Is it worth it to get an iPhone 5s now?

I've never used an apple phone but I do have an iPad mini.
Something that has always stopped me is how temperamental their products are and how easily they break/damage.
The 5s is cheaper cause it's older but mostly it is the best size.
IIm a small girl and I don't want to be unable to text with one hand, and I don't want it bulging out of my pocket either.

Will I be missing out too much on updated os/apps/emojis/resolution/camera quality for it to be worth it?

Alternate recommendations welcome!

1900

I would be looking at the SE too.
I have considered LG Nexus 5x but only if I decide to give me adult son my Huawei Nexus 6p to switch to Google's Project Fi
I think the iPhone 5s is a good phone and the main reason my wife upgraded to 6 is because I switched phone companies. Also if your phone is a Closeout deal from your phone company the 16 gb might be the one with the good price and 16 gb seems to be very low memory for a modern smartphone.

Sure. You can find the prices under $200 if you buy it refurbished.

My first iPhone was a year ago, an iPhone 5. That broke (I killed the battery), so I downgraded to an iPhone 4s, which was all I could afford at the time. Now I'm thinking of upgrading to a 5s, but I'm waiting for a good deal on it - a good groupon special offer.

I had other smart phones before that, including a Samsung galaxy s. It's plastic and flimsy (they recently got rid of the plastic body). The plastic on mine cracked and then it fell apart. It's an expensive phone but the plastic body makes it look and feel cheap. I really hate those phones.

I haven't had any problems with my iphones breaking or damaging, but then again, I keep a really nice, soft case on it. Most phones will break if you drop it without a case, and expensive phones should always have a case. I don't know what you mean by tempormental with regards to a phone.

I suggest i5 or newer. Most apps are made for i5 & up, fewer for the older phones.

Assuming you were buying it new, the iPhone SE, which recently replaced the 5s is the definite way to go. The 5s was going for $449 whereas the SE is $399 + it has the internals of the current iPhone 6s but in a 5s' chassis

Iphones are actually more durable then other phones:
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SquareTrade, which allows users to buy protection for their electronics from mishaps, accidental drops and the like, has performed a test on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge and put it through
rigorous testing. In a series of tests, SquareTrade found that the Apple iPhone 6s is still sturdier when it comes to surviving drops.