iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Which one is worth it?
Side-by-side US MSRP bands, editorial scores, and strengths—then tune budget and priority to see which model fits your purchase.
Quick verdicts (our rubric)
- Best for camera
Tie
- Best for battery
Tie
- Best for performance
Tie
- Best value score
Tie
- Best overall rubric / for most people
Tie
Which fits you?
Set budget and top priority—we score each phone with the same personalization rules as product pages.
iPhone 15
80
Worth it
$799–$1,319
iPhone 16
80
Worth it
$799–$1,429
→ Dead heat for these settings—either could work.
Full comparison
| Spec | iPhone 15 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Price band (US MSRP) | $799–$1,319 | $799–$1,429 |
| Release year | 2023 | 2024 |
| Camera | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Performance | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Display | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Value | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Overall score | 82/100 | 82/100 |
iPhone 15 — pros
- • Balanced mix of performance and battery
- • Very capable camera system for most users
- • Good value compared with pricier flagships
iPhone 16 — pros
- • Balanced mix of performance and battery
- • Very capable camera system for most users
- • Good value compared with pricier flagships
iPhone 15 — cons
- • Some premium materials, telephoto, or advanced features may be reserved for top-tier models
iPhone 16 — cons
- • Some premium materials, telephoto, or advanced features may be reserved for top-tier models
iPhone 15 — best for
- • Power users
- • Photography
- • Everyday flagship buyers
iPhone 16 — best for
- • Power users
- • Photography
- • Everyday flagship buyers