So, we're expecting a price hike this year. Here's all that the rumors are saying about the potential price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and Pro.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max expected price
Tim Cook clearly said it: price hikes are coming. He didn't specify which models or what the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max's pricing may be, but analysts immediately started investigating the question. Currently, based on estimations and research, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to start at at least $1,299 when we compare the base costs of making it to the iPhone 17 Pro's.
Analysis of the potential pricing compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. | Image by The Wall Street Journal
However, that's not the whole story. All of these estimations are before accounting for an improved camera system (and the rumored variable aperture), which could cost 50% more than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro, meaning the 18 Pro could very well start at $1,399. That would be a $300 jump in the starting price.
Model
256 GB
512 GB
1 TB
2 TB
iPhone 18 Pro Max
$1,399-$1,499*
$1,599-$1,699*
$1,799-$1,899*
$1,999-$2,099*
iPhone 18 Pro
$1,299-$1,399*
$1,499-$1,599*
$1,699-$1,799*
-
*A potential $200-300 price hike.
Recommended For You
As for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, following previous years and Apple's pricing strategies, we can expect the bigger model to cost $100 more than the Pro and $200 more for storage jumps. This means the iPhone 18 Pro Max's starting price for 256 GB could be $1,399 or $1,499.
And yes, unfortunately it looks like the highest storage option for the iPhone 18 Pro Max may cost as much as a full-blown Galaxy Z Fold 7foldable phone, which currently costs $1,999.99 for the 256 GB variant.
How much did the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cost?
Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max kept more reasonable prices than what's expected for this year. Those days, however, are likely long gone.
iPhone 17 series prices:
Model
256 GB
512 GB
1 TB
2 TB
iPhone 17 Pro Max
$1,199
$1,399
$1,599
$1,999
iPhone 17 Pro
$1,099
$1,299
$1,499
-
iPhone Air
$999
$1,199
$1,399
-
iPhone 17
$799
$999
-
-
What's the competition doing?
It's not just Apple that's affected by the crisis in memory chip prices. All phone manufacturers are facing the same situation, more or less. Samsung already hiked prices for its Galaxy S26 series and is expected to drive up prices for its upcoming foldable lineup as well.
Galaxy S26 price hikes:
Base Galaxy S26 256 GB: $899, now up $100 from $799 on the Galaxy S25 at launch
Galaxy S26 Plus 256 GB: $1,099, now up $100 from $999
Galaxy S26 Ultra: same starting price as S25 Ultra ($1,299), 512 GB up $80 to $1,499, 1 TB up $140 to $1,799
With the hiked price, the 1 TB iPhone 18 Pro Max is either going to match the 1 TB Galaxy S26 Ultra or surpass it by $100, depending on whether the price hike is $200 or $300 for the iPhone.
On the other hand, Google's Pixel 11 series is coming in August, and leaks have not detailed what to expect from their prices just yet. It's likely these phones will also get more expensive, as it seems at this point price hikes are unavoidable across the industry.
To give you an idea of where they are starting from, here are the Pixel 10 series prices for reference:
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max pricing: what are your options?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max. | Image by PhoneArena
As you can see, the Pro-branded iPhone 18 models will likely be costly this year. Luckily, we expect plenty of deals when the phones land, especially from carriers. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are likely to offer customers generous discounts with trade-ins or new lines. Also, most people pay for their phones in installments anyway, so you won't have to shell out the entire price right away.
If you want to bypass strict 36-month carrier contracts, you can also take advantage of Apple's own iPhone Upgrade Program or Apple Card Monthly Installments to split the cost interest-free while keeping the flexibility to upgrade again next year.
Alternatively, if a $1,399 starting price is simply a dealbreaker, your best option might be to look elsewhere in the lineup. The standard iPhone 18 and the rumored iPhone 18 Air are expected to keep much friendlier price tags, giving you the core iOS 27 AI features for hundreds less.
You could also wait for the inevitable price drops on the iPhone 17 Pro, which should become an incredible value the second the new models hit the shelves.
Will the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max be worth the new price?
iPhone 18 Pro renders. | Image by MacRumors
This is the question that's on everyone's mind at the moment. With a $200 or even $300 price hike, will the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max offer enough to justify it?
You will get the next-generation A20 Pro chip and a beautiful new LTPO+ display, which work together to make the phone faster while saving battery life. Plus, you will get the brand-new Siri AI features with iOS 27, allowing the assistant to look at your screen and actually do things inside your apps for you.
The extra money may also be worth it if you love mobile photography. The rumored variable aperture on the main camera is a huge deal because it physically changes how light enters the lens, giving you true DSLR-like background blur instead of relying on fake software effects.
Moreover, the phone should look sleeker thanks to a Dynamic Island that is nearly 50% smaller and a more durable body that won't fade or discolor over time. However, if you are already using a recent model like the iPhone 17 Pro and don't care about professional camera settings or advanced AI tools, spending an extra $300 might not make sense for your budget.
Get Visible as low as $20/mo for 1 year. Limited time offer with code: FRESHSTART
$20
/mo
$25
$5 off (20%)
Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.
Iskra Petrova is a news writer at PhoneArena, where she covers mobile tech news and maintains the site’s device hubs with the latest leaked specs, rumors, and official details for upcoming phones. She joined PhoneArena in 2020 after three years in technical support for Microsoft Exchange, giving her practical experience with software infrastructure and troubleshooting. Iskra holds a Master’s Degree in Literature, which helps her translate complex tech details into clear, reader-friendly coverage. She is a daily Apple ecosystem user, while also closely following Sony Xperia’s camera-focused phones and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: