TL;DR: Get the iPhone 14 Pro For Maximum Value For Money…
You can buy several refurbished iPhones for less than $400, but the iPhone 14 Pro is the best buy if you want the most phone for your money. It starts at $397 and gives you a 120Hz ProMotion display, a more capable camera system and a longer support window than the iPhone 13 models.
- Best overall: iPhone 14 Pro from $397
- Best for a big screen: iPhone 14 Plus from $305
- Cheapest newer option: iPhone 14 from $264
- iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max: tempting prices, but they’re older and have a shorter update runway ahead
Can You Get An iPhone For Less Than $400?
You can buy an iPhone for under $400. The only caveat is that it’ll be a refurbished model. Now, that isn’t a downside. I’ve used refurbished phones, mostly iPhones, exclusively since 2018.
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And the reason? The money you save is just too good to miss out on.
The key thing is NOT to just go for what looks like the cheapest option. For instance:
- The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $325,
- while the 13 Pro Max starts at $388.34.
- That looks like a bargain, but the iPhone 14 Pro costs only about $72 more than the 13 Pro, and it’ll get a few more years’ worth of updates, so that’s money well spent.
The phone itself is also vastly superior too, so it is well worth spending the extra $72.
iPhone 14 Pro: best overall value
The refurbished iPhone 14 Pro starts at $397, just under your $400 budget.
It’s the strongest all-round option here because you get a better screen and camera setup than the standard iPhone 14, while paying only a little more.
The 6.1-inch OLED display has ProMotion, which can refresh at up to 120Hz. Scrolling feels smoother, and the screen can adjust its refresh rate to suit what you’re doing.
The iPhone 14’s display is still sharp and bright, but it tops out at 60Hz. Once you’ve used a 120Hz screen, the difference is easy to notice when scrolling.
The 14 Pro also has a more flexible camera system, with a main camera, ultrawide camera and dedicated telephoto camera. That gives you more options for framing shots, especially when you want to zoom in without relying only on digital zoom.
It’s also one generation newer than the iPhone 13 Pro. Apple still supports a long list of older iPhones, but the 13 models have less time ahead of them than the 14 series. Spending roughly $72 more for the 14 Pro buys you a newer starting point and more breathing room for future iOS updates.
You don’t have to pay $1,000+ for a new phone. Buying refurbished saves you, on average, 40% to 50%.
Which means you skip the inflationary price hikes, side-step the 2026 memory cost crisis, and still get the flagship performance and specs you want.
Recommended Options For 2026iPhone 14 Plus: big screen, better battery life
The iPhone 14 Plus starts at $305, making it the pick if you want a large screen and strong battery life without paying Pro prices.
Its 6.7-inch OLED display gives you more room for video, games, maps and reading. The screen is 60Hz, so it won’t scroll as smoothly as the 14 Pro’s panel, but it’s still a good display for everyday use.
The larger body also leaves room for a bigger battery. Apple rated the iPhone 14 Plus for up to 26 hours of video playback when new, compared with up to 23 hours for the 14 Pro.
It’s a bit of a sleeper model but I used one for a bit when it first came out and it’s a fantastic option if you don’t need a Pro / Pro Max but want a bigger screen and battery.
And at this price point, it’s impossible not to love.
iPhone 14: the sensible cheaper option
The refurbished iPhone 14 starts at $264. If you mainly use your phone for messaging, browsing, social media, video and photos, it still does the job well.
You get a 6.1-inch OLED display, a capable dual-camera setup and Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. It doesn’t have the 14 Pro’s 120Hz screen or telephoto camera, but plenty of people won’t need either.
The main practical benefit over the iPhone 13 is that it’s a year newer, which gives you a better chance of keeping it for longer before software support becomes a concern.
At $264, it’s a straightforward way to get a modern iPhone while keeping more than $100 of your budget.
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Why the iPhone 13 Pro is so cheap
The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $325 and still has a 120Hz ProMotion display, a triple-camera system and plenty of speed for everyday use. The 13 Pro Max starts at $388.34 and adds a much larger screen and battery.
Those are still good phones. The catch is their age. They launched in 2021, so they have a shorter support runway ahead than the iPhone 14 family. Apple currently lists iPhone 13 models as compatible with its latest iOS, but that does not tell you how many future major updates they’ll receive.
A cheap phone is only a good deal if it remains useful for as long as you plan to keep it.
If you can stretch your budget by around $72, the 14 Pro is the better long-term buy. If you want to spend less, the standard iPhone 14 starts at $264 and is still a better choice than any iPhone 13.
Bottom Line?
For most people, the iPhone 14 Pro at $397 is the best iPhone under $400 in these listings.
It gives you the more advanced screen and camera of a Pro model, plus a newer support starting point than the iPhone 13 Pro. If you don’t need those extras, save money with the iPhone 14 or go big with the iPhone 14 Plus.
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