HandsetExpert.com
  • Phones
  • SIM Only
  • Compare Specs
  • Search
Loading more deals...
Sorry, but something has gone wrong. Please reload the page and try again.

Apple iPhone 5s deals and reviews

Apple iPhone 5s

89/100
42 Critic Reviews
The iPhone 5s may have lost its flagship phone status to the iPhone 6 and iPhon... read more

Release Date (UK): September 2013

  • Worth Buying?

  • Expert Reviews

  • Best Deals

  • Phone Specs

  • Photos Taken

The iPhone 5s may have lost its flagship phone status to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but it still remains an attractive option to those who want to buy an iPhone, but want to spend less or prefer the more compact size of the iPhone 5s. When it was released in September 2013, reviewers loved the iPhone 5s and the new features introduced such as the improved camera and the well-designed fingerprint recognition. There have been quite a few internal improvements too such as a much faster CPU with 64-bit architecture and introduction of a motion co-processor, and whilst not immediately visible to users, critics agree that as app developers learn how to make the most of these improvements, the 5s will only get better. Alongside the iPhone 5c, this was the debut of the iOS 7 operating system on Apple devices, which was also generally well-received (both the 5s and 5c can get the newer iOS 8 now). The main criticisms of the 5s were levelled at its price compared to similar phones (especially if you opt for a 64GB version) and the fact that the 4 inch screen seems small compared to most modern high-end handsets. If you want an iPhone, but are put off by the cost or size of the newer version, this is the one to get.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100

Expert Reviews | David Ludlow

...there's still a lot to love about this handset, even if it is nearly three years old. It's no longer the best tiny iPhone (...) but if you're desperate for an iPhone that doesn't cost a lot, then the iPhone 5S is more or less your only option.

Read full review
100

Alphr | Curtis Moldrich

No two ways about it, the iPhone 5s is an excellent smartphone. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's amazingly quick, boasts a superb camera and display, and is beautifully designed and put together.

Read full review
100

The Guardian | Charles Arthur

The 5s is typical Apple: it's got top-end characteristics, at a top-end price. But with that you get really good implementation of complex problems.

Read full review
100

MSN Tech | David Phelan

Easily the best iPhone yet, it's also the most advanced smartphone on the market.

Read full review
100

Pocket-lint | Stuart Miles

It's stunning to use, there's stacks of power, it's without gimmicks and a nod to the future. It's these simple elements that make the iPhone 5S, for us, one of the best phones on the market. There's a lot to admire about that.

Read full review
100

T3 | Luke Peters

It's not only Apple's flagship iPhone but it's also the best phone the company has ever made. The camera is extraordinary. Touch ID is revolutionary.

Read full review
100

Stuff | Tom Parsons

A great phone and a deceptively big step forward for Apple, but the iPhone 5s doesn't leap quite as far as we had hoped.

Read full review
93

phoneArena | John V

the iPhone 5s proves once again something we've come to embrace dearly - it works in all the aspects of what makes a smartphone so darn lovable to use.

Read full review
92

OtherGadgetGuy | Leigh D. Stark

Beautiful screen, excellent design, fantastic speeds and performance; these are the primary things we look for in a smartphone, and they're all here in this device, as well as a couple of new features that will truly show their worth in the coming months.

Read full review
91

Mobile Syrup | Daniel Bader

The iPhone 5s may be expensive, small and its platform heavily curated, but it's probably the best choice for most casual smartphone buyers today.

Read full review
90

Australian PC World | Ross Catanzariti

Apple's iPhone 5s has a small screen by 2013 standards and is unlikely to attract users switching from large screen Android devices, but it remains the best smartphone Apple has ever released. The useful fingerprint sensor, a faster processor and improved low light camera performance will keep most iPhone users satisfied.

Read full review
90

Macworld | Jason Snell

The iPhone 5s may look a lot like its predecessor. But with a faster new processor, a fingerprint sensor, and an improved camera flash, it's a serious upgrade.

Read full review
90

TechSpot | Shawn Knight

At the end of the day, the iPhone 5s is an excellent phone, but whether it's the right choice for you will depend on what you are looking for in a device. If a smallish screen and an ecosystem that's still locked down substantially compared to Android isn't a problem, the 5s is a great choice.

Read full review
90

Eurogamer | Damien McFerran

Overall, the 5S is the most powerful compact smartphone we've tested and, as such, highly recommended. So as good as it is, the iPhone 5S isn't the default solution for everyone - the market has diversified too much for that - but it's still a hell of a good product.

Read full review
90

YourTechExplained | Alex Garcia

This phone isn't really that big of an upgrade. The device doesn't bring any real advantages over the iPhone 5 aside from the A8 processor and Touch ID. Nonetheless it's still a great device I highly recommend.

Read full review
90

Know Your Mobile | Michael Grothaus

The iPhone 5s is still the best smartphone on the market. It's worth it for the 64-bit A7 and the M7 motion co-processor alone. The camera is fine for most people, but if you're going to take a lot of pictures, opt for at least the 32GB model. Apple's Touch ID is still a neat feature with a *wow* factor, but its uses are too limited. But overall, the iPhone 5s has proved its worth.

Read full review
90

TechRadar | Gareth Beavis

iPhone 5S debuted Apple's newfangled fingerprint sensor and 64-bit processor three years ago, and it's still a viable smartphone for anyone on a budget. It's held up well enough with a good camera and iOS 10 software update.

Read full review
90

Trusted Reviews | Evan Kypreos

The iPhone 5S may look like an iPhone 5, but it's better in all the right ways. If you are very comfortable with a bigger screen you might want to look elsewhere, but the iPhone 5S is a consummate performer that puts very few steps wrong.

Read full review
90

Gizmodo UK | Casey Chan

The iPhone 5 was one of the best phones money could buy. The iPhone 5S looks just like the iPhone 5 but packs guts that are even better; improves a camera that was already fantastic, and adds a fingerprint scanner that can be either viewed as a game changer or a gimmick.

Read full review
90

SlashGear | Vincent Nguyen

The iPhone 5s may be Apple's evolutionary stage, but the combination of usable technological advances and the benefits of iOS 7 add up to a supremely compelling device.

Read full review
90

The Boxed (UK) | Editorial Team

The iPhone 5S has received the smallest update a new iPhone ever received (the 5C is an old phone in a new cover). These small updates, however, seem to really add to the user experience value and Apple seems to have focused on quality rather than quantity.

Read full review
90

ITProPortal | Sascha Segan

The iPhone 5S isn't the phone for everyone, but it's the best phone for a lot of people. The key, as always, is the combination of Apple's clean design, no-worry interface, still unbeatable selection of apps, and industry-leading customer support.

Read full review
90

International Business Times | David Gilbert

If you can deal with the (relatively) small 4in screen, then the iPhone 5s is just about the best phone out there.

Read full review
90

The Inquirer | Madeline Bennett

The iPhone 5S is another winner from Apple, with its Touch ID fingerprint scanner for security, improved camera features and in-built motion coprocessor. However, those impressed by the current crop of large-screen smartphones or looking for an overhaul of the Apple smartphone rather than a few handy tweaks might not rush out to buy it.

Read full review
90

Wired UK | Nate Lanxon

Apple's ability to bake in advanced features and keep the interface simple, and to provide processing power as seemingly great as what's on offer in a quad-core Android device, is testament to its skill at pairing custom hardware with an in-house operating system.

Read full review
90

The Telegraph | Matt Warman

The 5s is, overall, a beautiful piece of engineering, lovely to look at and lovely to hold. Is it a brilliant phone to use? Unequivocally. But the accusation is that Apple has lost its magic, and that it is no longer reinventing categories. And indeed it isn't, because it doesn't need to. The 5s makes technology, as Apple has always aimed to, easier to integrate into everyday life - the fingerprint sensor alone is superb.

Read full review
90

TechCrunch | Darrell Etherington

With the iPhone 5s, Apple once again wins the right to claim the title of best smartphone available.

Read full review
90

AnandTech | Anand Lal Shimpi

In many ways it's an evolutionary improvement over the iPhone 5, but in others it is a significant step forward. What Apple's silicon teams have been doing for these past couple of years has really started to pay off.

Read full review
89

NotebookCheck | Michael Moser

The Apple iPhone 5s is a successful refresh of the iPhone 5. In terms of design, it has remained largely unaltered, with the exception of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which is not obligatory but can be a useful and reliable addition to the overall smartphone experience.

Read full review
88

The Verge | David Pierce

Today, the 5S is but a minor improvement over the 5, with only the camera and perhaps Touch ID truly counting as purchase-worthy upgrades. But as Apple learns to make use of its motion processor, its 64-bit operating system, and its fingerprint sensor, and teaches its developers to do the same, the 5S will get far better.

Read full review
85

TechnoBuffalo | Todd Haselton

It's clearly the best iPhone Apple has ever built. It's a great phone and a very good evolution of the iPhone line.

Read full review
83

PC Pro | Jonathan Bray

An outstanding smartphone, but with a 4in screen and wallet-damaging price, it's no longer the best of the lot.

Read full review
82

Brighthand | Louie Tran

For those coming in clean, the iPhone 5s brings a faster processor, better camera, and a well-executed Touch ID concept. The Apple iPhone 5s is a great overall smartphone, but it's not enough of an upgrade from the iPhone 5 to justify a purchase

Read full review
80

Phone Scoop | Eric M. Zeman

Apple was a bit lazy in recycling the iPhone 5's design, but at least the company changed up the colors and added the Touch ID sensor to set it apart. The quality of the hardware is top notch, and the Retina display, though small, still looks fantastic.

Read full review
80

S21

The iPhone 5s. It's such a nice phone. It's the fastest, the most beautiful, has arguably the best OS and one of the best cameras. But in some areas Apple is still playing catch-up, which is why the almost unbelievable price tag makes us think twice before fully endorsing it.

Read full review
80

PC Advisor | Jim Martin

Given the build quality, plus the decent performance and still-perfectly-good cameras, the iPhone 5S isn't left in the dust by similarly priced Android phones, and it's considerably cheaper than newer iPhones.

Read full review
80

Digital Versus | Florence Legrand

The Apple iPhone 5s is the best iPhone yet-no surprises there. It may not have a huge-sized HD screen, a quad-core processor, NFC or a pixel-packed camera, but who needs all that when the iPhone is still such a stylish, lightweight, compact handset that's fast, powerful and runs a stable, user-friendly OS.

Read full review
80

IT PRO | Khidr Suleman

Apple introduces Touch ID and beefs up the internal specs of the iPhone, but the fundamental design of its predecessor is retained. The 5s is one of the best performing handsets on the market, but is not the best value.

Read full review
80

The Gadget Show

The Apple iPhone 5s is the phone we expected, if nothing else. It's more powerful than ever, with a better battery life, all inside the same slick design.

Read full review
80

V3 | Madeline Bennett

The iPhone 5S is another winner from Apple, with its Touch ID fingerprint scanner for security, improved camera features and in-built motion coprocessor. However, those impressed by the current crop of large-screen smartphones or looking for an overhaul of the Apple smartphone rather than a few handy tweaks might not rush out to buy the 5S.

Read full review
80

CNET UK | Andrew Hoyle

With its identical design and display, the iPhone 5S might not offer enough to tempt existing iPhone 5 owners to upgrade. If you're on older models, however, or if you're looking to take your first steps into the smart phone world and don't fancy tackling the often confusing Android, it's a superb option to consider. You'll need to save up a hefty wad of cash for it though.

Read full review
80

Engadget | Myriam Joire

The iPhone 5s is an evolution of the iPhone 5, and isn't necessarily a must-have. It ushers in new technologies that will soon be standard on all of Apple's devices. While most consumers will be happy with the 5c, the 5s is better-suited for gamers and power users.

Read full review

Every day, we search through thousands of tariffs and offers from UK online retailers to find the best Apple iPhone 5s deals and contracts across a selection of price points and needs.

Select 'Pay Monthly' if you're looking to get the Apple iPhone 5s as part of a monthly contract with minutes, data and texts. Alternatively, choose 'No Contract' if you prefer to buy the Apple iPhone 5s SIM Free or on Pay as You Go.
  • Pay Monthly
  • No Contract

Finding the perfect deal is easy. Just use the sliders to filter tariffs for minutes, data, monthly cost and upfront cost. You can also filter by network and retailer to find the best Apple iPhone 5s deal for you!

Ofcom Logo
Filter Retailers Filter Networks More

Sort

Note: SIM Free and PAYG price comparisons are independent of Ofcom’s accreditation scheme

The cheapest contract price in this category is cheaper than buying the Apple iPhone 5s SIM Free and a comparable SIM Only tariff by .
View SIM Only Contracts View SIM Free Prices

You could save on the cheapest contract price in this category by buying the Apple iPhone 5s SIM Free and a comparable SIM Only tariff separately.
View SIM Only Contracts View SIM Free Prices

We're also checking unbundled phone and tariff prices for you...

No deals found. Suggestions:
  • Try expanding the tariff and price slider values.
  • Try including more networks/retailers.
  • Try a different payment model (Pay Monthly/SIM Free).
  • If the device is old, there may not be any deals available.
Loading more deals...

Compare Apple iPhone 5s specs side-by-side with other phones
COMPARE SPECS

Form factor and dimensions
Dimensions & Form

Form factor: Touchscreen Bar
Dimensions 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.3 in)
Weight: 112 g (3.95 oz)

Screen
Screen

Size: 4 inches diagonal
Resolution: 1136 x 640 pixels
Screen Density: 326 ppi
Screen-to-Body Ratio: 60.8 %

Display Type: LED-backlit IPS LCD

Operating System
Runs

iOS

Performance
Performance

Chipset: Apple A7
CPU: Dual-core 1.3 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based)
GPU: PowerVR G6430 (quad-core graphics)
RAM: 1GB

Camera
Camera

Main Camera: 8 megapixels with 2 LED flash, f/2.2 aperture ,1080p video at 30fps, 720p at 120fps
Secondary Camera: FaceTime HD camera:1.2 megapixels with 720p video recording

Storage
Storage

Built-in Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
Expandable Storage: Not Available

Battery
Battery & Charging

Capacity: 1510 mAh
Removable Battery: No
Wireless Charging: No
Quick Charge: None

SIM Standard
SIM standard

Nano SIM
Compare SIM Only deals

Water and Dust Resistance
Water & Dust Resistance

Not Available

Fingerprint Reader
Fingerprint Reader

Front

More info
References & More info

Official website
GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Apple iPhone 5s

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Apple iPhone 5s camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Apple iPhone 5s.

  • Sample Photo 0
  • Sample Photo 1
  • Sample Photo 2
  • Sample Photo 3
  • Sample Photo 4
  • Sample Photo 5
  • Sample Photo 6
  • Sample Photo 7
  • Sample Photo 8
  • Sample Photo 9
  • Sample Photo 10
  • Sample Photo 11
  • Sample Photo 12
  • Sample Photo 13
  • Sample Photo 14
  • Sample Photo 15
  • Sample Photo 16
  • Sample Photo 17
  • Sample Photo 18
  • Sample Photo 19
All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.

Filter by Network

You can pick as many (or as few) networks as you wish!

Select All Clear Selection
Cancel Apply

Filter by Retailer

You can pick as many (or as few) retailers as you wish!

Select All Clear Selection
Cancel Apply

Contract Length (months)

You can pick as many (or as few) others as you wish!

  • 1Selected
  • 6Selected
  • 12Selected
  • 18Selected
  • 24Selected
  • 30Selected
  • 36Selected
Select All Clear Selection

Include deals with

Automatic Cashback Selected Cashback by Redemption Selected
Select All Clear Selection
Cancel Apply

Out of Bundle Costs

  • Minutesp/min
  • MMSp/msg
  • SMSp/txt
  • Voicemailp/min

Useful Info

You can check network coverage here, or read our guide for resources on coverage.

Read our guide on network traffic management here. Read about 's fair usage and traffic management policy here.

You can find more information via Ofcom's customer service and complaints handling guide.

Learn more about HandsetExpert and how our comparison engine works.

GET DEAL

Close window

Last Updated: 19th May 2020

How HandsetExpert Works: We don't run ads on the site, or charge users to use the site. The site is funded using commission links, where we may receive a commission if a phone or tariff is purchased via HandsetExpert. Our editorial, phone scoring and recommendation system and deal-finding algorithms are not affected by this; we are fiercely committed to providing unbiased, independent information.

Important notes

  • We aim to compare as many tariffs in the marketplace from the UK as possible. However, we do not include every package (e.g. legacy tariffs no longer available, or tariffs only available to existing/specific customers), nor do we detail every aspect of every tariff (e.g. international out of bundle rates, on-network minutes, etc).
  • SIM Only deals do not include plans shorter than 30 days or Pay As You Go rates.
  • We work really hard to get accurate prices from as many providers as possible, but some deals or providers may not be included; if there’s anything we’ve missed then please get in touch and let us know.
  • Whenever we can, we will let you know if a deal is time limited (such as a flash deal), and when the deal expires.
  • For tariffs which offer "unlimited" allowances, there may be times where traffic management or fair usage policies apply.
  • Additional charges for payment methods other than direct debit and for itemised/paper billing may apply.
  • Data only SIM cards, mobile broadband packages, and pay monthly tablets are currently not included in the comparison.
  • Out of bundle charges are not included in the calculation of Average Monthly Cost.
  • Contracts may not be available for some phone models in all colours and/or sizes, and a small number may only be available either as a pay monthly contract or a contract free handset, but not both.
  • Providers may increase the cost of your contract by RPI (inflation). However, if prices are increased that then cause a materially detrimental impact, you have the right to exit your contract without penalty. More details available from Ofcom plus comparative information on customer service and complaints handling & their guide on how to complain.
  • Ofcom runs a voluntary accreditation scheme for digital comparison tools (DCTs) for telephone, broadband and pay-TV, and has confirmed that this DCT meets the criteria for accreditation. For further details about the scheme, including the criteria that DCTs must meet, visit the price comparison page on the Ofcom website.
© 2023 - HandsetExpert
  • Home
  • Reviews & Deals
  • Blog
  • About
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • Cookies & Privacy Policy
HandsetExpert FaceBook HandsetExpert Twitter HandsetExpert Messenger