One company still lists these phones, and its price depends on which of its pages you land on. On September 21, 2026, AirTalk Wireless showed the iPhone X at $0.00 in its new-enrollment carousel, $49.99 on its upgrade listing, and $109.99 on the iPhone X product page. The iPhone XS was $0.00 in the carousel and $79.99 on both other pages. Nobody else sells either: SafeLink’s authorized shop and the TruConnect shop listed no iPhone X and no iPhone XS that day.
So a free iphone x government phone is possible but uncommon. The harder question is whether a phone from 2017 is worth taking in 2026. Apple declared the iPhone X obsolete on August 13, 2026 and will not repair it. The XS is a year newer and still gets patched. That gap is the story here.
What AirTalk charged for an iPhone X and XS on September 21, 2026
Every figure below was read that day with no ZIP code entered. Yours can differ.
| Where it appeared | iPhone X | iPhone XS | Stock that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| New-enrollment carousel (homepage) | $0.00, value $155.25 | $0.00, value $149.50 | No badge |
| Upgrade listing, existing customers | $49.99 | $79.99 | “Today Only” deal badge |
| The model’s own product page | $109.99 | $79.99 | No out-of-stock notice |
| SafeLink authorized shop | Not sold | Not sold | Cheapest iPhone $249 |
| TruConnect shop | Not sold | Not sold | Cheapest iPhone, an XR, $249 |
Three prices for one phone, on one website, in one hour. AirTalk’s Free Phones page, the only page where devices are genuinely $0 for everyone, listed neither model. It held just the A67L Gen2 and a Hotpepper Verde in stock, with its two free iPhones, the 7 and the 6 Plus, out of stock.
Why the same phone had three prices
AirTalk sells the same handsets from separate shelves, and the shelf decides the number.
- New-enrollment offers. Devices tied to a fresh Lifeline sign-up, priced from your state and local stock. That is the $0.00.
- The upgrade listing. Discounted devices for people already on AirTalk. That is the $49.99 and $79.99.
- The individual product page. A standalone purchase price. That is the $109.99.
The rule sits on AirTalk’s promotions page: “Offers vary by state and is available for a limited time. Enter your ZIP code to check availability in your area.” Its iPhone XS article, updated July 20, 2026, is blunter: “Getting a completely free iPhone XS is rare, but scoring a huge discount is very possible,” and it quotes $59.99 for first-time California applicants. Its iPhone X article, updated August 12, 2026, quotes $64.99 for California new enrollees and says the phone may be “completely free” during limited promotions. Our AirTalk free iPhone guide tracks every model it lists.
Whatever the handset costs, the service is the same: $0 a month, unlimited talk and text, 5 GB of high-speed data, up to 15 GB in some states. Lifeline pays for service, never hardware.
The support line runs right between these two phones
They look almost identical. In software they sit a year and a whole support tier apart.
| Support | iPhone X | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| On sale | November 3, 2017 | September 21, 2018 |
| Highest iOS it can run | iOS 16 | iOS 18 |
| Gets iOS 27? | No | No |
| Recent security patch | iOS 16.7.15, March 11, 2026 | iOS 18.7.10, August 17, 2026 |
| Apple repair status | Obsolete since August 13, 2026 | Vintage |
| Can a shop order Apple parts? | No | Yes, while supplies last |
iOS 27 arrived on September 14, 2026 and stops at the iPhone 11, so neither of these was ever getting it. What they do get is security-only patching on their old branch, and Apple has kept that going: the March 11, 2026 release for the iPhone X carried “important security fixes” for devices that cannot go further.
The repair line is harsher. Apple calls a product obsolete seven years after it stopped selling it, and says it “discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products.” The iPhone X crossed that line five weeks before these prices were read. Vintage products like the XS keep parts access a while longer.
Three more years of ownership means three more years on iOS 16 for the X. Banking and benefits apps drop old iOS versions eventually, and when one does, there is no update to install and no repair counter to visit.
$49.99 for an iPhone X, or $89.99 for an iPhone 11
Same shop, same day, one shelf apart. This is the comparison worth doing before you click.
| Where and what | iPhone X | iPhone XS | iPhone 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirTalk upgrade price | $49.99 | $79.99 | $89.99 |
| AirTalk product page | $109.99 | $79.99 | $0, “Almost Gone” |
| Runs iOS 27 (Sept 14, 2026) | No | No | Yes |
| Apple repair status | Obsolete | Vintage | Neither |
| SafeLink shop | Not sold | Not sold | $279 |
| TruConnect shop | Not sold | Not sold | From $279 |
The iPhone 11 costs $40 more on the upgrade listing and was showing $0 on its own product page. For that $40 you get current iOS, probably one more major version after it, and a phone Apple still repairs. For $49.99 you get a 2017 phone Apple has stopped touching. Our free government iPhone 11 page covers that model.
The XS is the closer call. At $79.99 it is $10 under the 11, still patched, still repairable, and it has eSIM. If the $0 iPhone 11 is not offered in your ZIP, an iPhone XS Lifeline phone beats an X at any price.
What the hardware is actually like
Both share a 5.8-inch OLED screen at 2436 by 1125 pixels, 458 pixels per inch. That is a real OLED, deeper and brighter than the LCD in the iPhone 11 and XR, and it is the best reason to want one. Both use Face ID, with no home button and no fingerprint reader as a backup. If Face ID fails, the repair problem above becomes yours.
| Spec | iPhone X | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A11 Bionic | A12 Bionic |
| Cellular | LTE, no 5G | Gigabit-class LTE, no 5G |
| SIM | Nano-SIM only, no eSIM | Dual SIM: nano-SIM and eSIM |
| Water resistance | Splash resistant | IP68, 2 meters for 30 minutes |
| Storage | 64 GB or 256 GB | 64, 256 or 512 GB |
| Port | Lightning | Lightning |
Neither does 5G, which costs you almost nothing on a plan capped at 5 to 15 GB. Both take the older Lightning cable, so a USB-C charger alone will not do.
The battery is the real expense. Apple designs iPhone 14 and earlier batteries to hold 80% of capacity at 500 charge cycles, which a daily charger passes in under two years. An iPhone X is nearly nine years old, and an XS turned eight the day these prices were read. Apple’s out-of-warranty battery service was reported at $99 in September 2026, but Apple will not perform it on an iPhone X at all, because obsolete means no service. An independent shop is the only route there. AirTalk’s warranty on a paid pre-owned device is 30 days, so check Settings, Battery, Battery Health & Charging the day it arrives.
Locked to AirTalk, permanently
AirTalk’s terms say it “does not provide unlocking services for any Devices obtained through our Service,” and its blog repeats that devices “are locked to the AirTalk Wireless network.” Not after a year, not for a fee. Lifeline lets you switch companies whenever you like, but this handset stays behind. Our guide to unlocking a free government phone explains where federal rules end and carrier policy begins.
How to get one, step by step
- Confirm you qualify. Income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or someone in your home gets SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or a Veterans or Survivors Pension. Our Lifeline eligibility guide has the income table.
- Enter your ZIP before anything else. It sets which devices and prices you see. Read the number on the tile itself.
- Gather three documents. Proof of identity, address and program participation. Phone photos are fine. Missing paperwork is the usual reason an application stalls. Start at our how to apply for Lifeline guide.
- Pick the device during enrollment, not after. No later screen swaps a free Android for a free iPhone.
- Decide when the copay appears. $49.99 or $79.99 for a locked refurbished phone is a real offer, not a scam. Check the iPhone 11 price on the same site first.
- Test it the week it lands. Both cameras, Face ID, speaker, microphone and Battery Health. AirTalk allows 7 days to return a non-defective device.
Nobody legitimate asks for a card number, a fee or your EBT PIN to send you a Lifeline phone. Eligibility checks happen at getinternet.gov; offers live on the provider’s own site. See our free government phone scams guide and the general free government iPhone guide.
Buying used, or using the phone you already own
The used market is thinning. Gazelle, a large certified refurbisher, listed a used unlocked iPhone XS 64 GB at $134.99 and marked it sold out, and no iPhone X or XS appeared in its main iPhone inventory at all. Its cheapest listing was an iPhone SE 2nd generation at $96 to $116, with an unlocked iPhone 11 at $153 to $186.
Read that against AirTalk’s $49.99. The AirTalk phone is far cheaper and locked forever; the Gazelle one costs three times as much, arrives unlocked, and carried a 1-year warranty and 30-day returns. If you already own an X or XS, skip all of it: bring it, pay nothing for the handset, keep the $0 service. See our bring your own phone guide. SafeLink sells a BYOP SIM kit for $9.99.
Frequently asked questions
Is a free government iPhone X real? Sometimes. On September 21, 2026, AirTalk’s new-enrollment carousel showed it at $0.00 while its upgrade listing showed $49.99 and its product page showed $109.99. Your ZIP code and whether you are a new customer decide which you see. AirTalk’s own article says the phone may be free during limited promotions and quotes $64.99 for California new enrollees.
Can I get a free iPhone XS instead? Same answer, different number. The carousel showed $0.00 and both other pages showed $79.99. AirTalk says outright that a completely free iPhone XS is “rare.” Anyone searching for a free iphone xs government phone is looking at that one listing.
Does SafeLink or TruConnect give away an iPhone X? Neither sells one at any price. SafeLink’s cheapest iPhone was an SE 3rd generation from $249. TruConnect’s cheapest was an iPhone XR at $249, covered on our free government iPhone XR page.
Do the iPhone X and XS still get iOS updates in 2026? Not new versions. The X stops at iOS 16 and the XS at iOS 18, while iOS 27 needs an iPhone 11 or newer. Both still get security-only patches: iOS 16.7.15 for the X on March 11, 2026, and iOS 18.7.10 for the XS on August 17, 2026.
Can Apple still replace the battery in an iPhone X? No. Apple listed it as obsolete on August 13, 2026 and says service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. The XS is vintage, so Apple parts may still be available. Apple’s out-of-warranty battery service was reported at $99 in September 2026.
What about an iPhone X Max? There is no such phone. People searching for one usually mean the iPhone XS Max, which AirTalk listed at $139.99 and marked out of stock on September 21, 2026.
Can I unlock a free iPhone X from AirTalk? No. AirTalk states it does not provide unlocking services for any device obtained through its service.
Sources: AirTalk device listing, AirTalk upgrade listing, AirTalk iPhone X product page, AirTalk iPhone XS product page, AirTalk iPhone XS Max product page, AirTalk iPhone 11 product page, AirTalk Free Phones page, AirTalk promotions and ZIP check, AirTalk: want an iPhone X free, AirTalk: free iPhone XS, the truth, AirTalk terms and conditions, AirTalk: are AirTalk phones unlocked, SafeLink authorized shop, TruConnect shop phones, TruConnect shop iPhone XR, Apple: iPhone X technical specifications, Apple: iPhone XS technical specifications, Apple: vintage and obsolete products, Apple security releases, Apple: update iOS to protect your iPhone, Apple: battery service and recycling, Apple: iPhone X arrives in stores, Apple: iPhone XS arrives in stores, MacRumors: Apple says iPhone X is now obsolete, 9to5Mac: Apple rolls out iOS updates for older devices, Macworld: which iOS can my iPhone run, Mac Observer: what Apple charges for vintage iPhone battery service, Gazelle used iPhone XS, Gazelle certified refurbished iPhones, USAC Lifeline Support: do I qualify