Mid-range iPhone 16e is now surprisingly affordable thanks to these carriers

Grab a free iPhone 16e at Metro

$0

$599 ⁹⁹

$600 off (100%)

Metro by T-Mobile is now allowing you to get the iPhone 16e for free! The carrier is giving you a straight-up discount of $500, but if you keep your plan active for three months, you'll receive a virtual prepaid card with $100. You must bring your phone number and select the $50/mo plan (with AutoPay).

Buy at Metro by T-Mobile

iPhone 16e: now $199.99 at Straight Talk

$199 ⁹⁹

$599 ⁹⁹

$400 off (67%)

The iPhone 16e is also available at Verizon-owned Straight Talk. Over here, you can get the phone with the Silver Unlimited plan for just $199.99 instead of $599.99. That saves you a massive $400 on the device.

Buy at Straight Talk

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While saving upwards of $400 on one of the best mid-range phones sounds more than exciting, it's even better that you don't have to jump through hoops to get your discount. In fact, it's surprisingly easy to meet both carriers' requirements. 

Why the iPhone 16e?

The iPhone 16e might have an obvious single-camera disadvantage, but the overall package is pretty good. First of all, it offers incredible potential for various tasks, thanks to its A18 chip. In fact, the SoC lands it among the most powerful mid-range devices on the market.

Other than that, the phone packs a 6.1-inch display, making it surprisingly compact by today's standards. While the screen is OLED, it supports a refresh rate of just 60Hz, so you might notice the animations aren't as smooth as on 120Hz phones.

Additionally, while the single rear camera setup may look unappealing at first glance, the 48MP sensor captures images with surprisingly good quality. Check out some camera samples in our iPhone 16e review.

Offer specifics

Over at Straight Talk, you can now get the iPhone 16e for $349.99, which saves you $150. However, if you select the Silver Unlimited plan or higher, the price goes down to just $199.99.

Meanwhile, Metro by T-Mobile slashes the device down to just $99.99, saving you a massive $500 with the $50/mo plan (with AutoPay). Keeping this plan active for at least three months will give you a $100 virtual prepaid card, bringing the total savings to $600. That means your phone can essentially be yours for free.

Metro's offer is only open to users who bring their own phone, so keep that in mind.

Which carrier to choose? 

While the iPhone 16e costs $599, both Straight Talk and Metro by T-Mobile are now giving you big savings on this relatively affordable device. So, how can you tell which one to choose? 

If you ask me, it all boils down to your own preference. If you've already tried the Verizon network and are satisfied, choosing Straight Talk would make more sense. Conversely, in case you're happy with T-Mobile's coverage, Metro might be the better choice. 

Plan breakdown

Network coverage is probably the biggest deciding factor, but the eligible plans are just as important. Both carriers require you to sign up for specific plans to qualify for their iPhone 16e promotions, so it's worth understanding what each one includes before committing.

Silver Unlimited vs $50/mo plan by Metro

Over at Straight Talk, you must activate a new line on a Silver Unlimited plan or higher. This tier includes unlimited 5G data, text, talk, unlimited international calls and texts to Mexico and Canada, as well as 10GB of hotspot data. 

Download speeds on this plan reach 148 Mbps, which should be enough for everyday usage. The plan sits at $45/mo, but if you commit to at least three months of service, you can save at least $15. 

Conversely, Metro by T-Mobile's $50/mo plan (with AutoPay) covers the basics: unlimited talk, text, and data. Download speeds on this network are significantly higher, reaching up to 455 Mbps. 

Beyond the essentials, this tier gives you 8GB of hotspot data each month and 100GB of cloud storage. Additionally, Metro gives you a five-year price guarantee, Scam Shield to protect you from spam calls, and T-Mobile Tuesdays for additional promos through the Metro app. 

Your choice

As you can see, both plans deliver solid value, and it's all ultimately down to what you need. While I'd lean toward the Metro offer, Straight Talk's Silver Unlimited plan might be more attractive to users who want to stay in touch with relatives in Mexico or Canada.