Apple iPhone Mobile Phone Deals

GoCompare Man holding a phone

Whether you want a brand-new iPhone 11 on contract, or an iPhone 8 by itself, you can compare SIM-only deals for iPhones.

Key points

About Apple

Apple Computer Inc was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.

Apple has had numerous technology breakthroughs since, including the iPod in 2001, iPhone in 2007 and iPad in 2010, all running Apple’s own operating system, iOS. You'll find a lot of other phones on the market run on Android - discover more about iOS vs Android in our handy guide. 

In just the second quarter of 2020, Apple sold 49.7 million iPhones worldwide, making it Apple’s most profitable product. Popular iPhone models include the iPhone 8, iPhone XR and iPhone 11.

Apple’s latest phones have lots of high-tech features such as wireless charging, fingerprint and facial recognition, large, colourful OLED screens and all sorts of camera functions.

iPhone on contract

A contract will be for a set length of time, usually 12, 24 or 36 months, and with a fixed tariff.

An example of a mobile phone contract could be a package including an iPhone 8 handset, with unlimited texts, unlimited minutes and 20GB of data per month, lasting 24 months.

Generally, the more expensive the phone and more data you have, the more expensive the repayments will be. However, that isn’t to say that you can't get a good deal if you compare deals. Sometimes you might come across a package that has an upfront cost, making the monthly payments lower.

Some contracts have a minimum term date, which means if you cancel your contract before the minimum term has ended, you could be charged a fee. Additionally, to be accepted for a contract, you will need to pass a credit check as the iPhone isn’t technically yours until it’s fully paid off at the end of your contract.

Pay as you go

If you don’t fancy having your iPhone on a contract, a pay as you go (PAYG) plan might be a more flexible option for you.

To make calls and use your texts and data, you simply top your iPhone up with credit. When the credit runs out, you top it up again, as needed.

This is good if you don’t use your phone often, however, if you’re a frequent mobile user, PAYG might not be the most economical choice. Alternatively, you can look into a PAYG provider that offers bundles, or a SIM-only tariff.

SIM-only Tariffs

With a SIM-only tariff, you’ll have a monthly contract with a certain number of minutes, texts and data, but you won’t get an iPhone handset included. 

This can also be useful if you want to keep your current iPhone but want a SIM-deal with a specific amount of calls, texts and data each month..

You can compare different types of tariffs to find the right deal for you - whether you’ve got an iPhone model in mind, a certain budget, or you just want to see what's out there. 

Different iPhone’s explained

Choosing the right iPhone can be difficult as there are so many different iPhones available ranging in price from a few hundred to over £1000.

iPhone 8

The iPhone 8 is the cheapest iPhone that Apple still sells.

The iPhone 8 is desirable because it comes with a 4.7-inch display, great features and is cheaper than the latest models. You can also opt for the 8 Plus if you want with a 5.5 inch display and a faster A11 chip.

iPhone X

This series consists of the XS, XS Max, and XR.

These iPhones share a lot of the same features, however, there are a few differences.

The iPhone XS and XS Plus are super-powerful devices that have a dual-camera and lots of high-class specs. However, the XR is  very slightly more budget-friendly. The XR lacks a few features such as a telephoto zoom lens but it also has the best battery life of any iPhone.

iPhone 11

This range consists of the; iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.

These phones are very similar, having the same processor and memory capabilities. One of the main differences between these phones is their camera capabilities, the pro models come with triple rear cameras whereas the 11 only comes with dual. 

There are other small differences such as price, display sizes, design and colour variations too. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the most expensive iPhone you can buy.

Cheaper iPhones

If you want an iPhone cheaper than £500 you will need to look at earlier models, this includes the iPhone 6, iPhone 7, and the iPhone SE.

These older iPhones have been discontinued by Apple, but if you’re looking for a cheaper iPhone you can still find these online at second-hand, refurbished or other retailers who still have older models in stock.