The best cheap iPhones explained

✨ TL;DR: Best cheap iPhones summarized

It doesn’t have to be extremely pricey to get your hands on an iPhone. The best cheap iPhones, after all, are the ones that meet your needs and your budget. If you only use your phone for the basics, the iPhone 16e is the best entry-level phone available for a low price. The iPhone 13 mini is a great choice for students who are looking for something budget-friendly and compact. For photographers and content creators, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has an excellent camera setup, good processing power, and great battery life. The iPhone 15 is the best cheap base model you’ll find of Apple’s most recent lineups, while the iPhone SE (2020) is a good option if you’re looking for an iPhone under $100.00.

Why you can trust this best affordable iPhones list

​​​​​At Back Market, our goal is to make tech reliable and affordable. We stay up-to-date with tech, keeping our eye on the latest releases and sizing up how they compare to older devices. This includes keeping up with all things Apple, including new iPhone models.

Our third-party refurbishers have plenty of experience working with iPhones, from cleaning and repairing them to testing these devices. In this best cheap iPhones list, we use our extensive knowledge of Apple tech as well as real-world data to recommend iPhones that’ll be the best value for your budget. The best iPhone for you isn’t always the newest one; it’s the affordable iPhone that ticks all your boxes.

Best cheap iPhones overview

Which is the best cheap iPhone?

iPhone 16e — best affordable iPhone overall

If you want the newest tech but you’re on a budget, opt for the iPhone 16e. This entry-level smartphone was released in 2025 as the iPhone SE’s replacement, and it’s a significant step up from its predecessor in display size, internal hardware, and even camera quality. In fact, AppleVis calls it “an excellent ‘basic’ phone.”

The iPhone 16e boasts the A18 chip, allowing for fast performance even if the display does only have a 60 Hz refresh rate. Along with the A18 chip comes all the latest Apple Intelligence features, making the 16e perhaps one of the cheapest iPhones to support AI. The camera setup is decent for the price, with a 2-in-1 system boasting a 48MP main sensor that can also act as a 12MP 2x telephoto lens. The front camera is also 12MP.

The long battery life and fast charging are major pluses of this iPhone model — with 26 hours of video playback, you’ll enjoy a whopping 4 hours more of battery life than you would with an iPhone 16 base model. Multiple storage options make this phone even more attractive. The iPhone 16e will also get software support through 2031, making it one of the longest-lasting cheap iPhones on this list.

Of course, due to its cheaper price than the base model, some compromises can be expected. Its photo and video capabilities are nowhere near as good as the other phones in the iPhone 16 lineup, and you get fewer bells and whistles display-wise. If you’re just using this phone for basic messaging, calling, and streaming, though, this may not be a dealbreaker. Learn more about the iPhone 16 in our review.

✨The iPhone 16e is the best affordable iPhone overall, providing the newest tech at a lower price, even though some compromises are made.

iPhone 13 mini — best cheap pocket-friendly iPhone

If you’re looking for a compact iPhone, the best you’ll get is the iPhone 13 mini. Apple discontinued the mini versions of their smartphones after the iPhone 13 lineup, so this is perhaps the last pocket-friendly cheap iPhone on the market. The display is 5.4 in, with a height of 5.18 in (131.5 mm), a width of 2.53 in (64.2 mm), and a weight of 4.97 oz (141 g). This light phone is easy to use in one hand and still boasts modern features.

Its durable build, along with its small size, makes the iPhone 13 mini a worthwhile investment, and the color and storage options offer a range of customization opportunities not even afforded by the iPhone 16e. It supports 5G technology, and even with a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, the iPhone 13 mini still runs most apps and games smoothly with its A15 Bionic chip. Its 12MP dual-camera rear setup is decent, but the iPhone 16e’s single 48MP main sensor may have it beat by a little.

While the 13 mini looks and feels modern, some of the more modern features are missing. It does not, for example, support Apple Intelligence, and it still requires a Lightning cable for charging. If you’re prioritizing size and basic functionality over the newest bells and whistles, though, the iPhone 13 mini will get the job done.

✨If you’re looking for a cheap iPhone suited for one-handed use, the iPhone 13 mini is your best bet thanks to its small size and A15 Bionic chip.

iPhone 14 Pro Max — best budget iPhone for content creators

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is one of the best older iPhones there is, considering its plethora of storage options, hefty battery life, and large display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This high adaptive refresh rate, along with its large, Always-On display and 2000 nits of peak brightness outdoors, makes it perfect for any social media guru if you’re editing photos or videos.

And when it comes to taking photos and recording videos, the 14 Pro Max is just as powerful. Its Pro camera setup boasts 3 lenses in the back: a 48MP main, a 12MP ultra wide, and a 12MP telephoto lens. It also has 4 optical zoom options for a variety of angles as well as portrait mode, night mode, and macro photography capabilities. You can expect super high-resolution photos of 48MP. It can also shoot 4K video up to 60 fps and has an action mode — a major improvement on the 13 Pro Max. With support for ProRAW and ProRes, it makes capturing and editing photos and videos easy.

Interested in knowing our pick for the best iPhone for photography ?

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a photography and display powerhouse. While the tech may not be as updated as that of the iPhone 17 lineup, it will certainly do the trick for those just starting out in the iPhone photography world. The only major drawback of this phone is that it charges via Lightning cable.

✨The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a powerhouse that handles many types of photography and video recording easily and comes at a much lower price than the 16 and 17 Pro models.

iPhone 15 — best cheap base model

If you’re looking for a simple base model phone, some of the best iPhone deals you’ll find are for the iPhone 15. Given that it’s a few generations past, the price has dropped significantly since it was first released, but it still boasts a lot of the modern features that are present on newer phones.

The A16 Bionic chip with its 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU allows for crisp graphics and smooth transitions even with a screen refresh rate of only 60 Hz. Its rear dual-camera setup is also decent, putting out 24MP and 48MP photos with night mode and 3 optical zoom options. While it does lack some of the Pro photography features that are present on the 14 Pro Max, its camera setup is still more than good enough for casual photography.

Other updated features that you would expect on today’s iPhones include USB-C charging, Dynamic Island for the display, and multiple emergency features. While there is no 1TB storage option for this base model, it still offers up to 512GB and plenty of color options in case you want to customize.

✨If you’re looking for modern features in a simple base model, the iPhone 15 is a good deal for you.

iPhone SE (2020) — best iPhone under $100.00

If you’re looking for an iPhone under $100.00, your options are fairly slim these days. However, the iPhone SE (2020), or the second generation of the iPhone SE, will be your best choice for this budget. It lacks many modern features, and some of its hardware feels a little out of date, but it has a durable build and handles all the basic functions that you’d expect from a phone quite well.

For people looking for a compact phone, its small size will be a major plus — with a display size of just 4.7 in, it’s even smaller than the iPhone 13 mini we mentioned above. Its durable aluminum build is also a selling point. Its A13 Bionic chip handles apps and graphics seamlessly, but thanks to its small size, the battery life suffers with only 13 hours of video playback, and it still uses a Lightning cable for charging.

There’s less storage available on the SE (2020) than most of the other phones on this list, but since the camera setup isn’t nearly as good as the others, you may not need as much of that storage for photos or videos. For calling, texting, or browsing the internet or social media, though, this cheap iPhone is more than enough.

✨The iPhone SE (2020) is the cheapest of all these affordable iPhones, but it’s also arguably the most basic. That said, if all you need is texting, calling, and browsing apps or the internet, it will absolutely do the trick.

Best cheap iPhones — tech specs compared

*Back Market prices taken at the date of publication — these are subject to change.

Shopping tips: how to find the best iPhone deals

Finding a cheap iPhone these days isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. If you’re looking for a good deal, you can always wait for sales events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when many retailers significantly drop prices on new tech. Or, you can bundle your new iPhone with other accessories such as chargers, AirPods, or MacBooks for a good discount. It’s not always ideal to wait for sales events, however, and you may not have the budget for a bundle to buy more than one accessory.

If you’re looking for the best cheap iPhones year-round, check out Back Market. We specialize in Verified Refurbished devices, meaning our iPhones go through 100-point quality checks and are repaired to premium condition before they’re listed on our pages. This means you’ll get premium quality, but without the premium price tag.

Buying refurbished isn’t just better for your wallet, either — it’s also better for the planet. Buying refurbished devices helps keep e-waste out of landfills and reduces the need for new manufacturing by supporting a circular economy. It’s a win-win. And for your peace of mind, every purchase comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

✨In the end, always remember that the best new iPhone for you isn’t necessarily the latest release; it’s the one that fits your needs and your budget.

Trade in your old tech

Looking for another way to save on your new cheap iPhone? Trade in your old device for cash at Back Market. Our trade-in program makes things super simple: first, fill out an online form with details about your device to get an instant quote. Next, ship it to us using prepaid shipping labels. Finally, once everything is verified, you get paid with either money in your bank account for its trade-in value or with credit you can use towards a future purchase on Back Market.