Best iPhone to buy in 2026: Which Apple iPhone is right for you?

Macworld

How to choose your iPhone in 2026

Before you jump into the specific iPhone models, think about what matters most to you: battery life for all-day use, camera quality for photos and video, screen size for media or gaming, and how much you’re willing to spend. These simple priorities will help narrow down whether you should choose a Pro model, a middle option like the standard iPhone 17, a lightweight iPhone Air, or a more budget-friendly choice.

Deciding which iPhone to buy has always been tricky and no doubt you have many questions. Which screen size is best for you, and how much storage do you need? Should you save money by selecting an older model, or should you splash out on the latest iPhone? Which iPhone is the best compromise between specs and value for money?

In this article, we talk you through each of the phones currently available from Apple, to help you decide which is best for you. We discuss iPhone prices, specs and features, paying particular attention to the cameras, screens and durability, and how the design of each handset differs, so you should leave feeling much more confident about which iPhone you should get.

For more help with your choice see our full reviews of the latest iPhones (linked below) and our Best iPhone comparison chart where we compare all the new iPhones with the iPhones still being sold by Apple.

Should I buy an iPhone now?

Summer is usually the worst time to buy an iPhone, but 2026 is an exception. Apple recently raised Mac and iPad prices but left iPhones unchanged, leading many analysts to expect the iPhone 18 Pro models to become significantly more expensive when they launch this September.

That makes the iPhone 17 Pro a strong buy right now. The rumored iPhone 18 Pro upgrades don’t appear substantial enough to justify an expected price increase of around $200 or more.

The standard iPhone 17 is an even easier recommendation. Its successor isn’t expected until spring 2027, so it should remain Apple’s current…