Apple vs Best Buy

I used to purchase from Best Buy all of the time when upgrading my iPhone (the unlocked vs locked thing never applied simply because as a Verizon customer the iPhones were never locked to Verizon even if purchasing doing a Verizon device payment plan. Technically by everything that has always been said about that it should have been for the 60 days that Verizon states should occur for devices purchased from authorized retailers but it just never happened on any iPhone I bought annually from BB). Other than the locking policy there really isn’t a real difference to make choosing Best Buy vs Apple an issue. Only reason I don’t purchase from Best Buy anymore is solely because I have the Apple Card so I just take advantage of that little 3% cash back.

If you purchase through Apple, the phone will be unlocked from any carrier. If you purchase it through Best Buy, it will initially be unlocked until you sign up with a carrier. It will then be locked to that carrier.

I personally would go with Apple, but Best Buy would be about the same.