Best value iPhones right now
Scored on generation, display, camera, battery rating, charging and Apple Intelligence, divided by today's lowest QDN Certified price. Only models in stock are ranked.
- 1iPhone 16 Pro
What you get: A18 Pro · 120 Hz · 5× zoom · Apple Intelligence · USB-C
- 2iPhone 15 Pro Max
What you get: A17 Pro · 120 Hz · 5× zoom · Apple Intelligence · USB-C
- 3iPhone 15 Pro
What you get: A17 Pro · 120 Hz · 3× zoom · Apple Intelligence · USB-C
- 4iPhone 16 Pro Max
What you get: A18 Pro · 120 Hz · 5× zoom · Apple Intelligence · USB-C
- 5iPhone 16
What you get: A18 · Apple Intelligence · USB-C
- 6iPhone 14 Plus
What you get: A15 Bionic · the essentials
- 7iPhone 13 Pro Max
What you get: A15 Bionic · 120 Hz · 3× zoom
How we judge value
We score each model on the things that change how a phone feels to live with: how recent the chip is (which decides how many years of iOS updates lie ahead), whether the display is 120 Hz, whether there is a telephoto lens, Apple's battery rating, USB-C versus Lightning, and Apple Intelligence support. Then we divide by the price of the cheapest QDN Certified listing in stock. A phone that scores well but costs a lot slides down; an older phone at a very low price climbs.
The ranking is deliberately not a ranking of the best phone. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best phone we sell; it is rarely the best value, because you pay for the last ten percent.
The picks, by what you are after
Best value overall: a Pro from one or two generations back
The iPhone 15 Pro and 14 Pro bring the 120 Hz ProMotion display, a telephoto lens and the Dynamic Island at a price well below a new standard model. The 15 Pro adds USB-C, titanium and Apple Intelligence support; the 14 Pro is the budget route to the same screen and cameras.
Best iPhone on a budget: iPhone 13
The cheapest way into a phone that still runs the current iOS, takes good photos and has years of updates ahead. You give up USB-C, the 120 Hz screen and Apple Intelligence; you keep the money.
Best older iPhone: iPhone 13 Pro
If the budget says 13, the 13 Pro is worth the small step up: the 120 Hz display and the 3× telephoto make it feel a generation newer than it is.
Best recent iPhone without paying Pro money: iPhone 15 or 16
A 48 MP main camera, USB-C and the Dynamic Island. The 16 adds Apple Intelligence, the Action button and Camera Control; the 15 is the same phone a year older and cheaper.
Best bang for your buck if you want it all: iPhone 15 Pro Max
The 5× telephoto, the biggest battery rating of its generation and the full Pro feature set, at a used price that undercuts a new standard 16 Plus.
Is a Pro worth it used?
New, the Pro premium is $200 or more. Used, the gap narrows because standard models and Pros depreciate toward each other, and what the premium buys does not age: a 120 Hz display is still smoother three years on, and a telephoto lens still gets you closer. If you watch a lot of video, scroll a lot, or take photos of anything further than arm's length, a used Pro is the best money you can spend on a phone. If you mostly message, browse and take photos of people in front of you, the standard model is the value pick.
Questions people ask
Which iPhone is the best value for money?
For most people, a Pro model one or two generations old: the iPhone 15 Pro or 14 Pro. They bring the 120 Hz display and telephoto camera that the current standard models still lack, at a used price below a new standard iPhone. The ranking above reflects today's QDN prices.
What is the best iPhone on a budget?
The iPhone 13. It runs the current iOS, has a capable dual camera and should keep receiving updates for years. If you can stretch a little, the 13 Pro adds the 120 Hz display and a telephoto lens.
What is the best older iPhone to buy?
The iPhone 13 Pro or 14 Pro. Both have the ProMotion display and triple camera, and the 14 Pro adds the 48 MP main sensor and the Dynamic Island. We do not sell anything older than the iPhone 13.
What is the best iPhone to get right now?
If value matters most, see the live ranking above. If you want the best phone regardless, the iPhone 16 Pro Max; if you want the best balance of new features and price, the iPhone 16 or 15 Pro.
Is it worth buying the Pro Max over the Pro?
Only for the bigger screen and the longer battery rating, and on the 15 generation for the 5× telephoto. If you do not want a large phone, the Pro has everything else.
Should I buy more storage or a newer model?
More storage on an older model is usually the better value: used, the storage step costs less than new, and running out of space is the most common reason people replace a phone early.