there is an answer, and it is simple — Swappa’s gently used marketplace can help you find a discounted iPhone 12 right now.
Where can I find the best deal on an iPhone 12?
Without a doubt — you can find the best iPhone 12 deals on Swappa, the safest marketplace for gently used tech. You can easily find your perfect deal right now, or try and wait for a bigger discount. Swappa lets you subscribe to a specific model iPhone to receive emails whenever a new listing is added to the marketplace. Using the Unlocked iPhone 12 as an example, just tap this link and click the “Subscribe” button.
Buy an iPhone 11 for even bigger savings
If you are looking for a great iPhone, but don’t want to spend extra money for the latest bells and whistles, Swappa can help. Swappa’s always been a big fan of previous-generation devices because of the savings they offer vs brand new devices. For instance, the iPhone 11 is only a year older than the iPhone 12 and it has many of the same features. But with iPhone 11 prices starting at a little over $400 on Swappa, that can surely be considered a cheap iPhone deal.
The iPhone 11 was released in September 2019 and probably has almost everything you’d want in an iPhone 12. There’s a gorgeous 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD display, with a 1792 x 828 resolution and True Tone support. Under the hood, there’s a blazing fast A13 Bionic chip, paired with 4GB RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. The iPhone 11 also offers IP68 water resistance, wireless charging, and a dual 12MP setup with wide and ultra-wide cameras. Check out current iPhone 11 prices on Swappa using the widget below.
Sell your old iPhone to fund your iPhone 12 upgrade

Now that you know the best time to find a discounted iPhone 12 — and even better, a lower-priced iPhone 11 — there’s still another part of the equation you may not have considered yet: selling your old phone to recoup some of the costs from buying a new phone. And the best way to get the most money for your old phone? You guessed — right here on Swappa.
Selling your phone on Swappa will get you more money than Apple’s trade-in. So not only will you get more money for your gently used tech on Swappa, but you also save more when you buy gently used. It’s a win-win. Get started selling on Swappa and see how much money you can get for your old phone using the green button below.
Snag the best deals on used iPhones wherever you go. Download the Swappa App today!