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If you didn't know, iPhone users pay less in the United States than in France! So why the price difference? And is it a good idea to buy your iPhone in the United States to use it in France? We explain everything!
What is the price difference between a US version iPhone and a European version?
Let's take the iPhone 15 Pro Max as an example, bearing in mind that the price difference is the same for all models.
The retail price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (lowest price for the model) in France is €1,480.95. In the United States, it is priced at $1,199.
If we apply the dollar-to-euro conversion, the price in France should be €1,131.75.
So why is the iPhone in France more than £250 more expensive than in the United States?
How can the price difference between the US and France be explained?
The first explanation lies in VAT. In France, VAT is included in the displayed price, whereas in the United States, the displayed price is exclusive of tax.
If we take into account that VAT in France for this type of product is 20%, for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the VAT included in the displayed price of €1,480.95 is €246.83. The price excluding tax is therefore €1,234.02, which is still higher than in the United States.
In the United States, taxes vary depending on the state in which you make your purchases. Rates generally range from 2.9% to 7.25%.
If we take the highest rate of 7.25% and apply it to the pre-tax price of €1,199, the iPhone 15 Pro Max sells for £1,285.92, or €1,151.35.
Including all taxes, the iPhone 15 Pro Max actually costs €195 more in France than in the United States (in the state with the highest VAT rate in the United States). This is still a significant difference, despite the application of VAT to the US price.
So why the price difference?
Apple explains that iPhone prices are set internationally based on a range of factors such as "exchange rates, local import laws, commercial practices, taxes and the cost of doing business".
"These factors vary from region to region and over time, so international prices are not always comparable to suggested retail prices in the United States."
It is for these reasons that iPhones in France, as in the rest of Europe, are on average around €200 more expensive than in the United States.
So why not buy your iPhone in the United States even if you are a European resident?
Why not buy your iPhone in the United States?
This seems like a completely logical solution given the explanations below. But you won't pay less.
Whether you buy your iPhone while travelling in the United States, online, or have a friend send it to you from the United States, you won't necessarily pay less than if you bought it in France.
First option: you want to buy your iPhone directly in the United States. Using the iPhone 15 Pro Max as an example, assuming you are subject to the lowest tax rate of 2.9%, you will pay £1,233.77 for your iPhone 15 Pro Max at the checkout, or €1,104.66.
You will then fly back to France, and according to EU customs duty guidelines (TDC), you are required to declare any purchases over £700 (this also applies if you are travelling by boat). These duties amount to 20% of the price of the goods.
If we apply the rate to €1,104.66, the iPhone will cost you €1,325.59, which is €155.36 cheaper.
This can therefore be a good deal if, of course, you take advantage of your trip to make this purchase. But keep in mind that your iPhone will be an American version and not a European one, which may affect the use of the smartphone in Europe! But we'll come back to that later.
Be sure to declare your goods at customs, because if you fail to do so, you will be fined much more!
Second option: you want to buy an iPhone in the United States, but this time by placing an order online.
Well, the principle is the same: you will be subject to a 20% customs duty on the price of the product purchased outside the European Union.
But that's not all!
As stated on the tax and customs duty calculation website, other charges may apply.
This is particularly the case for transport costs, which you cannot avoid.
In fact, to ship your product from the United States, private companies such as FedEx will handle the transport. These companies will send you a letter asking you to pay the transport costs, generally referred to as "handling fees".
These rates vary depending on the products and carriers.
So be careful when making your purchase and make sure you are well informed.
However, as indicated on the customs website, you should expect to pay around 30% of the product price on top of the initial purchase price. In the case of an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the price will therefore be almost identical to if you had bought it directly in France.
What if I ended up buying an iPhone in the United States?
If you bought an iPhone in the United States and are using it in France or Europe, you should be aware that you may encounter some obstacles in your user experience.
The first difference is the SIM card. Since the iPhone 14, US versions no longer have SIM cards. iPhones work via the E-SIM system, which is not yet widely used in France.
The second difference is network reception. To put it simply, frequencies vary depending on the region of the world. In the United States, 4G and 5G are not on the same frequencies as French/European 4G and 5G. The antennas on US versions of the iPhone are designed to support American network frequencies, and the antennas on European/French versions are designed to support European frequencies. We explain this in more detail in this article.
So, if you have a US iPhone, that doesn't mean you won't be able to connect to the network in France and Europe. However, if you need to replace your iPhone's antenna, you will have to purchase a US version antenna. If you put a French antenna in a US iPhone, the motherboard will not be able to connect to the network and you will not be able to receive a signal.
Now you know why an iPhone is sold at a much lower price than in France, and you have all the information you need to make your choice!
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