Which iPhone should you buy in 2026? Between the iPhone 18 Pro released in September, the iPhone 17 line, the iPhone Air, the cheaper "e" models and older generations sold refurbished, prices run from under €250 to over €1,600. Picksly tracks 33 iPhones, from the 2020 iPhone SE to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and gives each a score out of 100 built from published measurements (performance, camera, battery life, display…) and specifications announced by Apple. Here, profile by profile, is the iPhone that fits you — and the ones whose price doesn't add up.

The prices quoted were checked in France between 18 and 25 October 2026, each with its date; the scores were re-read on 25 October. Prices move: always check the store's price before buying. Picksly does not test phones itself; the method is explained on the Transparency page.

The iPhones Picksly tracks

  • iPhone Pro and Pro Max (14 Pro to 18 Pro): the best scored, especially for camera and performance. €1,145 to €1,629 new for the 17 and 18 generations; older ones are mostly found refurbished.
  • Standard and Plus iPhones (iPhone 15, 16, 17): a slightly less powerful chip and a less complete camera. Their scores range from 50 to 64 out of 100.
  • iPhone Air: the thinnest. Chip at the top (100/100 for performance), but battery life and camera lag behind.
  • iPhone 16e and 17e: the cheapest of the recent range (€649 and €869 recorded new), scored around 50/100.
  • iPhone 11 to 14: sold mostly refurbished, from €150 to €441.

What the scores measure, applied to iPhones

  • Performance: the chip's Geekbench or AnTuTu score. Recent iPhones all sit at the top: 100/100 for the 17 Pro models, the Air and the 18 Pro models. For the iPhone 18 Pro, this score is still a Picksly estimate based on its A20 Pro chip, as no measurement has been published yet.
  • Camera: the DXOMARK score where one exists. It is the Pro models' strength: 99/100 for the iPhone 15 Pro, 100 for the 16 Pro and 18 Pro. The iPhone 16e, 17e, 17 Pro Max and 18 Pro Max have no published score yet; their score rests on the other criteria.
  • Battery life: GSMArena's active-use test. The Pro Max models do clearly better than the Pro models.
  • Charging: the adapter wattage stated by Apple. 20 W for most iPhones, which earns them a very low score; 40 W for the iPhone 17, 60 W for the 18 Pro models.
  • Updates: for each iPhone, Apple declares a support period of at least 5 years from its first supply date (UK PSTI statement of compliance, on regulatoryinfo.apple.com, viewed on 17 October 2026). Picksly counts it as 5 iOS versions; recent Galaxy S phones have 7 promised.

Budget profile: an older refurbished Pro Max

The Budget profile looks for the best product for the least money, refurbished included. At Apple, the best Budget score goes to the iPhone 14 Pro Max (67/100), found refurbished at €440.29 (Certideal, 25 October). It keeps the Pro camera (91/100) and good battery life (69/100). Just behind, the iPhone 15 Pro Max (64/100) was refurbished at €623.99 (Certideal, 25 October): dearer, but better for camera (99/100) and display (83 vs 68), with one more year of support.

That support is worth working out before buying an older model: released in September 2022, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is covered by Apple's minimum commitment until September 2027; the iPhone 15 Pro Max, released in 2023, until 2028. An iPhone 13, released in 2021, is already past that minimum: Apple may still update it, but no longer commits to it.

Under €300, the iPhone 14 refurbished at €295.99 (Certideal, 18 October) scores 53/100 for Budget, ahead of the iPhone 13 at €228.99 (50/100). If battery life matters, the iPhone 14 Plus refurbished at €321 (eBay, 25 October) does better: 60/100 for Budget, and 60 for battery life against 33 for the iPhone 14. See every refurbished iPhone ranked by Budget score.

Smart profile: the best value for money

The Smart profile weighs the score and the new price. At the top are the recent Pro models: the iPhone 18 Pro (Smart 69/100, €1,409.99 new on eBay, 25 October), then the iPhone 18 Pro Max (68/100, €1,629) and the iPhone 17 Pro (67/100, €1,144.81 on eBay, 23 October). The 17 Pro is the most sensible of the three: about €265 less than the 18 Pro, for 2 points less.

To spend less, the iPhone 16 remains the best of the standard models: €859.90 new (eBay, 25 October), Smart 55/100, with a camera score of 92/100. It beats the iPhone 17 (Smart 53/100), recorded at €1,104 on Amazon on 24 October; at that price, check the advertised storage capacity. Refurbished, the iPhone 17 went down to €600 (eBay, 23 October). The iPhone 15 was no longer found new when prices were checked; refurbished, it was €396.99 (Certideal, 25 October).

To avoid at the recorded price: the iPhone 17e new at €869 (Amazon, 25 October), dearer than the iPhone 16 and scored lower (Smart 45 vs 55). The iPhone 16e (€649 new, eBay, 23 October) stays at 46/100 for Smart. The score of both "e" models does not yet include a measured camera or display, and the 16e's measured battery life is weak (12/100).

Premium profile: the best, regardless of price

The Premium profile only keeps models under 24 months old. The iPhone 18 Pro scores 83/100 there: Apple's best score, and 6th across all brands among recent models. It is in Picksly's Top 10 smartphones.

Next come the iPhone 17 Pro (79/100), the iPhone 18 Pro Max (79/100), then the iPhone 17 Pro Max (76/100, €1,299 new on Amazon on 25 October, or €1,125.90 refurbished on eBay on 23 October). For these two Pro Max models, the Premium score does not count the camera yet, as no score has been published.

Pro, Pro Max, Air or standard model?

  • Pro or Pro Max: the Pro Max lasts clearly longer (battery life 79/100 vs 55 for the 18 generation, 67 vs 43 for the 17), for €155 to €220 more new at the recorded prices.
  • iPhone Air (€723 refurbished, Refurbed, 25 October; no new price recorded this week): the choice for thinness. Top chip and a well-rated display (83/100), but battery life (19/100) and camera (43/100) among the weakest of recent iPhones. Overall score: 63/100.
  • iPhone 17 or iPhone 16: the iPhone 17 has a better display (83 vs 55) and charges faster (40 W); the iPhone 16 has a better camera score (92 vs 74) and cost about €245 less new when the prices were recorded.

What the score doesn't tell you

  • iOS or Android: the score judges neither the system nor the ecosystem (Mac, watch, earbuds). If you already own Apple devices, that is a criterion in its own right.
  • Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB or more changes the price a lot; compare at equal capacity.

To go further: our advice for buying a refurbished smartphone, the iPhone 15 vs Galaxy S24 head-to-head and, if you are weighing Android, the guide to choosing a Samsung Galaxy.

FAQ

What is the best iPhone in 2026?

According to Picksly's scores, the iPhone 18 Pro (81/100) followed by the iPhone 18 Pro Max (80/100). The iPhone 18 Pro was €1,409.99 new in France on 25 October 2026.

Which iPhone to buy for under €500?

Refurbished, the iPhone 14 Pro Max (€440.29) has the best Budget score of any iPhone. New, the only iPhones recorded under €500 are iPhone 11 and 12 models: a more recent refurbished model scores better.

iPhone 16 or iPhone 17?

At the recorded prices, the iPhone 16 (€859.90 new) has a better Smart score than the iPhone 17 (€1,104): 55 vs 53. The iPhone 17 keeps the edge on display and charging.

How long does an iPhone get updates?

Apple declares a support period of at least 5 years from each model's first supply date. For a refurbished phone, count from the model's release date, not from your purchase date.

Picksly may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you, and this influences neither the scores nor the ranking. What affiliation can change is explained on our transparency page.

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