Best iPhone 5 & 4S deals on contract

Finding the best iPhone deals

At times it can feel like all the world owns an iPhone. In terms of mobile phones, it has become the most popular single smartphone on the planet and has proved particularly popular in the UK.

But with a host of deals and offers available, how do you go about finding the best one? That’s where we come in; we put all the best deals in one place, so you can compare prices, read reviews and make the right decision.

Back up to price comparison

So why is the iPhone so popular?

If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, it’s probably best to briefly run through a few of the key iPhone features (skip this bit if you’ve heard it all before!).

When it comes to touch screen phones, while Apple’s iPhone certainly wasn’t the first it was the one that really caught the public’s imagination. People were already in love with their iPods, so bringing the iTunes experience – alongside an industry leading selection of apps – to 3G phones proved irresistible.

The sleek design also helped, the marketing machine is an awesome thing to behold and best of all – after a few issues with early models – it worked really well, from the camera to the calls to the internet experience.

Back up to price comparison

The iPhone 4 and 4S

The Apple iPhone 4 was released in June 2010, with the 4S following on in October 2011. Both are 3G phones with a 3.5-inch touchscreen and 512MB or RAM, but the 4S beats its older brother in every other department; it has a faster processor, larger memory capacity options, sharper screen and better camera.

When looking for an iPhone UK retailers will of course be offering the iPhone 4 at lower price, so it’s going to come down to just how much you want the new shiny. In all honesty, many people won’t benefit too much from having the superior version – you can access the same set of apps, for example, while the most expensive iPhone 4s still have a very large memory capacity (32GB).

Back up to price comparison

Cheap iPhone deals

While it’s tempting to just search for cheap iPhone deals, remember there are reasons why they’re the cheapest! Think carefully about what you want from your phone before you buy.

• Network: There are five actual mobile phone networks in the UK: O2, Orange, 3 Mobile, T-Mobile and Vodafone. Each has strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to check out our network overviews (both ours and the reviews written by thousands of our site visitors). Also, make sure to look at each network’s coverage checker before narrowing down your choice of iPhone deals; UK 3G coverage is pretty good nowadays, but all the networks still have plenty of ‘not-spots’.
• Data limit: While minutes and texts are still important, modern smartphones – and the iPhone in particular – are all about using data. You can of course connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi in many instances, but if you’re likely to be using it a lot on the move you need to be sure any cheap iPhone deals you consider have enough data to suit your needs; otherwise excess data charges may make that cheap deal rather expensive! Be especially wary of ‘unlimited’ deals as their can be some distressing stuff in the small print!

Back up to price comparison

How much data do you need?

This can be a really tricky part of the decision, especially if you haven’t had an iPhone before. Smartphones use data in a slightly different way than your broadband works at home too; for example, images and websites are often downloaded in lower quality forms to help save you a bit of money.

We would suggest starting on a cheaper, lower data deal and try and download as much as you can when you can access free Wi-Fi – at home, work etc.  Keep a close eye on your data usage though and simply upgrade to a more expensive package if you need to.

It’s better to start on a cheaper tariff and work up, as if you get a sweet iPhone deal and then try and opt down to a cheaper one you may find a bit of resistance from your network! Also, it’s easy to just forget about usage on a more expensive deal and not realise you’re paying for a lot of allowance you’re not using.

Back up to price comparison

iPhone contract deals

If you’re looking for iPhone contracts, you’ll find deals available from all the major retailers and networks. So how do you choose between them?

As you’ll see from our comparison tables, there are several key differentiators. Beyond the obvious (call, text and data limits, as mentioned above), there are several other points you need to think carefully about:

• Contract length: What looks like the best iPhone deal will probably have a 24-month contract attached. This is a very long commitment to a network, as well as a long time to keep the same handset, especially if you’re going to be using it a lot. If you’re confident in your network and are more than happy not to upgrade your smartphone when the latest model arrives, these could well be the best iPhone deals for you. But if you must have the latest phone, a one-year (or shorter) deal will be a better option.
• Phone cost: While your iPhone may be listed as ‘free’ on many deals, what this actually means is that you get it free up front but pay a little extra each month for the duration of the contract to actually pay for the phone. So, if you can afford to pay more for the handset up front your monthly payments will be reduced. As they say, there’s no such thing as a free lunch!
• Extras: The smartphone retail sector is a very competitive market, so all the players are constantly looking for an edge over their rivals. One way they do this is offering little extras; these can be anything from cashback schemes to free gadgets; or high street vouchers to free months off of your contract. While these can look great at first glance, think carefully about whether you really need what’s on offer – and if really makes the deal sweeter.

When looking at our comparison tables, you’ll notice an ‘effective cost’ column; this takes into account anything you have to pay up front for your iPhone, as well as other extras or benefits a deal may have.

Back up to price comparison

Prepay: iPhone SIM free options

If you can afford to buy your mobile phone up front, and don’t want to be tied to one network or iPhone deal for a long time, it’s definitely worth considering the iPhone SIM free option. You may have already found a great iPhone price; UK online retailers have some really great bargains for unlocked iPhones.

If you buy an unlocked iPhone you’ll be able to put in a SIM from any network, meaning you can switch between prepay options as you see fit – or get a contract later if you find the right deal for you. Another benefit is you only have to pay for what you use – top up when you need to, instead of paying monthly for a load of data and minutes you may not even use.

On the downside, prepay options tend to work out more expensive in terms of per call, per MB etc. However, many of us see that as a fair price to pay for the freedom involved. 

Back up to price comparison

What to do next

Hopefully you’re now ready to sort through all of the iPhone deals listed on Broadband Genie and make your decision. Once you’ve done so, buying the iPhone couldn’t be easier – simply click on the link next to your chosen option to be taken directly to the official site of that particular retailer and the deal you wanted.

From there it’s simply a case of following the instructions and signing up for your contract with them. Enjoy your new iPhone!

Back to top