If you want one phone number on two iPhones, the price now depends on your carrier. Verizon said on Oct. 16 that iPhone Handoff, the iOS 27 feature that moves your number between two iPhones, will cost $10 a month. T-Mobile already charges $5 a month, and AT&T has not announced plans to offer it.
The short version
iPhone Handoff lets you keep one number and switch it between two iPhones, such as an iPhone Duo for the weekend and an iPhone 18 Pro for work. It is not free on any US carrier that offers it, and the yearly cost adds up.
- Verizon will charge $10 a month for iPhone Handoff, which comes to $120 a year, but it has not said when the feature starts.
- T-Mobile has offered it since iOS 27 launched, for $5 a month, or $60 a year.
- AT&T has not announced support, so AT&T customers cannot use iPhone Handoff yet.
- Both iPhones need iOS 27, the same Apple Account, Wi-Fi and an eSIM from a carrier that supports the feature.
- Deleting the eSIM does not stop the bill: Apple says you must contact your carrier to turn iPhone Handoff off.
What changes for you: Apple is selling a $1,999 folding iPhone Duo alongside the $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro, and some buyers will want both. Handoff is how you carry one number between them, so the monthly fee is now part of the real cost of owning two iPhones.
What iPhone Handoff does
Apple describes iPhone Handoff as a way to “use one phone number between two devices.” Your calls, voicemail, texts (iMessage, RCS and SMS) and Find My location follow whichever iPhone you are using. You switch by unlocking the other phone. It becomes the active one, and a “Switched to this iPhone” banner confirms it.
Only one iPhone is live on the network at a time. The other one still has your photos, apps and iCloud data, but it is not taking calls on your number until you unlock it again.
iPhone Handoff cost by carrier
| Carrier | Monthly price | 1 year | 2 years | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | $10 | $120 | $240 | “Coming soon,” no start date |
| T-Mobile | $5 | $60 | $120 | Available now |
| AT&T | Not offered | No announced plans |
Prices are before taxes and fees and were checked on Oct. 19, 2026. Over two years, Verizon customers would pay $120 more than T-Mobile customers for the same feature. That two-year Verizon total, $240, is about 12% of what an iPhone Duo costs.
Verizon’s announcement says Handoff “will be available from Verizon for $10/month on compatible iPhones models running iOS 27.” It names the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo as examples, and it does not list a plan that includes the feature for free. You can read the wording in Verizon’s iPhone Duo announcement.
T-Mobile says Handoff works “on any iPhone with iOS 27” and launched it at $5 a month. Neither carrier has said whether the price will change.
What you need to use iPhone Handoff
- Two iPhones running iOS 27 or later.
- The same Apple Account on both, with Messages in iCloud turned on and FaceTime and iMessage signed in.
- Wi-Fi on both phones.
- An eSIM from a carrier that supports Handoff. A physical SIM card will not work.
To set it up, open Settings, tap Cellular, then Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM, and choose “Use Number on This iPhone and Another.” You can also do it while setting up a new iPhone. Apple’s step-by-step guide is on its iPhone Handoff support page.
The downside, and what Apple warns about
- Your Apple Watch stays paired to one iPhone. Handoff does not move the watch.
- Some Wallet items, such as certain transit passes, IDs and work badges, may only work on one phone.
- Some banking apps may sign you out or ask you to approve the device again after a switch.
- Call forwarding, caller ID and account changes can only be managed on the main iPhone.
- If you delete the eSIM from a phone, Apple says “your carrier may continue to charge you.” Call your carrier to cancel.
Is it worth paying for?
If you carry two iPhones every day, $5 or $10 a month buys you one number for everyone who calls you, on whichever phone is in your hand. If you only switch phones now and then, moving your eSIM by hand when you need to costs nothing. Our guide to moving to a new iPhone walks through that.
If you are still deciding on the second phone, our breakdown of whether the iPhone Duo is worth $1,999 and what a cracked iPhone Duo inner screen costs to fix will help. Prices for the rest of the lineup are in our iPhone 18 price guide.
What we don’t know yet
Verizon has not given a start date, and AT&T has not said whether it will offer Handoff at all. Watch for Verizon’s launch date and for any plan that bundles the feature, since that would change the math above.
