The iPhone XR, which launched in September 2018, spent a year as the most popular iPhone, with premium features but a more affordable price tag than its siblings, the now discontinued iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
Now it has competition from four other iPhones: the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and the new iPhone SE. How can the iPhone XR match up to these handsets – which all have a better processor than it does?
Back in September 2019 the iPhone XR had had a price cut (with prices starting at £629/$599 if you buy the iPhone XR SIM-free from Apple). As a result there are some great iPhone XR deals to be had – but we suggest that you keep the price of the iPhone SE at the back of your mind as that newer iPhone SE costs just £419!
In fact, you can get an iPhone XR from Apple for even less than £629/$599 if you buy one from Apple’s Refurbished Store! The company is now selling the iPhone XR for as little as £499 (it’s refurbished, but essentially as good as new). More on that below.
In this article we bring you the very best iPhone XR deals. Our experts are continuously scouring the web for the best prices, both SIM-free and on contract. We’re finding that with the Coronavirus Lockdown happening the deals aren’t quite as good as they have been in the past, but there are still some good deals to be had if you shop around.
If you’re looking for Apple’s other iPhones, check out our round-up of the best iPhone 11 deals and our iPhone SE deals.
Read our iPhone XR review to find out if you should buy the iPhone XR.
iPhone XR price
The first thing you need to know before you decide to buy is how much the iPhone XR should cost. If you buy an iPhone XR directly from Apple you can choose between 64GB and 128GB of built-in storage, priced as follows:
- 64GB: £629/$599 (Was previously £749/$749)
- 128GB: £679/$649 (Was previously £799/$799)
- 256GB: Discontinued (Was previously £899/$899)
With the 128GB iPhone XR just costing a few pounds (or dollars) more than the 64GB model we’d suggest that you choose the model with greater capacity.
Keep these prices in mind when looking at deals because third-party resellers often quote the price from before Apple’s discount was applied to make their discount look better than it is!
Another thing to bear in mind is that Apple will sell you an iPhone XR for even less that the price given above if you have another iPhone to trade in. If you have an old iPhone have a look on Apple’s site to see how big a saving you might be able to get.
Best iPhone XR SIM-free deals
That’s how much Apple sells the iPhone XR for, but you don’t have to buy your iPhone from Apple. You might be able to save some money if you buy your SIM-free iPhone XR elsewhere.
In the past we have seen some great deals such as a 64GB iPhone XR at Amazon, Argos and John Lewis for just £549 (£80 off), but they are now back to the usual price of £629 – the same price as Apple sells the 64GB XR for.
With that in mind you certainly shouldn’t pay more than £629 for the 64GB model – surprisingly we have seen places selling a 64GB iPhone XR for more than Apple is!
Here is the best deal we’ve seen right now:
- eBuyer has a 64GB iPhone XR (normally £629) for £618.74 – here. However you need to factor in the price of postage, which starts at £3.49.
Another thing to look out for is if anywhere is selling the 256GB version that Apple used to sell for £899 but is no longer selling. We aren’t seeing any deals for this currently though.
Check our widget below for some more great iPhone XR offers.
Buying an iPhone SIM-free is a great way to save money if you already have a contract you are happy with, but what if you want to get a contract with your iPhone. We’ll look at the best contracts next.
Best iPhone XR contract deals
While it can be cheaper in the long run to buy an iPhone XR SIM-free, you may prefer signing up for a contract, where you can spread the cost over a year or two. We’ve got the best contract deals to share with you right here (although we have to say the deals are not as good as they were before Christmas 2019).
Look out for sweetener deals where mobile phone companies offer additional products to make the contract more appealing. For example, Mobile Phones Direct has an offer that includes a free set of AirPods with its iPhone XR contract deals at the moment.
iPhone XR 64GB, 3
£0 upfront, £31.50 a month for 24 months, 100GB data, unlimited minutes & texts. Total cost £756 after cashback. (You need to scroll down the page to find the deal).
Get the deal from Fonehouse here.
iPhone XR 64GB, 3
£79.99 upfront, £33.50 a month for 24 months, 100GB data, unlimited minutes & texts. Total cost £804 after cashback.
Get the deal from Mobile Phones Direct here.
iPhone XR 64GB, EE
£119.99 upfront, £29 a month for 24 months, 4GB data, unlimited minutes & texts. Total cost £815.99. (You need to search down their webpage for this deal).
Get the deal from e2save here.
You’ll find some of the best deals available in our widget below. It’s always up-to-date so you won’t miss out on the great deals.
iPhone XR refurbished/second-hand deals
Apple has been selling refurbished iPhone XR handsets for as little as £499 in its Certified Refurbished Store here. Currently only the 128GB models are available.
- The 64GB iPhone XR is £499 refurbished (that’s £130 off the new price – normally £629)
- The 128GB iPhone XR is £539 refurbished (that’s £140 off the new price – normally £679)
- The 256GB iPhone XR is £629 refurbished (that’s £150 off according to Apple – note that Apple no longer sells this model new but some places do still stock it)
The company also sells refurbished models of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, and XS Max. Read our advice about buying refurbished or second-hand iPhones here.
GiffGaff is also offering discounts on refurbished iPhone handsets – you can save up to £50 on the price of the already cut-price handset until 29 July.
GiffGaff says that its refurbished phones are “often practically unused when returned”. The company says it puts each handset through “rigorous testing for faults”. Each refurbished phone will be unlocked – so you won’t be tied to a particular network – and each has a 12-month warranty. You can get money off refurbished iPhone X, XR, XS and XS Max models here.
Deals include:
- iPhone XR 64GB for £479
- iPhone XR 128GB for £539
- iPhone XR 256GB for £589
Those prices mean the 256GB model is better value at GiffGaff than at Apple. You can also choose to pay monthly. Click here to get one of GiffGaff’s refusbished deals.
Don’t forget to make sure you’ve got a SIM-only contract to go with your new iPhone.
Where to buy the iPhone XR
You can buy the iPhone XR from the following retailers and networks:
In the US, you’ll be able to buy the iPhone XR from:
One you’ve got your iPhone XR, don’t forget to get a case: check out the best cases for the iPhone XR.
Via MACWORLD