Why buy from Apple? You can get the iPhone 17 Pro with an unlimited plan for under $1,000 with this early Black Friday deal

iPhone 17 Pro held in the hand showing back with Black Friday badge nearby. — (Image credit: Future)

I don't know why people continue to buy directly from Apple because one of the best early Black Friday iPhone deals going on right now comes from a prepaid carrier. Out of all the offers out there, the iPhone 17 Pro early Black Friday deal from Total Wireless has one the best ones I've been looking out for because it's still cheaper than outright buying the phone from Apple.

For a limited time, you can save $300 off instantly when you buy the iPhone 17 Pro with 256GB of storage when you activate it on a Total 5G Unlimited plan for three months — which adds on $165 in total for those three months of service. In total, you’re paying $1,264 at checkout for a brand new iPhone with unlimited data service for three months. Considering the phone by itself retails for $1,099 normally, it's yet another reason why you should never buy a phone for full price.

What makes buying the iPhone 17 Pro from Total Wireless better is the combination of an instant discount on the hardware and that you’re committed to the service for a limited time. Unlike other carriers that force you into 36-month agreements, you’re only locked in to Total Wireless’ unlimited plan for three months. Technically, you can get the phone unlocked after 60 days — but you might as well stick it out until it’s over.

Once you’re done, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro activated on another unlimited cell phone plan, like Mint Mobile or Visible, which have unlimited data plans that cost way less. I’m talking about $15 per month with Mint and $19/month for Visible.

The Total 5G Unlimited plan that comes with the iPhone 17 Pro has its perks, too. For example, it comes with Disney+ Premium — which by itself normally costs $18.99 per month.

Secondly, Total Wireless doesn’t have data throttling or network deprioritization. This is important because other prepaid carriers often throttle speeds when they hit their data cap. This is often referred to as "premium data," the amount that you're given each month — and once you've reached that — your speeds are slowed down or deprioritized until the next billing cycle.

And lastly, the iPhone 17 Pro comes with 15GB of hotspot data instead of the 5GB or 10GB I see elsewhere. I've found this feature to come in hand when I need to connect my laptop to the internet, especially when I'm on the train or Uber ride.

All told, you're getting a pretty good deal on one of the best phones around. I've been using it for more than a month now and it's proven to be great at just about everything. In my iPhone 17 Pro review, I specifically mention how it takes exceptional photos under low light. And if that's not enough, the A19 Pro chip powering the phones lets me play games like Diablo Immortal with ease.

For more discounts, check out our Black Friday iPhone deals roundup and our main Black Friday deals live blog.

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John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.

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