You might be planning to get a new iPhone, be it the rumored iPhone 18 Pro or the highly anticipated foldable iPhone Ultra. But besides choosing which phone to get, the next big question you might be pondering is “Where should I buy my phone?” Should you get it directly from Apple or through a carrier?
Both methods have their pros and cons, and neither is best for everyone. Perhaps you like the idea of owning your phone outright without going through a third party. Or maybe you’d rather spread out your payments over time. Or perhaps you’re looking to upgrade your phone and switch carriers at the same time. Depending on your answer, you might prefer one path over the other.
In this guide, we walk you through the process of deciding exactly where to buy your new iPhone, be it directly from Apple or through a wireless provider.
Buy directly from Apple
Since Apple makes the iPhone, it makes a lot of sense to simply buy the phone directly from the Apple Store. Though buying your iPhone from Apple is a common practice in a lot of countries, it’s not quite as popular here in the US due to the attractive financing options that wireless carriers offer. But buying your phone straight from Apple has its benefits.
The primary reason to go through Apple is that you can buy the phone without being beholden to a wireless carrier. You have options. Instead of locking yourself down to one wireless carrier for multiple years, buying directly from Apple lets you get the phone completely unlocked.
Apple sells both unlocked iPhones and models tied to a specific carrier. The price is nearly the same, depending on which iPhone you get. But Apple drops the price by $30 when you buy and activate a new iPhone on a carrier at the time of purchase for models like the iPhone 17, which costs $829 unlocked or $799 after a carrier discount.
Unlocked models can be used with nearly any carrier you want, whether it’s a major carrier such as T-Mobile and AT&T or a smaller one such as Mint Mobile or Cricket Mobile. You can also swap out carriers every so often if you feel like it. While your iPhone may cost a pretty penny in the initial purchase, you could save on monthly bills in the long run, depending on your plan.
Another strong reason to get an unlocked phone is if you travel a lot and want to use international travel eSIMs from companies such as Airalo or Saily. These eSIMs only work on unlocked phones. Otherwise, you’re stuck with your carrier’s international data plans, which are often a lot more expensive.
If you don’t have the means to purchase the phone outright, you could opt for Apple’s Upgrade program, which lets you lease the phone through Klarna for 12 or 24 months. The phone will still be unlocked, but you’ll have to commit to one of the big three carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon.
Buy from a wireless provider
While there is a lot of freedom in buying an iPhone directly from Apple, it comes at a considerable cost. Even the most entry-level iPhone will cost you more than $600 upfront, while more premium handsets can easily cost over $1,000. On top of that, rising component costs could mean even higher prices going forward. It’s no wonder that so many Americans opt for carrier-based financing to purchase their phone. The iPhone 18 Pro could see a price hike, according to a Bloomberg report.
Not all carriers will offer financing, but the big three (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) certainly do. In addition to 12- and 24-month installments, some also offer financing up to 36 months, which is more than what Apple’s Upgrade program does. This can really help spread out your payments if you don’t mind sticking with one carrier for an extended period.
Beyond just being able to pay over time, purchasing an iPhone through your wireless carrier has other benefits, too. Carriers like T-Mobile, for example, offer a 5-year price guarantee on future handsets, which is especially attractive in times of economic uncertainty.
If you do plan to switch carriers when you buy a new phone, there are potentially even more incentives. Carriers often have new phone deals and could even offer financial assistance to pay off your current phone if you make the switch. There are also some that offer steep discounts if you trade in an existing phone. Sometimes, these incentives come in the form of bill credits, instead of an upfront discount or cashback.
Now that you have an idea about buying a new iPhone, check out our comprehensive guide to switching carriers if you’re looking for more insight on how to navigate the process.
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