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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: Exynos 2400 chip and 15W wireless charging, and you leave iMessage and FaceTime behind.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Apple iPhone 16 is the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, about $650 instead of $799 (save 19%). What you give up: Exynos 2400 chip and 15W wireless charging, and you leave iMessage and FaceTime behind. The cheapest is the Samsung Galaxy A37 5G at about $490. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap Bigger 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, an 8MP telephoto camera and up to 7 OS upgrades, per Samsung.
You give up: Exynos 2400 chip and 15W wireless charging, and you leave iMessage and FaceTime behind.
Why it's a good swap 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery, IP68 and 6 OS upgrades, per Samsung.
You give up: Mid-range Exynos 1480 chip and simpler cameras, and no iMessage or FaceTime.
Why it's a good swap Same 128GB of storage, a 6.3-inch screen up to 120Hz, IP68 and 7 years of updates, per Google.
You give up: Older Tensor G4 chip, and leaving iPhone means no iMessage or FaceTime.
Why it's a good swap The same iPhone 16 128GB, unlocked, with a new battery and outer shell and Apple's one-year warranty.
You give up: It's a refurbished unit, and Apple's refurbished stock comes and goes.
Why it's a good swap Adds a 3x telephoto camera and a 120Hz ProMotion screen in a titanium design, refurbished by Apple.
You give up: Older A17 Pro chip, MagSafe up to 15W, and it's a refurbished unit.
Why it's a good swap Newer A19 chip, double the storage (256GB) and up to 26 hours of video playback vs 22, per Apple.
You give up: One rear camera with no Ultra Wide, and MagSafe tops out at 15W.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Apple iPhone 16? It usually sells for about $799. Here are 6 cheaper swaps from $490: the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is the closest match from another brand, the Apple iPhone 17e is a cheaper option from Apple and the Samsung Galaxy A37 5G is the cheapest at about $490. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 16 | The original | $799 | – | – | View ↗ |
| Samsung Galaxy A37 5G | Budget pick | $490 | $309 (39%) | Mid-range Exynos 1480 chip and simpler cameras, and no iMessage or FaceTime. | View ↗ |
| Google Pixel 10a | Close match | $599 | $200 (25%) | Older Tensor G4 chip, and leaving iPhone means no iMessage or FaceTime. | View ↗ |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 FE | Close match | $650 | $149 (19%) | Exynos 2400 chip and 15W wireless charging, and you leave iMessage and FaceTime behind. | View ↗ |
| Apple iPhone 16 (Apple Certified Refurbished) | Same brand, cheaper | $659 | $140 (18%) | It's a refurbished unit, and Apple's refurbished stock comes and goes. | Not on Amazon |
| Apple iPhone 15 Pro (Apple Certified Refurbished) | Same brand, cheaper | $679 | $120 (15%) | Older A17 Pro chip, MagSafe up to 15W, and it's a refurbished unit. | Not on Amazon |
| Apple iPhone 17e | Same brand, cheaper | $699 | $100 (13%) | One rear camera with no Ultra Wide, and MagSafe tops out at 15W. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G, at about $490 (39% less). 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery, IP68 and 6 OS upgrades, per Samsung. The catch: Mid-range Exynos 1480 chip and simpler cameras, and no iMessage or FaceTime.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, at about $650 (19% less). Bigger 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, an 8MP telephoto camera and up to 7 OS upgrades, per Samsung. The catch: Exynos 2400 chip and 15W wireless charging, and you leave iMessage and FaceTime behind.
Yes. The Apple iPhone 17e, at about $699 (13% less). Newer A19 chip, double the storage (256GB) and up to 26 hours of video playback vs 22, per Apple. The catch: One rear camera with no Ultra Wide, and MagSafe tops out at 15W.
Apple's $799 price includes a $30 connectivity discount that requires activating the phone with AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon. Bought unlocked, the 128GB iPhone 16 is $829.
In some ways. Apple lists the 17e ($699) with the newer A19 chip, 256GB of storage instead of 128GB and up to 26 hours of video playback vs 22. The iPhone 16 keeps a second 12MP Ultra Wide camera and faster MagSafe charging; the 17e's MagSafe tops out at 15W.
Apple sells the iPhone 16 128GB refurbished and unlocked for $659, $140 less than new with carrier activation. Apple says its refurbished iPhones get a new battery and outer shell, all accessories, a new white box and the same one-year warranty as a new iPhone.
Each swap links to a store that sells it (amazon.com or Apple). Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Compared on their own pages: iPhone 17e alternatives
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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