Buying an iPhone Duo: contract, outright or SIM-only?
The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Closed, it is a phone with a 5.4-inch screen; open it like a book and you get a 7.6-inch screen. At £1,999 to £3,199 SIM-free, it is one of the most expensive phones on sale in the UK, so how you pay for it makes a big difference. The table below compares today’s cheapest 24-month contract with buying the phone outright and adding a SIM-only plan.
Apple iPhone Duo: today’s prices over 24 months
| Storage | Cheapest contract | Buy outright + SIM-only | Cheaper option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 256GB | £2,035.80 Talkmobile: £1,749.00 upfront + £11.95/month, 15GB data | £2,143.00 New phone £1,999.00 (Mobiles.co.uk) + iD Mobile SIM £6.00/month, 25GB data (5G); includes 23 months at £6.00 after its 1-month term | Contract, by £107.20 |
| 512GB | £2,225.80 Talkmobile: £1,939.00 upfront + £11.95/month, 15GB data | £2,343.00 New phone £2,199.00 (Mobiles.co.uk) + iD Mobile SIM £6.00/month, 25GB data (5G); includes 23 months at £6.00 after its 1-month term | Contract, by £117.20 |
| 1TB | £2,753.96 iD Mobile: £959.00 upfront + £72.99/month, 150GB data (5G) | £2,887.00 New phone £2,599.00 (Mobiles.co.uk) + iD Mobile SIM £12.00/month, 150GB data (5G) | Contract, by £133.04 |
| 2TB | £3,393.96 iD Mobile: £1,599.00 upfront + £72.99/month, 10GB data (5G) | £3,340.60 New phone £3,199.00 (Mobiles.co.uk) + Spusu Mobile SIM £5.90/month, 10GB data (5G); includes 23 months at £5.90 after its 1-month term | Outright, by £53.36 |
See every Apple iPhone Duo deal
Apple’s UK prices
| Storage | SIM-free price from Apple |
|---|---|
| 256GB | £1,999 |
| 512GB | £2,199 |
| 1TB | £2,599 |
| 2TB | £3,199 |
It comes in two colours, Star White and Night Sky. Retailers selling it SIM-free usually charge the same as Apple. See every deal, updated daily, on our iPhone Duo deals page.
Which storage to choose
- 256GB is enough for most people, especially if you use iCloud for photos.
- Each step up costs £200 to £600 more, and contracts for bigger sizes cost more too, usually by a similar amount over 24 months.
- Pay for 512GB or more only if you shoot a lot of video, keep lots of files on the phone, or plan to keep it for many years.
Contract or buy outright?
- On contract, the cheapest total often comes with a large upfront payment, because the phone costs so much. If you want to pay less upfront, use the upfront filter on the deals page and compare the totals.
- 36 and 48-month plans lower the monthly price, but you are tied in for longer. Think about whether you will still want this phone in three or four years.
- Buying outright plus SIM-only lets you switch to a cheaper SIM plan whenever one appears, but it is not always cheaper. Networks often discount a new phone on contract soon after launch, so check the table above.
- A contract for a £2,000 phone is a large credit agreement, so expect a full credit check. Read our guide to credit checks for phone contracts before you apply.
Before you buy a foldable
- Check the cost of cover. A folding screen is more complicated to repair than a normal iPhone screen. Check the price of AppleCare+ or phone insurance, and whether your home insurance covers your phone, before you buy.
- Get a trade-in price for your old phone. Apple and some networks take your old phone in part exchange. Compare their offer with what you could get by selling it yourself.
- Budget for a case. Foldables need a case made for them, and normal iPhone cases will not fit.
- Prices are still settling. The iPhone Duo is new, so deals change often. We check prices every day.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the iPhone Duo in the UK?
Apple sells it SIM-free from £1,999 for 256GB, £2,199 for 512GB, £2,599 for 1TB and £3,199 for 2TB.
Is the iPhone Duo cheaper on contract?
It depends on the storage size and today’s deals. The table above compares the cheapest 24-month contract with buying the phone outright and adding a SIM-only plan with at least the same data, minutes and texts.
Can I use a SIM-only plan with an iPhone Duo?
Yes. iPhones bought SIM-free from Apple or a retailer are unlocked, so they work with any UK network.
Can I buy a refurbished iPhone Duo?
Not yet in any numbers, because the phone is so new. When a retailer we work with lists one, it will appear on our iPhone Duo deals page with its grade.