iPhone Upgrade Program Worth It?

TL;DR Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program is actually a good deal if you plan to upgrade to the latest iPhone every year.

Apple’s events are always exciting to see what new devices and features they release. After using the iPhone 7 the past 2 years it was time to upgrade to the new iPhone. I usually preorder my phones on Verizon’s site but it so happens that this year, Verizon’s site was being overloaded. After trying multiple times I decided to try Apple’s site to buy the new iPhone. Apple’s site worked great and had integration with all the major carriers. I was able to get the iPhone Xs 256gb in space grey. Before finishing the pre-order, I was presented with three options. The iPhone Upgrade ProgramVerizon Device Payment Program, or One-time payment. After some quick math at 3am, the thought of getting a new phone each year, and AppleCare+, I decided to go with the iPhone Upgrade Program.  Compare the Upgrade Options

Here is the breakdown of each option if you were to upgrade to the latest iPhone every year.

iPhone Upgrade Program

  • iPhone Xs $56.16 a month
  • Includes AppleCare+ with $29 screen repairs/$99 all other repairs

Yearly Cost $673.92

Verizon Device Payment Program

  • iPhone Xs $47.87 a month
  • No insurance
  • Estimated sell back $485 Gazelle
  • Pay off the device from Verizon ~$100

Yearly Cost $674.44

Pay in Full

  • iPhone Xs $1,149
  • AppleCare+ $9.99 a month
  • Estimated sell back $485 Gazelle

Yearly Cost $783.88

If my calculations are correct, it looks like if you are planning to upgrade your phone every year, the iPhone Upgrade Program is actually a pretty good deal. For the past several years, I have always gone the cheapest route with no insurance. I’ve had some bad experiences with Verizon insurance and vowed to never pay for it. What sold me on AppleCare+ is the $29.99 screen repairs. Without AppleCare+, it cost $279 to replace the iPhone Xs screen. One crack and AppleCare has paid for itself. Of course, you could save money by keeping your device multiple years, but for me, I’d prefer to have the latest device.

 

What are your thoughts? Have you tried the iPhone Upgrade Program? Leave a comment below.


Thanks for reading. Make sure you follow me on Twitter to stay up to date on the progress of my side projects T.LYWeather Extension, and Link Shortener Extension. If you are interested in the tech I use daily, check out my uses page.  

2 thoughts to “iPhone Upgrade Program Worth It?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *