The best Black Friday iPhone deals you can still get: I'm tracking the lowest prices

(Image credit: Future)

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Quick Deal Links
Who are they for?
Key Differences
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Verdict
iPhone deals at Apple

Black Friday may be technically over, but you've still got plenty of ways to save on Apple's iPhone as Cyber Monday approaches — including deals that let you have the latest models for a song.

When it comes to looking for a new iPhone, one of the big questions is which you will be going for. This is especially pressing when it comes to the iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 16 Pro debate. Thankfully, we happen to have some expertise on the subject and are happy to give our two cents on the matter right here so you don't have to keep swapping tabs.

As we look beyond the best Black Friday phone deals to see what deals remain in place during the weekend, we're finding discounts on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro that are available in many different forms. My favorite Black Friday iPhone deal right now lets you have the iPhone 16 for just $.01 on Amazon when you sign up for a Boost Mobile unlimited plan. If you don't mind an older model, there's also a deal where you can get four free iPhone 15 Plus models through Verizon.

Below, you'll find a lot of great options for saving money on your next iPhone. Plus, we'll break down some of the differences between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro as we steer you toward more iPhone deals.

Best Black Friday iPhone deals: Quick links

Apple iPhone 16: was $829 now $0.01 at Amazon
Apple iPhone 16 Pro: was $999 now free @ Verizon
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Get 4 iPhone 15 Plus devices for free @ Verizon
iPhone 16: free with trade-in @ Verizon
iPhone 16 Plus: was $922 now free @ Verizon
iPhone 16 Pro: half off unlimited service for a year @ Mint Mobile
iPhone 16 Pro: free $200 gift card @ Visible
iPhone 16 Pro Max: free $250 gift card @ Visible
Apple iPhone 15: was $729 now $679 @ BestBuy
Apple iPhone 15: was $699 now $349 @ Boost Mobile
iPhone 12: was $299 now $199 @ Walmart
iPhone 12 w/ Apple Watch SE: $99 @ Metro by T-Mobile

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: What should you buy?

iPhone 16 Pro shown held in hand — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Quite frankly, if you consider yourself a power user, then the iPhone 16 Pro would be the more suitable model to pick. There are reasons why it has the "Pro" name — and it’s backed by features that prove it. Therefore, if you want the fastest performance, longest battery life, and the best cameras, the iPhone 16 Pro is the logical choice.

In contrast, the iPhone 16 is more of a mainstream model that’s still satisfying in its own right, even if it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles Apple adds to the Pro version. That makes sense given how the standard iPhone costs less than its sibling. I think it’ll suffice for the vast majority of people, especially if they’re just looking for the basics like using the iPhone for their social media, sending out emails, and watching the occasional videos.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Key differences

Apple iPhone 16 held in the hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Obviously, there are key differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, with most giving the Pro model a distinct advantage. I’m not saying that the iPhone 16 is a total wash, but you’ll get more out of the Pro.

Here’s what the iPhone 16 Pro has going for it:

Premium design. The iPhone 16 Pro looks and feels like a more premium phone, due to how it features a titanium frame and an overall more solid construction.
Larger screen, faster refresh rate. I’ll admit that the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch OLED display looks good, but it’s not as sharp or colorful as the 6.3-inch OLED panel in the iPhone 16 Pro. Not only is it larger, but I can see how the 120Hz refresh rate on the Pro display makes animations and games appear to run smoother than the iPhone 16’s dated 60Hz refresh rate.
Versatile triple cameras. I’ve put the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera to the test against some of the best camera phones out there in a series of 200 photo face-offs, and Apple's phone tops them all. What makes the iPhone 16 Pro awesome is the utility of having three cameras here, rather than just two on the iPhone 16. Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro's dedicated 12MP telephoto camera features a 5x optical zoom that lets me get closer to subjects.
More video recording features. New this year with the iPhone 16 Pro is the ability to shoot natively in 4K 120fps, compared to the iPhone 16’s maximum 4K 60fps video recording. If that’s not enough, the iPhone 16 Pro also packs studio-quality microphones that capture higher-fidelity audio while recording video.
Faster overall performance. Even though the two phones leverage Apple’s next-generation chipset, the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro silicon is simply much more powerful than the A18 chip in the iPhone 16. While you won’t see a whole lot of difference with basic tasks, where I do see the biggest difference is in how the A18 Pro delivers smoother graphics processing — as well as handling more complex stuff like rendering 4K video.
Longer battery life. Due to its larger size, Apple can cram a larger battery in the iPhone 16 Pro. In Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test, it reached a time of 14 hours and 7 minutes — which is longer than the iPhone 16’s mark of 13 hours and 19 minutes.

We've focused on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, but Apple has two larger models, too. Think of the iPhone 16 Plus as a bigger version of the iPhone 16 — the Plus has a 6.7-inch screen — while the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a 6.9-inch panel compared to 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro.

The larger sizes mean the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max can offer larger batteries. They also last the longest on our battery test with both bigger iPhones landing on our best phone battery life list.

Other than those differences, the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 share the same feature set, as do the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Plus costs $100 more than the iPhone 16, while the Pro Max costs $1,199 — $200 more than the iPhone 16 Pro.

Best iPhone Black Friday deals

With that out of the way let's get into the deals to see if there's a new iPhone in your future. As I said at the beginning, there are various sales that practically give them to you for free — though with a catch of some kind. Alternatively, there are plenty of deals for older phones, just in case you're not that bothered about being on the cutting edge.

Get the highest storage capacity of the iPhone 16 for $0.01 with Amazon’s Black Friday deal with Boost Mobile. Again, you have to pay $65/month over 36 months for the carrier's unlimited data plan. There's extra fees associated with the 256GB and 512GB versions. (The latter model is sold out as of this writing.)

Amazon and Boost have offered a similar deal for the iPhone 16 Pro, though that model is currently listed as out of stock. So is the iPhone 16 Pro Max, so it looks like the iPhone 16 is your best bet to save, unless the Pro models get restocked during the weekend.

Technically speaking, you can snatch the iPhone 16 Pro with 128GB for $0.00/month for 36 months. But as is the case with most carriers deals, you're really just getting back the cost of the iPhone 16 Pro in the form of bill credits spread out over 36 months. You're also required to sign up for Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate plan, the most expensive of the carrier's three unlimited data options at $90/month for a single line. If you want to sign up for a cheaper unlimited plan — or if you're an existing Verizon customer who's upgrading your phone without opening a new line of data — you'll need to trade-in a device for credit off the cost of the iPhone.

iPhone 16 Pro: Half off unlimited service for a year @ Mint Mobile
Mint's offer is less about a discount on the iPhone 16 Pro — you're paying $999 for the phone, though you can trade in your current device to get some money back — and more about wireless service through T-Mobile's discount carrier. Buying an iPhone 16 Pro lets you get a year of unlimited data at Mint for $15/month — half off the usual cost. You do have to pay for that service in advance, so that's $180 on top of the cost of the phone.

iPhone 16 Pro: was $999 now free @ Xfinity Mobile
If you get your internet from Xfinity, it may be worth it to bundle your phone service. (Xfinity Mobile uses Verizon's network for coverage.) That also puts you in a position to benefit from Xfinity's free iPhone 16 Pro deal. Trade-in a device and sign up for the carrier's Unlimited Plus plan, and you can get the Pro model for free. Unlimited Plus costs $50/month — $10 more than the regular unlimited plan at the carrier — but Xfinity does drop the per line price as you add more people to your plan.

If you want a solid phone that can perform most tasks perfectly and have no interest in Apple Intelligence then I can think of little better than the iPhone 14 Plus. I had one of these for years, and it never let me down. The display is big enough to show off any movie or show you care to watch. If you want a stable smartphone without a host of bells and whistles, this is the one for you. Activate the phone with a carrier at Best Buy, and you can knock another $100 off the price, giving you the iPhone 14 Plus for $529.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Verdict

Given how there are Black Friday deals on both iPhones that make them practically free, I would recommend getting the iPhone 16 Pro. It’s a much more future proof device from the get-go and its faster processor makes Apple Intelligence run faster. That could be important as Apple adds more AI features in the future that could depend heavily on extra processing power. For example, we’ve seen how the iPhone 15 Pro got access to Apple Intelligence features — while the iPhone 15 was left in the dust.

iPhone deals at Apple

Don't count on Apple to cut iPhone 16 prices for Black Friday. Apple approaches the shopping event differently from other phone makers and retailers. Instead of cutting prices, it offers gift cards when you purchase Apple gear during a sales event that's running through Monday (December 2).

But there's a catch to the Apple Store Shopping Event — none of the iPhone 16 models are included in the devices that are eligible for gift cards. Instead, Apple is offering a $75 gift card if you buy an iPhone 15, iPhone 14 or iPhone SE. That's great if you want one of those phones, but if you're looking for an iPhone 16, you'll want to stick the deals we've mentioned above.

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John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.