With the exception of T-Mobile, I do not believe any other major US carrier offers cheaper non-subsidized plans. Given this, it does make sense to use the subsidy, as one is paying for it one way or the other. I really hope this situation changes.
In fact, the subsidies on cellphones were border-line a problem in large parts of Europe when it started, and there are a lot of special restrictions that have been gradually applied to it (such as limits on contract lengths, restrictions on locking etc.) as authorities have grappled with how to allow the positive aspects of it without also enabling the predatory and anti-competitive behaviour the anti-tying regulations were put in place to prevent.