The iPhone is the one phone that costs the same to buy everywhere, which makes it a clean test of the networks. If you strip out the phone, what's left is the contract. And the contract prices aren't the same.
We compared four iPhones that are on contract in South Africa today, using the lowest-priced plan each network lists for the phone, on 36 months unless we say otherwise.
Which network lists which iPhone
| iPhone | Vodacom | MTN | Cell C | Telkom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16e | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| 15 | Yes | Upgrade Only | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| 17 | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
"Not listed" means the phone was not in that network's catalogue when we read it on 7 October 2026. It can change, and it says nothing about what a shop holds in stock. "Upgrade Only" means MTN's iPhone 15 deals are open to existing MTN customers only.
The iPhone 16e, 128GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vodacom | R679 a month (R16 296) | R479 (R17 244) | RED Core, 1GB |
| Telkom | R629 (R15 096) | R489 (R17 604) | FlexOn 2, 2GB |
| MTN | R669 (R16 056) | R499 (R17 964) | Yellow Core, 1GB |
On 36 months Vodacom is cheapest, but only by R720 over the contract. Telkom's FlexOn 2 figures are from its in-store catalogue and come with twice the data. On 24 months the order changes and Telkom is cheapest.
The iPhone 15, 128GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telkom | R799 a month (R19 176) | R599 (R21 564) | FlexOn 2, 2GB |
| Cell C | R799 (R19 176) | R599 (R21 564) | Elevate 1+, 1.5GB |
| Vodacom | R829 (R19 896) | R609 (R21 924) | RED Core, 1GB (the TopUp version of the plan) |
The oldest iPhone here has the smallest gap, R360 over 36 months. Telkom and Cell C are level.
The iPhone 16, 128GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telkom | R929 a month (R22 296) | R689 (R24 804) | FlexOn 2, 2GB |
| Vodacom | R1 049 (R25 176) | R779 (R28 044) | RED Core, 1GB |
A gap of R3 240 over 36 months, 13% of Telkom's price, and Telkom's plan has more data.
The iPhone 17
| Model | Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256GB | Telkom (online) | R1 149 (R27 576) | R829 (R29 844) | FlexOn 4, 4GB |
| 256GB | Telkom (in store) | R1 169 (R28 056) | R849 (R30 564) | FlexOn 4, 4GB |
| 256GB | Vodacom | R1 149 (R27 576) | R899 (R32 364) | RED Core, 3GB |
| 512GB | Telkom (online) | R1 359 (R32 616) | R969 (R34 884) | FlexOn 4, 4GB |
| 512GB | Vodacom | R1 599 (R38 376) | R1 199 (R43 164) | RED Core, 5GB |
On the 256GB model the gap on 36 months is R2 520 against Telkom's online price. On 24 months the two are level. The 512GB model shows the largest gap of any phone here, R8 280 over 36 months, though the lowest-priced Vodacom plan for that size is a bigger one (5GB against Telkom's 4GB), so part of the difference is data.
What this tells you
- The gap depends on the model. R360 on the iPhone 15, R720 on the 16e, R3 240 on the 16, R2 520 to R8 280 on the 17.
- Telkom is cheapest on the iPhone 16 and 17 and level on the 15 over 36 months. Vodacom wins the 16e, by R10 a month (R360 over the contract).
- The shorter contract can change the answer. On the iPhone 16e, Vodacom wins over 36 months and Telkom over 24. On the 256GB iPhone 17, 24 months makes Telkom (online) and Vodacom level.
- Telkom's cheapest 17 is online-only. In store the same plan is R20 a month higher. That's R720 across 36 months.
What to watch for
- The plans are not identical. Data runs from 1GB to 5GB across these rows. We show the lowest price on each network, not a like-for-like data comparison, and more data costs more everywhere.
- MTN's iPhone 15 is for existing customers. We have no open MTN price for it.
- Prices move. We read Vodacom, MTN and Cell C on 7 October 2026, Telkom's online shop on 7 October and its in-store catalogue (7 October to 6 November edition) on 9 October. Check the figure on the day.
- No upfront payment is recorded for any of these deals. Totals are the monthly price times the number of months.
How to compare
- Pick the model first, then compare networks for that exact storage size.
- Compare the total over the contract, not only the monthly price.
- Check the data: the cheapest plan is usually the smallest.
- Compare online and in-store prices if one network has both.
Compare phone contracts on Vulo →
Sources. Each network's own live catalogue: Vodacom, MTN and Cell C read in full on 7 October 2026; Telkom through its online shop (7 October) and its monthly in-store catalogue (edition 7 October to 6 November 2026, read by hand on 9 October). Only deals open to new customers are used. Totals are our own arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
- Which network has the cheapest iPhone 17 on contract?
- For the 256GB iPhone 17 on 36 months, Telkom is R829 a month online (R29 844 in total) on a 4GB plan, or R849 in store. Vodacom's lowest plan is R899 (R32 364) with 3GB. Cell C and MTN did not list the standard iPhone 17 in the catalogues we read on 7 October.
- How much can the same iPhone cost differently across networks?
- On 36 months the gap between the cheapest and dearest network was R360 for the iPhone 15, R720 for the iPhone 16e, R3 240 for the iPhone 16 and R2 520 for the 256GB iPhone 17. On the 512GB iPhone 17 it was R8 280, though the plans differ (4GB at Telkom, 5GB at Vodacom).
- Is the cheapest network the same for every iPhone?
- No. On 36 months Vodacom is cheapest for the iPhone 16e, Telkom and Cell C tie for the iPhone 15, and Telkom is cheapest for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17.
- What is an 'Online Exclusive' price at Telkom?
- A price Telkom offers only when you buy through its website. For the iPhone 17 on FlexOn 4 it is R20 a month lower than the in-store catalogue price. Both prices are real, for different ways of buying.
- Does MTN sell the iPhone 15 on contract?
- MTN lists the iPhone 15, but the deals we have for it are 'Upgrade Only', meaning existing MTN customers only. We have no open MTN price for it that a new customer could take.
Compare real options in a couple of minutes
Free, instant, and built on providers' own current pricing — no broker, no commission.
Compare cellphone contracts