iPhone 17
The standard model, still sold new alongside the 18 Pro. It is the point where the price stops rising faster than the capability.
What it costs, and who it is for
The iPhone 17 is a standard bar phone sold unlocked by Apple at $899 (Starting price at Apple). That figure is the cash price: no trade-in, no bill credit, no two-year commitment attached.
Most buyers. If the camera is not the reason you are upgrading, this is the model that makes the least compromise per dollar.
Buying unlocked and pairing the phone with a prepaid plan is usually the cheapest combination, because nothing ties the line to the device. The alternative — a carrier deal with a trade-in — can beat it, but only when the trade-in value is real and you intended to stay with that carrier anyway.
Current price at Apple — the source used for the figure above, checked on 2026-11-02.
Cheapest plans to pair with it
All plansRanked on the real cost over the first 12 months, with activation fees and promotional periods included. The phone is bought separately; none of these plans requires a contract.
Free plan
TextNow · 1 line
- 0 GB data
- 1 line
- T-Mobile
- No contract
12 Months of Light Plan
US Mobile · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
Light Plan
US Mobile · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
Starter 2 GB
Tello · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- T-Mobile
- No contract
We are funded by advertising, not by the plans we list. No operator pays for a position in this comparison. How we work.
Other Apple models
All phonesiPhone Duo
Apple’s foldable iPhone, and the largest display the company has put in a phone. It is the most expensive model in the lineup by a wide margin.
$1,999 Starting price at Apple
iPhone 18 Pro
The current Pro model: Apple positions it on camera and sustained performance rather than on size, with better battery life than the previous generation.
$1,199 Starting price at Apple
iPhone Air
A thin, light iPhone with Pro-level internals. The compromise is usually battery capacity, which is why it sits below the Pro on price.
$1,099 Starting price at Apple
Reading guides before deciding? How to choose a plan explains the data estimate and the coverage check that come before the price.