Free iPhone 14 Promotion

[lockets]

Both T-Mobile and Verizon are offering Free iPhone 14 promos right now. Which deal is better? Has anyone researched it already?

I just have one phone line and I'm a current T-Mobile customer. My plan includes free Netflix and AppleTV+.

I'll have a trade-in that's worth about $110-120 and it's starting to fail on me so I need a new phone fast.

Both companies provide great coverage in my area so that's not a factor.

Or are there any cheaper companies offering this deal so I can save some money in the long term too on the coverage?

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Both T-Mobile and Verizon are offering Free iPhone 14 promos right now. Which deal is better? Has anyone researched it already?

I just have one phone line and I'm a current T-Mobile customer. My plan includes free Netflix and AppleTV+.

I'll have a trade-in that's worth about $110-120 and it's starting to fail on me so I need a new phone fast.

Both companies provide great coverage in my area so that's not a factor.

Or are there any cheaper companies offering this deal so I can save some money in the long term too on the coverage?

I've not researched but they're usually not really free, it's usually discounted with a trade in and/or adding a new line. Sometimes it's $0 down and you're just financing the phone for a number of years. Do check mint mobile, I always here that they're supposed to be good service and a lot cheaper than the others but I have no first hand experience.

 

[lanejudy]

We have Verizon and I suspect T-Mobile works similarly. What you are trading in plus what plan you have will dictate whether you are eligible for the "free" phone offer. Sometimes it's only for new customers, sometimes eligible with trade-in but depends on the age/brand/model of trade-in. And it's not exactly free -- it will be financed over 36 months with a monthly credit given. As long as you keep the same phone and same plan for that time period you will continue to receive the credit which is equal to the monthly charge. So it will eventually end up "free" but if you have to upgrade your plan to do so be sure and crunch the numbers. And if you think you might want/need to change plans or carriers in that time period you would have to buy-out the remaining balance on the "free" phone.

 

[Anthony1971]

Seems to be trade in offers is up to. 99% of the time you are better off using a back end carrier like Metro if T-Mobile works for you as they are in fact T-Mobile prepay and buying the phone outright from Apple in most cases you will save hundreds if not over thousand over 3 years when you factor in the plan cost. I however would wait for the 15 which should be out in a month or so as the 14 will drop in price.

 

[lockets]

Thank you for your replies. I did the analysis and was surprised that T-Mobile's deal was the best value. In summary they gave more for the trade-in. The plan that they "lock" you into was slightly lower cost. ...And the iPhone 14 is so expensive in it of itself that the low cost carrier plan didn't offset that cost enough. T-Mobile also gives Netflix and AppleTV for free and I factor that in because I do use that benefit.

However if I got an older model phone and went with a low cost carrier - that would definitely be the cheapest option. I was set on getting the 14 because every five years or so I get the latest model and aim to keep it for as long as possible.

What this taught me is I goofed up in the past by not switching to a low cost carrier at the end of promotional periods. For instance I went big in 2017 on the iPhone 7+ 256 MG with a 2 year rebate deal like the above. I babied and used that phone for 6 years. After the initial two years when the rebate was fully given and phone was paid off, I should have immediately switched to a low cost carrier for the final four years and I would have saved a ton of money. Or, if I'm going to stay with a main carrier than it is best to upgrade the phone every two years because with the rebate money the plan is only $5 to $10 more per month and older model that's getting traded in still has high value.

 

[cindala]

Yes, the T-Mobile deal is a great value! I just did the T-Mobile (my current carrier) upgrade in June. I went from an i-phone 13 to a 14 plus. The "free" allowance was $830 towards a $929 phone, so the phone is $99 for me over 24 months. Then on top of that, I was allowed a $315 trade in for my i-phone 13. That was immediately credited to my account so I have no phone bill for the next 2 months. With my plan I also get free Netflix and Apple TV.

 

[lockets]

Yes, the T-Mobile deal is a great value! I just did the T-Mobile (my current carrier) upgrade in June. I went from an i-phone 13 to a 14 plus. The "free" allowance was $830 towards a $929 phone, so the phone is $99 for me over 24 months. Then on top of that, I was allowed a $315 trade in for my i-phone 13. That was immediately credited to my account so I have no phone bill for the next 2 months. With my plan I also get free Netflix and Apple TV.

Exactly. That's what I was referring to that I should have been more cognizant of upgrade promotions all the years I stayed on T-Mobile's plan in the past. If you can "hit it" when there's the perfect intersection of them offering a promotion and you sitting on a phone that has a solid trade-in value it's golden. It's not a lot of extra money monthly and the up front trade-in money covers it anyway. Happy for you!