Best iPhone 12 UK network deals: The biggest sales right now

iPhone 12 deals
(Image credit: Apple)

The best iPhone 12 deals are still worth buying, even though the iPhone 14 is now Apple's flagship. Just remember, only the iPhone 12 is currently available. (The Pro and mini models have been discontinued). 

You could, of course, go straight to Apple to buy yourself a shiny new iPhone. However the big networks who want to be your service provider for the next two to three years are also offering iPhone 12 deals and perks. So many, in fact, that it's hard to navigate and see which ones are best. So we're doing all the hard work for you, and rounding up the best deals available right now. 

Apple

The first place to look is, of course, Apple. The tech titan only offers the iPhone, however, rather than bundling in texts and data so you can actually use it as a phone. That said, Apple is the best place to buy the phone SIM free, because you get an unlocked phone and can choose between paying it all upfront and splitting the cost into monthly payments. 

iPhone 12 from £649 or £27/month @ Apple

iPhone 12 <a href="https://apple.sjv.io/c/221109/435298/7615?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fuk%2Fshop%2Fbuy-iphone" data-link-merchant="apple.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £649 or £27/month @ Apple
The main perk of buying from Apple is being able to buy an iPhone without tying yourself to any particular network. And if you don't want to pay everything upfront, you can spread out your payment over 24 months. Naturally, you can also save money by trading in your old iPhone too.

Refurb iPhone 12 Mini: from £459 @ Apple

Refurb iPhone 12 Mini: <a href="https://apple.sjv.io/c/221109/435298/7615?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fuk%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2FFGE13B%2FA%2Frefurbished-iphone-12-mini-64gb-blue" data-link-merchant="apple.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £459 @ Apple
The iPhone mini 12 is available as an Apple refurb. Again you can pay for it all upfront, pay it off over 24 months, and save money if you trade something else in when you buy.

Best iPhone 12 deals on EE

iPhone 12 (w/125 GB): from £53 a month w/£20 upfront @ EE

iPhone 12 (w/125 GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-5g%2Fdetails" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £53 a month w/£20 upfront @ EE
£53 a month gets you the 64 GB model with 125 GB of data, with a £20 upfront cost. The price of this contract with a 256GB model is actually a tad more expensive, bumping the monthly payment to £49. 

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): from £58 a month w/£20 upfront&nbsp;@ EE

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-5g%2Fdetails" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £58 a month w/£20 upfront @ EE
Your cheapest unlimited data plan comes in at £58 a month. This is for the 64GB model again; you'll need to pay £60 monthly for the 256GB. You can also pay more per month or upfront to access EE's "smart benefits like subscriptions to Apple services or BT sport, free video data or data roaming.

iPhone 12 (w/5GB): from £46 a month w/£60 upfront @ EE

iPhone 12 (w/5GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-5g%2Fdetails" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £46 a month w/£60 upfront @ EE
While EE offers a 1GB contract, this is the lowest amount of monthly data we'd recommend for the average user, which costs £46 a month with a downpayment of £60. If 64GB storage isn't enough for you then you can get the 256GB models for £60 a month.

Best iPhone 12 Mini deals on EE

iPhone 12 Mini (w/125GB): from £45 a month w/£30 upfront @ EE

iPhone 12 Mini (w/125GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-mini-5g%2Fdetails%3FCTTag%3DCT_Sal_HP_H2_iPhone12mini_Q4_2020_1" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £45 a month w/£30 upfront @ EE
There are cheaper plans, but the amount of data they offer means they don't offer nearly the same amount of value. So we recommend the 125GB plan which will cost you £45 a month with a £30 upfront charge. Upping the storage ups the price again, so you can get 128GB and 256GB for £45 and £51 a month.

iPhone 12 Mini (w/1GB): from £43 a month w/£100 upfront @ EE

iPhone 12 Mini (w/1GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-5g%2Fdetails" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £43 a month w/£100 upfront @ EE
This iPhone 12 mini deal leaves you with very little monthly data to use. However it's the cheapest way to get in on the iPhone 12 family from EE, if you don't want to shell out for more data or benefits.

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): from £56 a month w/£20 upfront @ EE

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=31423&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.ee.co.uk%2Fmobile-phones%2Fpay-monthly%2Fiphone-12-5g%2Fdetails" data-link-merchant="ee.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £56 a month w/£20 upfront @ EE
Get all the data you could ever want with this EE contract. If you want some smart benefits, then it costs from £52 a month for a single benefit or £69 for three benefits

Perks of joining EE

The main perk of EE are the swappable benefits, giving you access to one or more perks you can swap on a month by month basis if the mood strikes you. For iPhone contracts those perks include Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, BT Sport Ultimate, increased data roaming, and a Video Data Pass which lets you stream video without using up your data allowance. 

Swappable Perks are good value, but they do cost extra, so make sure you pick the right contract.

EE also has the largest 5G coverage of any UK network, lets you make calls from your Amazon Echo devices, lets you gift your unused data to others,  and finally the option to upgrade anytime you like after the first 15 days of your contract.

Best iPhone 12 deals on O2

iPhone 12 (w/150GB): from £37 a month w/£20 upfront @ O2

iPhone 12 (w/150GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=3235&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.o2.co.uk%2Fshop%2Fapple%2Fiphone-12-5g%3FcontractType%3Dpaymonthly#contractType=paymonthly" data-link-merchant="o2.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £37 a month w/£20 upfront @ O2
O2 is a little bit different, in that contracts are not pre-set and you get to decide exactly what you want and how much you pay. You also have the option of £400 cashback if you trade in a valuable enough phone, and the choice of six months subscription to various streaming services including Disney Plus. 

Best iPhone 12 Mini deals on O2

iPhone 12 Mini (w/5GB): from £32 a month w/£20 upfront @ O2

iPhone 12 Mini (w/5GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=3235&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.o2.co.uk%2Fshop%2Fapple%2Fiphone-13-mini#contractType=paymonthly" data-link-merchant="o2.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £32 a month w/£20 upfront @ O2
All customisable again, so prices range. The cheapest contract possible offers just 5GB of data, which is less than we'd recommend. You can boost up to 150GB or even opt for Unlimited data if you're a heavy user. 

Perks of joining O2

O2’s main perk is that you have complete control over your contract. You can choose how long you want to be tied to the network for, how much you pay upfront, how much data you need, and more. It’s customisable at any time during your contract, and you can even pay off the phone at a later date if you so choose.

Then you also have access to its long-running Priority scheme. That gives you exclusive offers and discounts out in the real world, access to regular competitions, special benefits at O2 venues, and 48 hours early access to concert and event tickets at O2 venues.

New and existing customers also get six months free access to an ‘Extra’, which is a fancy word for digital subscription, Included is Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Audible, Amazon Music, Cafeyn, MelodyVR, McAfee mobile security, and Calm. Alternatively you can opt for Bolt-ons that let you either call international numbers at 1p a minute, or get extra roaming in 27 countries outside of Europe.

Best iPhone 12 deals on Three

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): from £35 a month w/£30 upfront @ Three

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=10210&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.three.co.uk%2Fiphone%2Fiphone-12%2Fplans%3Fbundle%3Dhandset%26colour%3Dblack%26memory%3D64" data-link-merchant="three.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £35 a month w/£30 upfront @ Three
If unlimited data is more your thing, Three has you covered with this fantastic deal. The above price is for the 64GB model anyway. 

Best iPhone 12 Mini deals on Three

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): from £44 a month w/£30 upfront

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=10210&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.three.co.uk%2Fiphone%2Fiphone-12-mini%2Fplans%3Fbundle%3Dhandset%26colour%3Dblue%26memory%3D64" data-link-merchant="three.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £44 a month w/£30 upfront
If you don't mind using the smaller-sized iPhone, this is a great bargain, as it gives you all the same features and data allowance for less.

Best iPhone 12 Pro Max deals on Three

Perks of joining Three

After scrapping the Go Binge perk, which let you stream content without using up your data allowance, there isn’t a lot of extra benefit to joining Three beyond the low cost of their data. The only real perk you do have is Go Roam, which lets you freely access your allowances in 70 countries across the world. But that’s basically it, aside from the wuntu rewards app which isn’t particularly unique.

Best iPhone 12 deals on Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 (w/25GB): from £29.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 (w/25GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=6399&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmedia.com%2Fmobile%2Fpay-monthly%2Fapple%2Fiphone-12" data-link-merchant="virginmedia.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £29.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile
This is the best value plan Virgin Mobile offers in our opinion, but there are a few cheaper options too. This three year contract is £26 a month for the 64GB model, and comes with 6 months half price airtime.

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): from £43.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=6399&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmedia.com%2Fmobile%2Fpay-monthly%2Fapple%2Fiphone-12" data-link-merchant="virginmedia.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £43.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile
£48 a month for the base iPhone 12 is already a good deal, but this price also lets you have unlimited data to play with too.

Best iPhone 12 Mini deals on Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 Mini (w/100GB): from £27.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 Mini (w/100GB): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=6399&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmedia.com%2Fmobile%2Fpay-monthly%2Fapple%2Fiphone-12-mini%3Fintcmpid%3Dmobilehub_pos1_banner" data-link-merchant="virginmedia.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £27.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile
The 100GB plan is good value for the iPhone 12 Mini too, so pick up this three year deal if you're shopping at Virgin.

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): from £40.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile

iPhone 12 Mini (Unlimited): <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=6399&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmedia.com%2Fmobile%2Fpay-monthly%2Fapple%2Fiphone-12-mini%3Fintcmpid%3Dmobilehub_pos1_banner" data-link-merchant="virginmedia.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">from £40.50 a month @ Virgin Mobile
Go for this plan to access limitless data on your iPhone 12 mini with the fewest strings attached.

Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.