iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299, the highest starting prices in the Pro line so far. Both are $100 more than last year, and the Pro is now $200 above where the iPhone 15 Pro started in 2023.
Apple has raised Pro pricing in two of the last three cycles, after holding it flat between the 15 Pro and 16 Pro. Here is the full run since 2023, and what the pattern says about where the line is heading.
iPhone Pro starting prices, 2023 to 2026
| Model | Year | Pro | Pro Max | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max | 2023 | $999 | $1,199 | $200 |
| iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max | 2024 | $999 | $1,199 | $200 |
| iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max | 2025 | $1,099 | $1,199 | $100 |
| iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max | 2026 | $1,199 | $1,299 | $100 |
The Pro has climbed faster than the Pro Max
The smaller Pro has gone from $999 to $1,199 in three years, a 20 percent increase. The Pro Max held at $1,199 for three straight generations before moving to $1,299 this year, an increase of about 8 percent over the same period.
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The result is that the iPhone 18 Pro now costs exactly what the 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro Max and 17 Pro Max cost at launch, and the gap between the two sizes has narrowed from $200 to $100. Our announcement coverage has the full 2026 spec sheet.
What $1,199 buys in 2026
Apple’s base configuration is 256GB, and the release lists a 2TB tier for the first time. Apple has not published the prices of the 512GB, 1TB or 2TB models, so it is not yet possible to compare the top of the range year over year.
On a monthly basis, Apple lists $49.95 for 24 months on the Pro and $54.12 on the Pro Max, which multiply out to $1,198.80 and $1,298.88: the full price spread across two years.
This year’s headline upgrades are the A20 Pro chip, the variable-aperture main camera and up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro. Our pre-event price coverage tracked the estimates that preceded the $1,199 figure.
What the trend means for buyers
Two increases in two years suggest Apple is comfortable with the Pro as a $1,199 product, especially with no standard iPhone 18 to anchor the lower end this fall.
For buyers, the practical takeaway is that the iPhone 17 Pro, which launched at $1,099, is the nearest alternative, and retailers were discounting it before the event, as our iPhone 17 Pro deals roundup showed.
iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT, with availability September 18. Apple has not said whether the higher storage tiers moved up by the same $100.
