With all the brackets hangingsweet, sweet trade-in and upgrade dealsTo essentially give you a "free" iPhone 13 (or two) this year, one can't help but wonder: which is the best? In this case, this would be the deal that costs you the least money but gives you the iPhone you want. Among all the complicated terms and confusing industry jargon, carriers certainly don't make it easy to compare different offers or make it clear what you're signing up for.
Carriers might be willingreport new clients for their results, but you also have to take care of your own. Ultimately, is it better to opt for a cheaper unlimited plan that requires a 36-month commitment, or get instant trade-in credits to pay slightly less sales tax up front? Should you be looking for offers that give you instant trade-in credits or receive trade-in credits in the form of account credits during your offer? Sometimes it is difficult to understand all the details until you have already signed the contract. To save you the trouble, I took a closer look at the fine print of these offers and did some back-of-the-napkin calculations to find out.
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Sean Hollister
In this case, I wanted to find out which offer offered the best overall value in the long run. For example, what is my initial and long-term cost to get the latest iPhone for free? For the purpose of this exercise, I pretended to be a new customer in New York, shopping for a phone line, looking to trade in her iPhone 11 for an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro,
A couple of important caveats about the numbers I'm going to provide: they are by no means final and are only meant to show how these promotions work. First, these carrier offers are time sensitive and may already be different by the time you read this. The specifics of your carrier package are affected by many personal factors, including your credit history, local tax rate, number of lines you need, and any special discounts you qualify for (eg military/veteran). I can only present a relatively basic set of numbers that do not reflect all of the many possible variations in the universe, so take my numbers with a grain of salt.
After comparing similar offers from AT&T, T-Mobile/Sprint, Verizon, Apple.com, I've noticed a few tips to help you find the best deal for you.
My staple food...
Sean Hollister
Look at the plans, not the free phone
Most trade-in loans are so high that they basically cover the cost of an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro — assuming the trade-in device is within the last two years and in good condition. So when looking at these deals, you shouldn't be distracted by the allure of a free iPhone. Instead, focus on the cost of the program after 24 to 36 months.
The duration of the contract is more important
The length of the contract has the biggest impact on separating the best value from the bad one. Although AT&T offers the cheapest unlimited plan among its competitors ($65 per month), after 36 months (the required length of time you must have service to get the best deal), it ended up costing the most money ($2,445 .30). Since most of its rivals' plans are only 24 months long, I calculated AT&T's 24-month plan just so I could compare apples to apples. The $65/month plan turns out to be the cheapest after 24 months ($1,630.20) and is even cheaper than a special offer between Apple and T-Mobile / Sprint ($1,713.60), which includes an extra $500 off the phone when sign up for the $85 Magenta/Sprint Max plan. It pays to bet on the full price of the plan for the duration of the contract before you sign it, because that's where you'll spend most of your money.
Credits for instant transactions
If you can pay your phone's balance in full at the time of purchase and live near an eligible Apple Store, you may want to take advantage of Apple Trade-In Credits. The beauty of instant trade-in credit is that you get value right away at the time of purchase, which reduces the sales tax you pay at checkout — unlike the online trade-in process, where your device has to be sent to a third party to be appraised before its true value can be assessed. credited to your monthly accounts for several months.
Exchanges with transactions
Although my hypothetical iPhone 11 trade-in credit (between $800 and $1,000) effectively makes my monthly payments for the device $0, since I must be on a monthly device payment plan as part of any trade-in offer, I may not complete the plan for my device 24 months ago. If I do, I'll be responsible for paying for the remainder of that "free" iPhone, lose the remaining value of my trade-in device, and (potentially) pay an early termination penalty. Now, if I paid for the device up front (ideally with instant transaction credit), I could choose a plan that better reflects my actual data usage.
Hidden costs
In some cases, your carrier may ask you to pay a down payment or an activation fee and offer you different contract periods based on your credit history. Although you won't pay directly for your iPhone when the trade-in credit kicks in, you'll still have to pay sales tax on the full price of the phone — there's no credit to get that cost back.
Overall winner: Verizon
Of all the carrier offerings, Verizon actually had the lowest total cost with its 24-month payment plans, even though it doesn't have the cheapest 5G plan or the shortest contract length. At $2,077.36 for the iPhone 13 and $2,285.36 for the iPhone 13 Pro, those totals don't even include the $500 gift card Verizon offers to customers who switch carriers. On the other hand, the most expensive carrier offering comes from AT&T and its ultra-long 36-month contract. Not only does it cost more than your hard-earned money, but your iPhone 13 will be so outdated after three years that you could end up paying to break the contract.
iPhone 13
| iPhone 13 | AT&T | T-Mobile/Sprint | Verizon | Apple.com | T-Mobile/Sprint preko Apple.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price | 799 dollars | 799 dollars | 799 dollars | $829 (unlocked) | 799,00 $ |
| Trade-in value (iPhone 11) | 800 dollars | 800 dollars | 800 dollars | $340 (Instant Credit or Apple Gift Card) | USD 340 (direct credit at checkout) |
| Price of device at checkout = tax (4.5%) | 35,96 $ | 35,96 $ | 35,96 $ | 22.01 dollars | 20.66 dollars |
| End of activation | 30 dollars | 30 dollars | 35 dollars | 0 | 30 dollars |
| Cost of financing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Financing | 36 months old | 24 months (up to 30 months depending on the loan) | 24 months (up to 30 months depending on the loan) | 24 months (must use Apple Card) | 24 months old |
| iPhone 13 monthly cost | $22.19 - $22.22 (account credits) = -0.03 | $33.29 - $33.33 (account credits) = -0.04 | $33.29 - $33.33 (account credits) = -0.04 | 20,38 $ | 19,13 $ |
| Design required | $65 per month (cheapest unlimited plan) | $85 per month (Magenta/Sprint Max, includes tax) | $80 per month (Play Unlimited) | choose any carrier design | $85 per month (Magenta/Sprint Max) |
| Required program + applicable tax (4.5%) x financing period | 67,93 $ x 36 = 2445,48 $ (67,93 $ x 24 = 1630,32 $) | 85 $ x 24 = 2040 $ | 83,60 $ x 24 = 2006,40 $ | it depends on your plan | 85 $ - 16,67 $ x 4,5 % x 24 = 1713,60 $ |
| Total cost | 2,511.26 dollars | $2,105.96 | 2,077.36 dollars | 511,01 USD + plan | 2,223.26 dollars |
| Privileges/Remarks | Can pay $5 each month to upgrade faster | Part of Forever Upgrade (get a free iPhone up to $800 every 2 years) | $500 gift card if you transfer from another company. You must stay with Verizon for 12 months. | To pay for the phone in 24 installments, you must use Apple Card or Citizens One. get 3% back on the full price of the phone ($23.97) | $500 maximum magenta rebate in the form of 24 account credits ($16.67). requires application. transactions with Apple |
Table of different mobile deals available for iPhone 13.
iPhone 13 Pro
| iPhone 13 Pro | AT&T | T-Mobile/Sprint | Verizon | Apple.com | T-Mobile/Sprint preko Apple.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price | 999 dollars | 999 dollars | 999 dollars | $999 (unlocked) | 999,00 $ |
| Trade-in value (iPhone 11) | 1,000 dollars | 800 dollars | 800 dollars | $340 (Instant Credit or Apple Gift Card) | $340 (current credit) |
| Price of device at checkout = tax (4.5%) | 44.96 dollars | 44.96 dollars | 44.96 dollars | 29.66 dollars | 29.66 dollars |
| End of activation | 30 dollars | 30 dollars | 35 dollars | 0 | 30 dollars |
| Cost of financing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Financing | 36 months old | 24 months (up to 30 months depending on credit history) | 24 months (up to 30 months depending on credit history) | 24 months old | 24 months old |
| iPhone 13 monthly cost | $27.75 - (account credit 27.78) = -$0.03 | $8.28 + ($33.33 account credit) = $0 | $8.29 + ($33.33 account credit) = $0 | 27.46 dollars | 27.46 dollars |
| Design required | $65 (cheapest unlimited plan) | $85 per month (Magenta/Sprint Max, includes tax) | $80 (Play Unlimited) | choose any design | $85 per month (Magenta/Sprint Max) |
| Required program + applicable tax (4.5%) x financing period | 67,93 $ x 36 = 2445,48 $ (67,93 $ x 24 = 1630,32 $) | 85 $ X 24 = 2105,96 $ | 83,60 $ x 24 = 2006,40 $ | It depends | 85 $ - 16,67 $ x 4,5 % x 24 = 1713,60 $ |
| Total cost | 2,520.26 dollars | $2,379.92 | 2.285,36 ​​$ | 688,66 $ + plan | 2.432,26 $ |
| Privileges | Can pay $5 each month to upgrade faster | Part of Forever Upgrade (get a free iPhone up to $800 every 2 years) | $500 gift card if you transfer from another company. You must stay with Verizon for 12 months. | To pay for the phone in 24 installments, you must use Apple Card or Citizens One. get 3% back on the full price of the phone ($23.97) | $500 off Magenta Max plan in the form of 24 account credits ($16.67). requires application |
This table compares all iPhone 13 Pro offers.
Correction, September 27, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. ET:An earlier version of this article misstated the trade-in value of a used iPhone 11 for the iPhone 13 Pro from T-Mobile and Verizon. The iPhone 13 Pro chart has been updated to reflect the correct trade-in prices ($800), as well as the corresponding monthly payments and total costs. The copy has also been updated with the exact total cost of the iPhone 13 Pro trade-in offer from Verizon.
Correction, September 28, 2021 at 10:36 a.m. ET:An earlier version of the two tables incorrectly added sales tax to T-Mobile/Sprint Magenta/Sprint Max plans, when in fact T-Mobile and Sprint's $85/month plan already includes the tax. The charts have been updated to reflect the exact cost of this program and the total cost of this trade offer.
FAQs
Where do I find tips on my iPhone 13? ›
Go to Settings > Notifications. Tap Tips below Notification Style, then turn on Allow Notifications. Choose options for the location and style of tip notifications, when they should appear, and more.
How much should I be paying for an iPhone 13? ›Pricing on the iPhone 13 mini now starts at $599, while pricing on the iPhone 13 starts at $699.
What is the best price of iPhone 13 in store? ›- MRP ₹69,900.
- â‚ą62,200 or EMI â‚ą2,592*
- HDFC Cards Offer Price: â‚ą60,200 inclusive of â‚ą2,000 cashback.
- HDFC Cards Offer Price: â‚ą60,200 inclusive of â‚ą2,000 cashback.
- Get it by Jun 08 - Jun 11.
- FREE delivery by imagine.
- Wear and Tear. ...
- Proof of Purchase. ...
- IMEI Number. ...
- Serial Number. ...
- Part Authenticity. ...
- Touch Test. ...
- Camera Test. ...
- Speaker Test.
- A huge leap in battery life. Learn more about battery life — and other key features.
- A15 Bionic. A lightning‑fast chip. ...
- Chill if you spill. ...
- Don't freak over a fumble. ...
- A new dual‑camera system, for photos worth a double take. ...
- Cinematic mode. ...
- A front camera that doesn't take a back seat. ...
- Beauty is screen deep.
- Ask Apps Not to Track You. Image credit: AllThings.How. ...
- Check Warranty. If you need to fix your phone or just want to check when your warranty expires, you can do this from your settings. ...
- Automatic Low Power Mode. ...
- Use Siri to Share Content. ...
- Camera Benefits. ...
- Double Tap for Screenshots. ...
- Live Text. ...
- Personalized Focus Mode.
You could get it even cheaper if you buy the phone outright and pair with a cheap Sim. By buying each separately, you could save over the contract term.
Is iPhone 13 worth buying? ›All things considered, if you want a smartphone that doesn't cost a lot, offers great performance, reliable cameras, long battery life, and a great app ecosystem, the iPhone 13 is a perfect choice. Moreover, buying an iPhone 13 today could even save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.
How much will iPhone 14 cost? ›Pricing for each model starts at: iPhone 14: $799* iPhone 14 Plus: $899* iPhone 14 Pro: $999.
Has the price of iPhone 13 dropped? ›iPhone 13 price drop on Flipkart
69900. Similar to the iPhone 14, here too you can opt for the exchange offer to get further reduction of up to Rs. 30000, bringing the cost of the phone down to Rs. 31999.
Will iPhone prices drop after iPhone 13? ›
You should still wait. Apple usually reduces the prices of previous iPhone models when introducing new models, just like it did with the iPhone 12 last year. The 64GB iPhone 12, for example, got a price cut to $700 from $800 after the iPhone 13 was announced. The iPhone 11, meanwhile, dropped to $500 in 2021.
Which iPhone 13 sales the most? ›In the report, eight of Apple's smartphone models made it to the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones. The iPhone 13, which was launched in 2021, secured the first position as the best-selling model, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max followed at second and third positions, respectively.
Does Apple phone have a tip calculator? ›The tip calculator that makes Tip calculating and splitting as easy as it gets on both the iPhone and iPad! Just enter the bill amount and "Tipping made easy" calculates the tip and total value. No need to do math after a night out and never put the wrong numbers into the gratuity field again!
What is the best tip calculator app for iPhone? ›The most popular, free tip calculator available in the App Store with well over a million downloads! QuickTip provides a fast and convenient way to calculate the gratuity for any bill. Using large text and simple controls, QuickTip is an easy and fun way to figure out tips.
Is iPhone 13 worth buying in 2023? ›The iPhone 13 remains an excellent investment in 2023. Interested buyers will be able to pick up the last-gen flagship for some discounts while maintaining the A15 Bionic SoC performance.
Is the iPhone 13 waterproof? ›iPhone 13 – Apple's iPhone 13 is rated IP68 too meaning you can submerge in water up to 6 meters for a period of 30 minutes. iPhone 13 features a smaller notch compared to the iPhone 12.
How long can iPhone 13 battery last? ›The baseline iPhone 13 has a battery capacity of 3,227mAh and is rated to last up to 2.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12. Per Apple's battery tests, that works out to up to 19 hours of video playback, up to 15 hours of streaming online video, and up to 75 hours of audio playback.
Does iPhone 13 heat up? ›Your device might get warm
You might notice that your device feels warmer when you: Set up your device the first time. Restore from a backup. Wirelessly charge your device.
The ‌iPhone 13‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ both feature the same display size, 5G connectivity, A15 Bionic chip, and design. Nevertheless, the ‌iPhone 14‌ still offers a number of upgrades, such as an additional GPU core, Emergency SOS via satellite, the Photonic Engine, and Action Mode.
What phone company gives you a free iPhone 13? ›Verizon iPhone 13: Free + $200
Switch to Verizon on Unlimited Plus and get the Apple iPhone 13 free. Plus, you can also get a $200 Verizon gift card.
Is it better to buy a cell phone outright or on a plan? ›
So, does buying your cell phone outright save you money? The answer is yes – kind of. It's better if you use the pain of buying the cell phone outright to keep you from buying new phones all the time. And it's better if you use the extra money saved each month from lower cell phone bills to invest.
How long will it take for iPhone 13 to drop price? ›Put the purchase on hold. Recent research has claimed there will be a huge decline in iPhone prices in 2022. This means you can get a better deal if you buy an iPhone next year.
Should I buy the iPhone 13 or 14? ›For many people, the iPhone 13 is more than enough. You still get excellent performance, a great camera, and a modern design for $100 less than the iPhone 14. If you have the money to spend, however, you should consider going for the iPhone 14 because of those camera upgrades.
Which Colour iPhone 13 is best? ›For most people, the Midnight iPhone 13 is probably the best way to go. After all, it's hard to go wrong with black, and it's always iconic and just goes with everything. If you don't like dark colors, Starlight is a good alternative that remains neutral.
How do I transfer everything from my old iPhone to a new iPhone? ›Make sure that your current device is connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is on. Turn on your new device and place it near your current device. Follow the onscreen instructions to get started. If the prompt to set up your new device disappears from your current device, restart both devices.
How much is a iPhone 15? ›Pricing on the iPhone 15 models is expected to remain the same, with the standard entry-level 6.1-inch device starting at $799 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus starting at $899.
What iPhone has the best camera quality? ›The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max are the clear winners for the best iPhone camera award. If you want the best viewing experience, then go for the Max. If you like a smaller phone, the iPhone 14 Pro is for you.
Is iPhone 14 going to sell out? ›iPhone 14 has already sold out around the world, leaving Apple struggling to meet the demand for its latest flagship series. Apple has shocked its fans and proved manay analyst wrong when they said it would find it tough to sell the iPhone 14 in these tough economic times.
Should I wait for Black Friday to buy iPhone 13? ›Black Friday is one of the best times to buy an iPhone, especially if you're hoping to save on an older generation (like the iPhone 14, iPhone 13, or iPhone SE). Still, you'll find tons of Black Friday deals on the latest iPhone model this year from various retailers and phone carriers.
What is the best time to buy iPhone in USA? ›“One of the best times of year to buy an iPhone is in September or October, when new models are typically announced and older iPhone generations tend to go on sale.”
Why is the iPhone 13 still so expensive? ›
Then why are they still expensive? That is because Indian manufacturing plants of Foxconn and Wistron only get to assemble the iPhones, while most components are imported from outside. Hence, import duties on components are applicable, which adds to the overall cost.
Why is iPhone 13 more expensive than 14? ›The increase in cost is largely made up of the chip, display, and camera changes, which also now take up a larger share of the bill of materials itself.
What will be the price of iPhone 13 after iPhone 15 release? ›It would potentially help you understand how Apple iPhone 15 stands against Apple iPhone 13 and which one should you buy The current lowest price found for Apple iPhone 15 is ₹82,990 and for Apple iPhone 13 is ₹61,999. The details of both of these products were last updated on Jun 04, 2023.
Why is iPhone 14 cheaper? ›“Consumers' perceived lack of innovation within the iPhone 14 base range has led to poor take-up of the device, post physical release,” explains the report. “This means demand is low on the resale market, too, so the value of the base range has dropped significantly.”
Which iPhone sold most? ›- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max.
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max.
- Samsung Galaxy A13.
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro.
- Apple iPhone 12.
- Apple iPhone 14.
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro.
- Apple iPhone SE 2022.
Apple Phones
The iPhone 13, which alone contributes 28% of iPhone sales—nearly one-third proportion— is the best-selling mobile phone in 2022.
Together the two manufacturers account for almost 80 percent of smartphone unit sales in the country. Apple's iPhone is the most popular smartphone with U.S. American consumers, with 51 percent of subscribers using an Apple device as of January 2022.
What does *# 30 do on iPhone? ›Code: *#30#
In that case, you can use this code to check if Call Line Presentation is enabled or disabled.
- #1 Scan Copy Text from Photos/iPhone Camera.
- #2 Schedule Notifications on iPhone 13.
- #3 Make a Light Blink as a Notification.
- #4 Take Photos with the Volume Button.
- #5 Let Siri Help You Take Photos.
- #6 Use a Hidden Dark Mode.
- #7 Auto-Schedule Low Power Mode to Save Battery.
- #8 Manage Smart Data Mode.
Go to Settings > Notifications. Tap Tips below Notification Style, then turn on Allow Notifications. Choose options for the location and style of tip notifications, when they should appear, and more.
Which app gives the best tips? ›
- Gratitude Tipping. Android and iPhone (Available for Ipad) By Enjay Training Ltd. ...
- Tip N Split Tip Calculator. Android and iPhone. ...
- Gratuity. iPhone and Android. ...
- Tip Me. Android. ...
- Restaurant Tip & Split Calculator. Android. ...
- GlobeTips-Travel Tips. By levgenii Lebid. ...
- Tipster. By Fueled.
A fake calculator app is a secret smartphone app for iPhone and Android that is created with the purpose of hiding images, videos, and files on a smartphone secretly. These fake calculator apps are secret apps designed to look like a normal calculator app on a smartphone while hiding their real purpose.
How do you close apps on Iphone 13? ›- From the Home Screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen.
- Swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close.
- Swipe up on the app's preview to close the app.
Simply swipe right from the first page of the home screen, lock screen or notifications window, then tap "Edit" at the bottom of today's view page. Tap the "+" icon , then search for Shortcuts, select Calculate Tip, drag the new widget to place it where you want it, and then tap "Done".
How do I remove tips from my Iphone? ›- Open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- In the Notification Style section, tap Tips. The apps in this menu appear alphabetically.
- Turn off the Allow Notifications toggle switch.
- Repeat these steps for any app in the Notification settings to stop them from sending you messages.
Stop Closing Apps on Your iPhone Constantly
You shouldn't swipe away all the apps in the App Switcher. Doing so prevents iOS from running as intended, wastes power by forcing apps to reload for no reason, and makes switching between apps less convenient.
Force Closing apps: When you need to do it on iPhone
On an iPhone, you only need to force close apps when they start misbehaving.
Tipsy is a fast and fun tip calculator for iPhone and Apple Watch.
What is the shortcut thing on iPhone? ›- In the Shortcuts app on your iOS or iPadOS device, Tap in the upper-right corner of the screen. ...
- Tap New Shortcut, tap Rename, type the name of your shortcut, then tap Done.
- Tap Add Action. ...
- Tap a category (such as Media or Web), then tap an action in the list to add it to your shortcut.
- Quick-Switch From Numbers to Letters. ...
- Remove Last Number in Calculations. ...
- Assign a Back Tap Function. ...
- Drag the Volume. ...
- Use the Hidden Trackpad. ...
- Turn Off In-App Ratings & Review Prompts. ...
- Long Press Back Buttons. ...
- QuickTake Video.
Does iCloud free up storage on iPhone? ›
If you see a message that your device's storage is full, you can free up space by using iCloud Photos or deleting content on your device.