Five Refurbished iPhones Still Performing Well Under 500 Dollars in 2026

Publication Date: 12.04.2026

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If you want to buy a new iPhone but don’t want the iPhone 17, it can often be difficult to find something within a tighter budget. Of course, Apple offers the iPhone 17e for $599 - but not everyone sees this as an attractive phone. Fortunately, there are great options available if you want to buy a used iPhone, and I will dive into five great options for different needs.

#1 – iPhone 15 Pro

If you’re looking for premium features like a ProMotion display, Apple Intelligence, and a telephoto lens, the iPhone 15 Pro is definitely the best overall choice, if your budget allows it.

It runs on the A17 Pro chip (this chip is still used in the latest generation iPad mini) - providing great power for Apple Intelligence features and offering you sufficient power for years to come.

At the time of writing, you can get an unlocked 128GB iPhone 15 Pro from Amazon Renewed for $487; this is cheaper than the new iPhone 17e and houses many premium features. If you’re interested in a larger screen size, you can get an unlocked iPhone 15 Pro Max with double the storage for $572, which is $85 more - but this goes beyond the budget.

#2 – iPhone 15

If you want the cheapest iPhone with USB-C or Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 is a great choice. You get a nice 48MP camera sensor, and if you're interested in a physical silent switch - the iPhone 15 is the last iPhone to offer that. The battery life is quite impressive and it has a very attractive color palette.

Right now, you can get an unlocked 128GB iPhone 15 for $389 from Amazon Renewed; this allows you to get a fairly comprehensive iPhone package for under $400. If you’re interested in larger phones, you can get the 128GB iPhone 15 Plus for $408.

#3 – iPhone 13 mini

If you’re a fan of small phones, the iPhone 13 mini remains your best option - as Apple has stopped producing smaller iPhones. It’s quite capable with the A15 Bionic chip, but you will have to live with the Lightning charging port. Still, thanks to its great 800 nit OLED display and sweet camera system, this phone shouldn’t feel too old despite being four years old.

The iPhone 13 mini is currently selling for about $230 in the 128GB configuration, making it one of the cheapest iPhones on this list - and a special model.

#4 – iPhone 14 Plus

On the other hand, if you want the cheapest large iPhone (at least one that’s not very old), the iPhone 14 Plus continues to be the best overall choice. It has a powerful camera system and offers stronger battery life - with a strong color palette including a great yellow color. This phone is the successor to the previously mentioned iPhone 13 mini.

There’s not much to say about the iPhone 14 Plus - it’s just a solid device that will do everything you would expect from a larger-screen iPhone. Right now, you can get it for about $309 on Amazon Renewed, which really offers great value.

As an honorable mention, you might also consider the iPhone 13 Pro Max - which offers premium features like ProMotion, a telephoto camera lens, and a stainless steel build. This model is selling for about $409 for 128GB.

#5 – iPhone SE 3

Finally, there’s the iPhone SE 3. Equipped with the A15 chip and 5G, it’s a suitable phone for 2025 - but comes in an older form factor. It has a 4.7-inch LCD display and a home button like the iPhone 8. It also only has a single rear camera. Still, if you just want your iPhone to perform basic functions, the iPhone SE 3 can be found at a very affordable price.

For just $129, you can get the iPhone SE 3 from Amazon Renewed. If you want an iPhone, it’s hard to find one this cheap, and it still offers quite good performance. 64GB of storage may feel a bit tight, so you might prefer the 128GB for $179 if you think that would be better for you.