The iPhone X was announced at a special event on September 12, 2017, and has been available for purchase since November of 2017. The base model of iPhone X with 64GB of storage starts at a whopping $1,000. The 256GB variant is an extra $150. And in both cases, you only get two color options: Silver and space gray.
Protecting your investment isn’t any cheaper. Apple’s AppleCare+ insurance is pricey — it will cost $199, which is quite a bit more than the $129 price offered for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. With AppleCare+, you get two years of coverage for manufacturer defects and battery life issues, as well as two incidents of accidental damage. Prices for other forms of damage remain the same — $29 for a screen replacement, and $99 for more serious issues.
Thankfully, all four major carriers are issuing special discounts and promotions to earn your business. In this guide, we take a look at all the deals out there to make Apple’s latest and greatest a bit kinder to your wallet. If the iPhone X is out of your budget, peruse the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus buying guide to see if they might be a better fit.
How to buy an unlocked iPhone X
The SIM-free version of the iPhone X is available for purchase. If you choose this option, the phone comes without a carrier SIM card, which works well if you want to insert your existing SIM, switch between networks at your leisure, or often travel internationally (switching SIMs as you go). If you want to buy the device with no commitment, then this is the way to go. Apple also offers financing, so you aren’t required to pay for everything upfront.
Through Apple’s upgrade plan, the 64GB iPhone X will cost $49.91 per month, while the 256GB version will come at a cool $56.16 per month. For those unfamiliar with the iPhone upgrade plan, it’s a 24-month payment plan for an unlocked phone. Folks who’ve enrolled can upgrade to a new phone every 12 months, at which point the 24-month cycle will start anew.
U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is currently offering new and existing customers the chance to get their hands on the iPhone X for just $10 a month. The deal is open to anyone who opens a new line with unlimited data, and the iPhone X will be available to them for just $10 a month on U.S. Cellular’s standard 30-month installment plan.
The best part of the deal? There’s no trade-in required, so you can do with your old phone as you’d like.
Best Buy
Best Buy originally offered customers the unlocked version of the iPhone X — but for what looked like a higher price. The retailer stopped sales of the device after customers complained it was charging $100 more than Apple, Bloomberg reports. Best Buy’s site listed the iPhone X for $1,100 and $1,250 for the 64GB and 256GB models, respectively. Meanwhile, Apple’s pricing is listed at $1,000 and $1,150.
Following the confusion, Best Buy released a statement addressing the $100 premium. The company explained it receives payments from carriers when it sells phones that are activated on a specific carriers’ network. But when devices are sold without carrier activation, it no longer makes that money.
In response to the negative reaction from customers, Best Buy is now selling the iPhone X through carriers instead — which are priced the same as Apple. On the site, you will be able to choose between AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint before completing your purchase.
How to buy on T-Mobile
T-Mobile’s pricing for the iPhone X is the same as Apple’s — the phone starts at $1,000. You have to fork over $280 as a down payment on the 64GB model, at which point the phone costs $30 each month for two years. If you want the 256GB model, it is $430 upfront with the same monthly cost.
There is one way to save, potentially. T-Mobile will issue you up to $300 toward your iPhone X if you trade in your iPhone 6 or newer in “good condition.” (The deal also applies to the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.) The savings will be issued in 24 monthly bill credits, so you receive them in installments over the life of the device as you pay it off.
If you’re planning on getting the iPhone X’s successor next year, you might be interested in T-Mobile’s early upgrade program: Jump On Demand. Once you pay off half the cost of your iPhone X, you can upgrade to next year’s model free and clear.
The 64GB iPhone X is $0 down and $41.56 per month on Jump On Demand, and the 256GB model is $430 down for $24 per month.
How to buy on Verizon
For the iPhone X, America’s largest carrier is offering up to $300 in bill credits for trade-ins.
New and existing customers on the Verizon Plan Unlimited, Go Unlimited, and Beyond Unlimited plans are eligible, and credits vary by the age of the traded-in phone. Here’s a breakdown:
Up to $300 off the iPhone X:
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- Google Pixel XL
- LG G6
- Moto Z2 Force
- Samsung Galaxy S7
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S8
- Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
Up to $200 off the iPhone X:
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone SE
- Google Pixel
- LG G5
- LG V30
- Moto Z Force
- Moto Z Droid
- Moto Z2 Play
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
- Samsung Note 5
Up to $100 off the iPhone X:
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5C
- iPhone 5S
- HTC 10
- Moto Z Play
- Samsung Galaxy S5
- Samsung Note Edge
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Verizon says the credits will show up one to two months after receipt of your old device.
In addition to the trade-in deal, Verizon will let customers on its device leasing program upgrade to the next iPhone once they’ve paid off 50 percent of the iPhone X.
How to buy on Sprint
For a limited time, new and current Sprint customers who get a 64GB iPhone on Sprint Flex can save $350 and pay $22.22 per month for 18 months ($400) if they trade in their old phone.
Customers on Sprint’s iPhone Forever program can upgrade to the iPhone X after 12 Sprint Flex payments.
Here’s a list of eligible trade-in devices:
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S8
- Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S7
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- Samsung Note 5
- LG G5
- LG G6
- LG V20
- Google Pixel
- Google Pixel XL
- Moto Z Droid
- Moto Z Play
- Moto Z2 Force
- Moto Z Force Droid
- Moto Z2 Play
- Blackberry KeyOne
- HTC U11
Sprint is offering another deal for iPhone X buyers: Best Deal Guarantee. If customers see a better offer on a “nationally advertised price” from another carrier within 14 days of purchase, it’ll match the difference with a Visa Prepaid card.
How to buy on AT&T
At AT&T, overall pricing is the same as you’ll find elsewhere, though the month-to-month cost differs depending on the plan you choose. Under AT&T Next, you can expect to pay $33.34 every month for a 64GB model, and $38.34 for a 256GB one. Opting into AT&T’s Every Year early upgrade program increases the costs of those installments to $41.67 and $47.92, respectively.
Updated on June 1, 2018: The iPhone X is now available from U.S. Cellular for just $10 a month.
