Is John Lewis cheaper than Currys?
On the six products both had in stock new when we checked, five cost the same and Currys was 99p cheaper on the PS5. The guarantee, the returns rules and the price promises decide it.
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John Lewis is often assumed to be the dearer of the two, and on tech the numbers do not back that up. On 30/09/2026 we compared the phones and consoles we follow most closely that both shops had in stock new: six of them, five iPhones and the PlayStation 5 Slim. Five cost exactly the same at both. On the console, Currys was 99p cheaper. So the useful question is not which shop is cheaper, but what each one gives you for the same money.
Is John Lewis more expensive than Currys?
Not on the products we compare. All five iPhones cost the same at John Lewis and Currys, from £599 for an iPhone 16e to £1,099 for an iPhone 17 with 512 GB, and Argos and Amazon charged the same for all five too. The PlayStation 5 Slim was £569 at Currys and £569.99 at John Lewis. The Digital Edition was £519 against £519.99, but Currys had none in stock that day, so it is not in the table.
| Product | John Lewis | Currys | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 17 256GB | £899.00 | £899.00 | Same |
| Apple iPhone 17 512GB | £1,099.00 | £1,099.00 | Same |
| Apple iPhone 16 128GB | £799.00 | £799.00 | Same |
| Apple iPhone 16e 128GB | £599.00 | £599.00 | Same |
| Apple iPhone 15 128GB | £699.00 | £699.00 | Same |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Edition 1TB | Out of stock, checked 04/10 01:59 | £569.00 | Only Currys in stock |
Of 5 products with a price at both shops today, John Lewis is cheaper on 0, Currys on 0, and 5 are the same price. 1 is in stock only at Currys.
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Our list is weighted to phones and consoles, the products people compare most on OwlyFinds, so it says little about a fridge or a sofa. For big-name tech, though, a pound or less between the two is what to expect, and that makes the extras worth more than the price.
What does John Lewis give you that Currys does not?
A second year of guarantee. John Lewis's page for the iPhone 17 Pro and Currys's page for the same phone both said £999 on 17/09/2026. John Lewis listed "2 year guarantee included"; Currys listed the manufacturer's one-year guarantee. The PS5 Slim was the same story: two years at John Lewis for 99p more, one year at Currys. John Lewis says it includes a two-year guarantee on tech and small electricals and five years on TVs, at no extra cost.
| John Lewis | Currys | |
|---|---|---|
| Guarantee on a phone or console | 2 years included (5 years on TVs) | The manufacturer's, 1 year on the iPhone 17 Pro and the PS5 |
| Change of mind | 30 days from delivery, free; unused, not registered with the maker, no personal data on it | 30 days; online orders can be opened to inspect but must be unused and like new; shop purchases must be unopened and sealed |
| Faulty item | Covered by the 2-year guarantee | Exchange or refund within 30 days; after that, a possible repair within the guarantee, usually 12 months |
| Price promise | Matches 25 retailers, including Currys, Argos, AO and Amazon for electricals, within 7 days of buying; Apple products only against Apple's own price | Matches any UK retailer, including John Lewis, Argos and Amazon, before you buy or up to 7 days after |
Whatever either guarantee says, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 lets you reject a faulty item for a full refund within 30 days, and the shop you bought from, not the manufacturer, is the one you claim against.
Do John Lewis and Currys price match each other?
Yes, in both directions, which is rare. Currys will match a lower John Lewis price before you buy or up to 7 days after. John Lewis checks 25 retailers, Currys among them, and refunds the difference if one of them is cheaper within 7 days of your order. Both refuse marketplace sellers and membership prices, and John Lewis also excludes clearance and refurbished items. The exception is Apple: John Lewis matches Apple products only against Apple's own price, so on an iPhone only Currys will match the other shop. The Currys price promise in full covers the fine print.
That makes the choice simpler than it looks. For a product both shops sell, buy where the guarantee and the returns suit you, and claim the difference if the other one cuts its price within the week.
Are John Lewis and Currys the same company?
No. John Lewis belongs to the John Lewis Partnership, which also owns Waitrose and is owned in trust for its employees. Currys is a separate business, Currys plc, listed on the London Stock Exchange. They compete, which is why each matches the other's prices.
Where was the real saving?
At neither shop. On all six products, the lowest new price we found on 30/09/2026 was an eBay seller's, and neither promise covers marketplace sellers. Amazon, selling the five iPhones itself, charged the same as both shops that day. When Amazon itself is cheaper, that is a price you can show Currys before you buy. John Lewis will not match it on an iPhone: it matches Apple products only against Apple's own price, so on an iPhone the choice is Amazon's price or John Lewis's second year of guarantee.
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What to do
- For an iPhone or a console, expect the same price at both shops, and choose on the guarantee and the returns.
- Check Amazon and the other shops before you pay. If Amazon itself is cheaper, ask Currys to match it. John Lewis will match Amazon within 7 days on a console, but not on an iPhone, because for Apple products it only matches Apple's own price.
- Leave the box sealed and the phone unset until you are sure: both shops take back only unused tech, and Currys takes back shop purchases only when they are sealed.
- Ignore marketplace listings when you claim a price match: neither shop covers them.