Purchasing an iPhone at full retail price offers a "clean" ownership experience. The primary advantage is . When you own the device outright, it is typically unlocked, allowing you to switch carriers at will to take advantage of cheaper prepaid plans or international SIM cards while traveling.
Do you have a specific or carrier in mind so we can look at the actual price breakdown?
The "better" choice depends on your financial habits and loyalty to a network. If you have the capital and value the ability to jump to the cheapest service provider at any time, is the superior financial move. However, if you already plan on staying with a major carrier for several years and want to leverage a trade-in deal to lower your monthly overhead, a carrier plan provides an affordable path to the latest hardware.
