Buying guide · October 2026
The best budget iPhone
Which cheap iPhone is worth buying? iPhone 17e ($699), on the figures below. A budget iPhone should cost as little as possible and still last: a recent chip for years of updates, a battery that gets through the day, and enough storage. We rank every iPhone Apple sells with price weighted most.
The ranking
The contenders, scored.
| # | iPhone | Price | Battery (video) | Chip | Refresh rate | Screen | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iPhone 17e | $699 | 26 h | A19 | 60 Hz | 6.1″ | 73 |
| 2 | iPhone 17 | $899 | 30 h | A19 | 120 Hz | 6.3″ | 50 |
| 3 | iPhone 16 | $799 | 22 h | A18 | 60 Hz | 6.1″ | 25 |
Only iPhones that start under $900 at Apple take part; the rest are not budget phones.
How the score works: each figure is scaled from the worst to the best phone in the table, then weighted (price 50%, battery (video) 15%, chip 15%, refresh rate 10%, screen 10%) and added up to 100. Figures from Apple's technical specifications; US prices from apple.com, checked October 2026.
Our advice
What we'd buy.
- iPhone 17e is the best budget iPhone: the lowest price, a current A19-family chip and 256 GB of storage to start.
- iPhone 17 costs $200 more and adds a 120 Hz screen, a second camera and four more hours of video; for many people that is the better value.
- iPhone 16 is not a bargain at full price: it starts at 128 GB with an older chip, and costs more than iPhone 17e.
Close call? Compare the top two drawn to scale: iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17 →
Set it up
- Apple’s Certified Refurbished store sells older iPhones with a new battery and a one-year warranty, often well below the new price.
What reviewers say
Their picks, in our words.
TechRadar · Mar 2026
TechRadar calls the 17e a meaningful refinement of Apple’s budget iPhone: the A19 chip, double the starting storage and MagSafe make it a more complete phone, with one camera and a 60 Hz screen as the compromises.
iPhone 17e review: Apple's budget iPhone is more complete than ever ↗Macworld · Oct 2026
Macworld says to choose iPhone 17e if spending as little as possible matters most, but calls iPhone 17 the best value in the lineup, and advises against iPhone 16 at full price.
Best iPhone 2026: Which iPhone should you buy? ↗
What reviewers say
More on iPhone 17e and iPhone 16
Their conclusions, in our words. Follow the links for the full reviews.
CNET · Apr 2026
For everyday use you likely won't feel a huge difference; the 17's gains are a 48MP ultrawide, an 18MP Center Stage selfie camera and a brighter screen.
iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16: Should You Upgrade? ↗Macworld · Oct 2025
If you already own an iPhone 16 you can keep it, but if you're upgrading from something older there is no reason to choose the 16 over the 17.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: The differences are astonishing ↗PCMag · Sep 2025
The iPhone 17 wins on display (120 Hz, brighter), cameras and battery; the 16 only wins on price, and it starts with half the storage.
Apple iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16: The Choice Is Clear ↗
FAQ
Questions people ask
- What is the cheapest iPhone worth buying?
- iPhone 17e, from $699 at Apple in the US.
- Is iPhone 17 worth $200 more than iPhone 17e?
- For most people yes: a 6.3-inch 120 Hz screen, a second 48MP camera and up to 30 hours of video against 26.
- Should I buy iPhone 16 to save money?
- Not at full price: it costs more than iPhone 17e, starts at 128 GB and has the older A18 chip.
More buying guides