The iPhone 15 Plus is now available, which raises an important question about the last-gen iPhone 14 Plus – is it still worth buying it on a plan when the newer model is out on shelves?
We’ve examined your options and as it stands, we do not recommend signing up for an iPhone 14 Plus plan. There’s a few reasons for this – Vodafone has the cheapest iPhone plans, but it’s no longer stocking the 14 Plus online. That means you’ll be paying more for the older handset than you need to.
Secondly, we’ve found it’s actually cheaper to get the iPhone 15 Plus on a plan if you sign up with Vodafone. Not only is it cheaper, but the iPhone 15 Plus also benefits from a slew of upgrades, including a seriously beefed up camera, a more powerful processor, a USB-C charging port and Apple’s reimagined notification centre known as Dynamic Island.
The iPhone 14 Plus may still be worth buying outright if you can score a decent discount, but we haven’t spotted any yet. Apple has officially dropped its RRP to AU$1,499, and we’d suggest only purchasing outright if you can get 10% off or more, and then pairing it with one of the best SIM-only plans.
Best iPhone 14 Plus plans: our picks
Best overall iPhone 14 Plus plan
Best premium iPhone 14 Plus plan
Cheap iPhone 14 Plus plans
You can lower the cost of your monthly bill by signing up to a 36-month contract. This route further spreads out your device repayments, but the drawback is you’ll be locked into a contract for longer, and you can end up paying more for data in the long run. This is because Telstra, Optus and Vodafone don’t have the cheapest SIM-only plans, but smaller telcos do.
Compare iPhone 14 Plus plans
The iPhone 14 Plus brings big-screen fun to a lower price point, so you don’t have to fork out the extra cash to get a screen the same size as the iPhone 14 Pro Max (which is 6.7-inches). Prices start at AU$1,579, and here’s how much each plan costs from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone:
iPhone 14 Plus @ Telstra (24m term)
| Storage | Basic (40GB) | Essential (180GB) | Premium (300GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$127.79 | AU$137.79 | AU$160.79 |
| 256GB | AU$134.87 | AU$144.87 | AU$167.87 |
| 512GB | AU$149.45 | AU$159.45 | AU$182.45 |
iPhone 14 Plus @ Optus (24m term)
| Storage | S (30GB) | M (100GB) | L (220GB) | XL (360GB) | Plus (500GB)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$114.79 | AU$124.79 | AU$134.79 | AU$154.79 | AU$134.79 |
| 256GB | AU$121.87 | AU$131.87 | AU$141.87 | AU$161.87 | AU$141.87 |
| 512GB | AU$136.45 | AU$146.45 | AU$156.45 | AU$176.45 | AU$156.45 |
* AU$69p/m price for first 12 months, then reverts to AU$89p/m.
iPhone 14 Plus @ Vodafone (24m term)
| Storage | Small (40GB) | Medium (150GB) | Large (300GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$110.79 | AU$120.79 | AU$130.79 |
| 256GB | AU$117.87 | AU$127.87 | AU$137.87 |
| 512GB | AU$132.45 | AU$142.45 | AU$152.45 |
Outright iPhone 14 Plus deals
The iPhone 14 Plus is available to buy outright from these major retailers:
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | AU$1,579 | AU$1,749 | AU$2,099 |
| Colours | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow |
iPhone 14 Plus at a glance: what you need to know
OS: iOS 16 | Screen size: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR (up to 60Hz) | Resolution: 2778 x 1284 | CPU: A15 Bionic | Memory: 6GB RAM | Weight: 203g | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Battery: 4,325mAh | Rear camera: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide| Front camera: 12MP
When Apple unveiled its iPhone 14 lineup in September 2022, you might’ve noticed that a mini model was missing. That empty space has been filled by the new iPhone 14 Plus, a phone that delivers a 6.7-inch display without the Pro Max price tag.
The iPhone 14 Plus has a starting price of AU$1,579, making it AU$320 cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Beside screen size, the iPhone 14 Plus doesn’t have much else in common with its Pro Max counterpart. It shares much more DNA with the regular iPhone 14, as it too comes with last year’s A15 Bionic chip – the same one that was inside the iPhone 13 Pro. It’s a little disappointing that the iPhone 14 Plus didn’t get the new A16 Bionic processor that’s inside the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
There’s an added benefit to the iPhone 14 Plus’ larger size, and it’s the battery life. Our testing found that the 14 Plus can power through a full-day of usage. We set the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus side-by-side, and the regular model lasted close to 20 hours of nearly non-stop Netflix. The 14 Plus on the other hand made it to 25 hours of playback, a pretty impressive jump if you ask us.
The iPhone 14 Plus also gets some upgrades in the camera department. Like the iPhone 14, the Plus model comes with a dual-camera system on the back – a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide. They come sporting new sensors for better results in dimly lit shots, and are supported by Apple’s AI-driven Photonic Engine.
Photonic Engine is Apple’s own software that improves image quality behind the scenes. The image processing can be applied to uncompressed RAW images, and it’s done earlier in the processing pipeline than before. The important bit for you is that you’ll get better low-light performance and more visual detail. There’s more AI at work in the new Action Mode, which works to remove blur from fast-moving videos.
Ultimately, we think the iPhone 14 Plus is best suited to those who want a big-screen iPhone at a lower price than the 14 Pro Max, though we still think its asking price is quite high at AU$1,579. It’s available in black, white, red, yellow, light blue and a pastel purple.
