All three major US carriers are advertising up to $1,200 off the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with a trade-in, but that ceiling figure requires a top-tier plan and, in most cases, adding a new line. Someone upgrading an existing line on a cheaper plan will see a smaller number.
Verizon: $1,200 for a new line, $1,020 for an upgrade
Verizon’s own newsroom confirms up to $1,200 in bill credits when a customer trades in an eligible phone and adds a new line on an Unlimited Ultimate plan. Customers upgrading an existing line with a qualifying trade-in get up to $1,020 instead, a real gap most coverage of this deal glosses over. Either way, the trade-in must be an Apple, Google, Motorola, or Samsung device that has been active on the account for at least 60 days, and the phone ships on a 36-month, interest-free payment plan with credits applied monthly rather than at checkout.
T-Mobile: the full $1,200 is tied to its priciest plan
T-Mobile’s offer scales with plan tier. The full $1,200 off is only available with a trade-in on Experience Beyond 2.0, Experience Beyond, or Go5G Next, T-Mobile’s top plans. Customers on the mid-tier Experience More plans get up to $930 off, and those on entry-level Essentials or Go5G plans get up to $730. T-Mobile also has a new financing option called EIP Flex 36, which can finance an iPhone including taxes and fees over 36 months, and for qualifying customers can bring the amount due at checkout to $0.
AT&T: up to $1,200, but the iPhone 16e doesn’t count as a trade-in
AT&T is offering up to $1,200 in bill credits for new and existing customers who trade in an iPhone 14 or newer in any condition, according to AppleInsider’s reporting. The iPhone 16e is specifically excluded from the trade-in list. The offer requires an installment plan with activation on AT&T’s Premium 2.0 plan. Select Android trade-ins valued at $180 or more, including some Google phones, also qualify.
The bottom line
The $1,200 headline number that shows up in most carrier marketing this week is real, but it’s the best case, not the typical case. It requires the priciest eligible plan, and at two of the three carriers, adding a new line rather than upgrading an existing one. Before trading in a phone, check your current plan against each carrier’s tier list, since dropping down even one tier can cost several hundred dollars off the final credit.
Source: Verizon, AppleInsider
