The iPhone With The Best Value For Your Money In 2025

The best iPhone of 2025 might end up being the iPhone 17, but that model will not be out until sometime in September. And while Apple has found creative ways to avoid some of President Donald Trump's tariffs, these new import fees are likely to push the price of the latest iPhone models to astronomical heights. So, if you need a new iPhone that will give you the best bang for your buck, the iPhone 16 could be the perfect choice.

In fact, CNET recently named the Apple iPhone 16 the best iPhone of 2025. At $799, it is not necessarily the cheapest iPhone on the market, but it does come with features that are typically reserved for Apple's higher end iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro models, according to a CNN Underscored review. CNN even went so far as to call the iPhone 16 the best basic iPhone "ever." And, financed at $33.29 a month for 24 months, per Apple, the iPhone 16 is reasonable for a typical American earning the national median monthly income of $5,175 (as of Q2 2025), per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At least for now.

The basic iPhone 16 has about 90% of the same features of the iPhone 16 Pro, but without the Pro's $1,000 starting price, per CNET. The extra features that the iPhone 16 Pro offers are "fairly minimal" compared to the regular iPhone 16 and mainly amount to higher refresh time on the screen, faster USB speeds, and better camera zoom capabilities, per an AppleInsider review. The basic model will also get you what is known as the Action Button — something that was previously a unique feature of the iPhone 15 Pro. This button can be programmed for a variety of tasks such as turning on a flashlight, turning notifications off at certain times of day, voice memos, Visual Intelligence to help a user identify places and things, translating languages, identifying music, and/or providing a shortcut to an app of choice.

The basic model also has a Camera Control key, enabling users to easily open the camera app and take photos with a simple click of the button — or video by holding the button down. The camera itself is a 48MP ultrawide 12-megapixel camera that can take detailed pictures in low light as well as capture images and videos in 3D. The phone also comes equipped with some Apple Intelligence functions that include a ChatGPT enhanced Siri program. Plus, its battery can hold enormous amounts of power — enabling 22 hours of video playback without need to recharge for the regular iPhone 16. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Plus has a video playback time of 27 hours.

2025 is ultimately an uncertain time — with average monthly grocery expenses heading upward and the prices for essential household goods having jumped. So, before buying the iPhone 16, or any model for that matter,  make sure to explore the best ways to save money on Apple products – including waiting until Black Friday, an Amazon Prime sale day, or even finding a bargain at retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, or Walmart. Apple products are also available at Costco, where you can save on more than just gas.

Another option is to trade in your old iPhone via the Apple Trade In program — either online or at your nearest Apple retail store. The retailer generally offers credit for such trade ins, which can vary depending on age and condition of the phone. Although if the iPhone in your possession is an unopened iPhone 1 from 2007, you might consider heading to a auctioneer because this once popular iPhone is worth a ton of money now.