How Much Does an iPhone 4 Cost?

Wondering how much you'll pay to get your hands on the new iPhone 4? The price of the iPhone really depends on two factors: The cost of the phone itself, plus the service fee you pay every month to AT&T or Verizon. Here's a complete list of all the costs associated with buying and owning an iPhone 4.

The Phone Itself

To get the iPhone 4 for the lowest price, you must sign up for a two-year service contract with AT&T or Verizon.

New AT&T customers will get these subsidized prices, as will existing AT&T customers who are eligible for an upgrade. (AT&T is offering early upgrades to some existing customers; this article can help you find out how to check your upgrade eligibility.)

Verizon Wireless is offering the same subsidized prices to new subscribers and those eligible for upgrades. Existing customers who are eligible for upgrades can get these prices through the carrier's "New Every Two" program. Those who are not eligible for upgrades will need to pay full price but may be able to take advantage of Verizon's Trade-In Program.

• 16GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $199
• 32GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $299

AT&T subscribers who are not yet eligible for a handset upgrade will be charged the following "Early Upgrader" prices. (These prices also require a two-year service commitment.)

• 16GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $399
• 32GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $499

If you don't want to sign a service contract with AT&T, you'll pay more for the iPhone 4. The No Commitment prices are:

• 16GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $599
• 32GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $699

Verizon customers who are not eligible for an upgrade will have to pay full retail price for the iPhone 4. These prices are:

• 16GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $649
• 32GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $749

All existing AT&T customers will be charged an upgrade fee of $18, whether or not they are eligible for the discounted prices. Verizon Wireless is not charging an activation fee for new customers.

Monthly Service

When purchasing an iPhone 4 with a service contract, you'll need a voice plan, a data plan, and a text messaging plan in order to use the phone. Here's how much you can expect to pay for your monthly service:

AT&T Data

AT&T offers two options: DataPlus or DataPro.

DataPlus is a $15-per-month plan that allows you to access 200MB of data.

DataPro is a $25-per-month plan that allows you to access 2GB of data.

For a complete breakdown of these plans and how much data, you'll access with them, read AT&T's Data Plans: All the Details.

If you'd like to use your iPhone 4 as a tethered modem (to which you can connect other devices to the Internet), you'll need to subscribe to the $25-a-month DataPro plan and an additional $20-per-month Tethering plan.

Verizon Wireless Data

Verizon Wireless offers three data options:

2GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $30 per month

5GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $50 per month

10GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $80 per month

If you'd like to use your iPhone as a wireless hotspot (to which you can connect other devices to the Internet), you'll need to select one of these data plans:

4GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $50 per month

7GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $70 per month

12GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $100 per month

AT&T Voice Plans

AT&T offers a choice of voice plans for the iPhone 4. All offer a certain number of nationwide calling minutes, and all offer free calling to other AT&T mobile phones.

• $69.99 per month: Unlimited voice minutes
• $59.99 per month: 900 voice minutes
• $39.99 per month: 450 voice minutes

All of the plans (except the unlimited plan) include rollover minutes, which allow you to save unused voice minutes and apply them to your next bill should you go over your allotment. Additional minutes cost between 40 cents and 45 cents per minute, depending on your plan.

Most of the plans offer unlimited free night (9 pm to 6 am) and weekend calling; the only one that doesn't is the plan with 450 minutes, which limits you to 5000 night and weekend minutes.

Verizon Wireless Voice Plans

Verizon offers three voice plans for the iPhone:

• $69.99 per month: Unlimited voice minutes
• $59.99 per month: 900 voice minutes
• $39.99 per month: 450 voice minutes

AT&T and Verizon Text Plans

You also need a messaging plan if you want to use your iPhone 4 to send and receive text, picture, and multimedia messages, and instant messages via AOL, Yahoo, or Windows Live. Here are the options from AT&T.

• $20 per month: Unlimited messages
• $15 per month: 1500 messages (sent or received); 5 cents for each additional message
• $5 per month: 200 messages (sent or received); 10 cents for each additional message

And here are the options from Verizon:

• $20 per month: Unlimited messages
• $10 per month: 500 messages PLUS Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Messaging
• $5 per month: 250 messages

Without a plan, AT&T charges 20 cents for each text or instant message you send or receive and 30 cents for each picture or video message. Verizon charges 20 cents per text message and 25 cents per picture/video message.