Apple iPhone 18 Pro: Price, specs, and cheapest plans

Apple might be shipping fewer iPhones this year than usual, but there's still plenty to be excited about. If you're looking for the latest on what to expect from the new Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, we've got you covered.

In this guide, we've compiled a full rundown of everything you need to know about Apple's latest premium smartphones, including plans, pricing, Australian release dates, important features and specs.

Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are all expected to offer the Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on a plan. 

That's not a major surprise, nor is the cost of the plans involved. No matter which telco you go with, you can pick from a 24-month plan or a 36-month plan. A 36-month plan will always be cheaper, but it means you're paying your phone off over a longer period of time. 24-month plans are also available, but cost more per month.

While we don't have a full picture of the specific plans for the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the math on what those plans look like is fairly predictable. If you pick up the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max on a plan, you'll be looking at paying the usual price of your plans plus the RRP of the device (divided by either 24 or 36 months) minus any launch or preorder discounts.

We'll update this page once the plans for these new devices go live, but in the meantime you can find a snapshot of the Optus, Vodafone and Telstra plans you'll be able to pair Apple's new smartphones up with.

In Australia, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $2099. As usual, the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at a slightly higher $2,299. 

For a breakdown that shows how this year's Pro-grade iPhones compare when it comes to pricing, check out the table below. 

While the iPhone 18 Pro is technically the cheapest option on the menu this year, it's got all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a premium device. There's a slick 6.3-inch LTPO OLED screen, three 48MP rear cameras on the back, plus Apple's latest A20 Pro processor on the inside. Compared to last year's iPhone 17 Pro, it's more evolution than revolution.

Even so, the hardware changes are mostly for the better. While the overall form-factor is slightly heavier and thicker, the upside is that this year's Pro grade iPhone comes with a slightly larger battery, a reworked 48MP main camera with variable aperture, a new vapor chamber that promises better performance. Meanwhile, when it comes to the software side of things, the iPhone 18 Pro also comes with the new Siri AI assistant, Pro Camera controls and a Dynamic Island that supports more activation at once.

Naturally, the biggest difference between the new iPhone 18 Pro Max and its siblings is the size of the screen. At 6.9-inches, the OLED display found here is going to be a better fit for those with larger hands or larger appetites when it comes to content consumption. 

As usual, those extra pixels come with paired with a slightly larger battery. However, if you're looking for a list of differences between this and last year's iPhone 17 Pro Max, the one you'll find isn't all that long. Still, it's hard to complain. This year's big-screen iPhone comes with all the same new features found in its sibling, including a new 48MP variable aperture main camera, a vapor chamber, Siri AI integration, and a Dynamic Island that can do more at once.

The only three mobile providers in Australia that offer the Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on a plan are the big three: Optus, Vodafone, and Telstra.

Regardless of which provider you pick, you plan will be structured the same way so be sure to pick the one that best suits your individual needs. Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone offer a variety of perks and plan features, which we'll cover below.

Any of Optus’ postpaid plans can be paired up with the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The cheapest plan available comes with 60GB of data, which can be shared if you have multiple plans attached to the same account. While 60GB of data is well above the national average when it comes to usage, it is slightly short of what you can expect from the cheapest iPhone 18 Pro plan available through Vodafone. 

Compared to Telstra’s cheapest iPhone 18 Pro plan though, Optus’ offer is both cheaper and comes with more data per month. 

Of course, Optus' Apple iPhone 18 Pro plans include more than just additional on-the-go gigabytes. This provider’s more expensive plans also come with unlimited international calls to select destinations – which is handy to have  if you're looking to keep in touch with friends and family overseas. 

Alternatively, if you're planning to travel abroad yourself, Optus offers some pretty decent roaming add-ons. An extra $5 per day will get you 5GB of data and unlimited local talk & text when roaming in select countries. That isn’t quite as generous as Vodafone’s roaming inclusions, but it’s fairly close.

It's also worth remembering that Optus mobile plans come with no data overage fees. If you go over your monthly data limit, you won't incur any unexpectedly high fees, but you will have your speed capped at 1.5Mbps until the end of your current billing cycle. 

Last but not least, Optus customers also get access to SubHub – a platform that lets you combine multiple subscription services (such as Netflix, Microsoft 365, and others) into a single bill, along with a 5% or 10% discount, depending on whether you sync two or three or more services.

Vodafone’s roster of postpaid plans that can be paired up with the new iPhone 18 Pro is slightly smaller than Optus’ but – depending on your needs – may offer better value, especially if you travel overseas relatively often. 

Vodafone’s thriftiest iPhone 18 Pro plan comes with 65GB (excluding promotions), which is much higher than the average national usage. This is also slightly more than you can expect from Optus’ cheapest iPhone 18 Pro plan. It compares even more favourably against Telstra’s cheapest iPhone 18 Pro plan.

This plan – like all of Vodafone's postpaid plans – also comes with unlimited international texts to select countries, and the more-expensive plans have international call inclusions. 

Like Optus, you can also share data between multiple Vodafone mobile plans if they are attached to the same account. You'll also save $5 off the price of the first additional plan you add to your account, then $15 off the price of each plan you add after that one up to a maximum of ten.

Again, as with Optus, there's plenty of data and perks like no excess data fees. Instead of cutting you off, Vodafone slows your connection to 2Mbps once you pass your monthly limit. This is slightly faster than the 1.5Mbps speed cap that Optus and Telstra employ. However, like its rivals, Vodafone's plans don't include any data banking or rollover for unused data.

Having said that though, Vodafone does still enjoy the advantage when it comes to international roaming. For just $5 per day, you can use your phone as you normally would while overseas. This kicks in automatically when our phone connects to an overseas network and lasts for 24 hours. Even years later, this offer is still one of the best roaming options on the market for both value and ease of use.

It’s no surprise that Telstra’s Apple iPhone 18 Pro plans come with a higher price-tag than what you can expect from either Optus or Vodafone, but neither are the extra perks that come with the provider behind Australia’s largest mobile network.

Telstra’s cheapest iPhone 18 Pro plan comes with just 50GB of data per month. Although this is higher than the national average when it comes to usage, it’s less than what you can expect if you sign up for an iPhone 18 Pro plan through Vodafone or Optus. 

As with Telstra's competition, there are no overage charges for going past your data limit – instead you're slowed to 1.5Mbps. However, there's no data banking or rollover to let hang onto your unused data either. 

Fortunately, as with the other big three providers, you can share data between up to 10 mobile services on the same eligible account. Unlike Vodafone, there’s no savings associated with doing so though. 

All three of Telstra's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max plans come with 30 minutes of international calls to all destinations. That isn’t a huge amount of minutes, but the silver lining here is that you aren’t as limited when it comes to the countries that are covered. If you do need more minutes, these start at $10 per month – but may cost more depending on the destination. 

Speaking of roaming, Telstra’s roaming perks are decent but not as affordable as Optus or Vodafone in most circumstances. Travelling in New Zealand will cost you $5 per day, but most other countries are $10 per day. You'll get 2GB to use per day, plus unlimited calls and texts. 

Signing up for an iPhone 18 Pro plan through the provider behind Australia’s largest mobile network will also give you the chance to earn some Telstra Points. This is Telstra’s take on a Frequent Flyer programme, with the provider’s customer earning points each month as they make eligible plan payments. 

Once earned, Telstra Points can put these towards purchases from the Telstra Plus Rewards store, such as discounted movie tickets and sports events, pre-sales for concerts, and more. It’s worth noting that neither Vodafone nor Optus have a similar system in place. While it doesn’t entirely offset the price of the premium that comes with this particular provider, the points you’re earning could well add up to something more significant over the 24 or 36-month period it’ll take for you to pay off the price of your new iPhone 18 Pro.