How To Get Better Deals On Cell Phones

The all-time prison cell phone deals for October 2022

You'll find all of this week'due south best cell phone deals rounded up right here on this page, including all the latest preorder promotions on the make new iPhone 14 serial. This stunning new flagship is joined by a whole host of excellent options from Samsung, Google, and many other leading brands. Regardless of what type of device you're looking for, our recommended list of the best jail cell phone deals looks to offer plenty of options across the board.

Cell phone deals: quick links

best cell phone deals hero image — (Prototype credit: Future)

Jump to the section that's relevant for you:
1. Carrier telephone deals
2. Unlocked telephone deals
3. Cheap telephone deals nether $500
four. Prepaid telephone deals
5. Specific pages for more phone deals
6. Telephone bargain tips

By and large speaking, yous'll detect cell phone deals coming in ii forms - first every bit an outright sale on an unlocked device, and secondly as office of a carrier-plan necktie-in. The latter can be a fleck catchy, involving new prison cell phone plans and also trade-ins on old devices, but the savings can be absolutely huge if yous're eligible. We've also included a tertiary alternative pick - cell phone deals from prepaid carriers. These smaller carriers don't tend to offer huge savings on a device, but you'll generally be scoring a much cheaper cell phone plan so information technology's worth because the switch for certain.

Which type of cell telephone deal should you lot go for? Well, that volition depend on your personal needs. If you're looking for the latest flagship device and an unlimited plan to pair information technology up with then you'll exist well served by Verizon or AT&T'due south latest promotions. If you're looking for maximum flexibility or long-term savings, and then information technology'due south generally better to consider either ownership a device unlocked and then going with a prepaid carrier, or buying a prepaid device directly from that carrier.

Annotation, all of the devices featured on our list take been personally reviewed past the staff here at TechRadar. They're all fantastic picks in their ain right and you won't find any sub-par choices included. If you'd like to detect out which is all-time for y'all we'd recommend checking our updated guide to the best phones for 2022.

Today's best cell phone deals at a glance

iPhone 14: upward to $800 off due west/ a trade-in and at Verizon (opens in new tab) or AT&T (opens in new tab)
iPhone 14 Pro Max: upwardly to $one,000 off due west/ merchandise-in at Verizon (opens in new tab) or AT&T (opens in new tab)
Gratuitous iPhone 13 mini (no trade): with an eligible unlimited information plan at Verizon (opens in new tab)
Free iPhone 12 (no merchandise): with an eligible unlimited data program at Verizon (opens in new tab)
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: up to $900 off with tradeat Samsung (opens in new tab)
Cheap Google Pixel 6 (unlocked) ~~$599~~ now $499 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
Mint Mobile: 6 months of costless data with iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone SE (opens in new tab)
Visible Wireless: up to $300 gift carte when you switch and buy a flagship device (opens in new tab)
Apple tree merchandise-in: relieve up to $600 on a new iPhone with a merchandise (opens in new tab)

Carrier phone deals

Verizon (opens in new tab) - has a whole section of their site defended to phone deals
AT&T (opens in new tab) - as well offers a huge range of phone deals
Sprint - currently offering complimentary phones and other smashing telephone deals

If you don't listen switching carriers, yous can find many of the best smartphone deals from the big four. The major carriers will often permit yous split the toll of the telephone into monthly payments anywhere from 18 to 30 months, and sometimes longer. The deals they offer frequently cutting the toll of the phone in half, sometimes even offering the phone for free.

To get these deals, you'll generally need to exist calculation a new line and signing up for a specific mobile plan. Simply, as long as you're planning to get an unlimited data program anyhow, they tin make it a lot more than affordable to option up a brand new phone.

If you lot'd like to deep dive into specific carriers, we've got some not bad content for y'all in the grade of our Verizon deals and AT&T deals pages. There y'all'll discover a full list of what's bachelor, including discounts on plans and fifty-fifty free phones.

Unlocked jail cell telephone deals

Apple (opens in new tab) - offers upfront discounts on unlocked phone deals with trade-ins
Samsung (opens in new tab) - save up to $500 on select telephone deals with trade-ins
Amazon (opens in new tab) - has a vast choice of unlocked telephone deals on a range of brands
Best Purchase (opens in new tab) - also an excellent place to find unlocked phone deals
OnePlus (opens in new tab) - cost cuts, trade-in rebates, and freebies with own-make devices

Deals on unlocked smartphones aren't always the near eye-popping, as they tend to offer only small cuts to the retail cost. Occasionally you'll find a major deal on a new smartphone, ordinarily late into the one-year refresh bicycle for that brand. We've seen this kind of toll drib normally for Samsung flagships, but they aren't frequent and rarely match the upwardly-front discounts carriers offer.

However, the savings you get from unlocked cell phone deals can be hidden. That'southward because an unlocked phone volition let you freely move between carriers, so y'all tin ever choose the mobile plan that suits you. This can make your savings add together upwardly over time, as you won't be stuck on an expensive data plan for 24 months as yous pay off your phone on an installment program.

Y'all tin also sometimes get deals directly from the telephone'south manufacturer, as they can offering trade-in discounts that retail stores generally won't.

Inexpensive phone deals under $500

Samsung (opens in new tab) - certified renewed products and new phones nether $200
Amazon (opens in new tab) - the best retailer for price cuts on cheap phone deals
All-time Purchase (opens in new tab) - often offers activation rebates and discounts on cheaper devices
OnePlus (opens in new tab) - decent prices and loyalty rewards on Nord budget devices
Walmart (opens in new tab) - great prices on refurbished Apple tree iPhones

Strictly on a budget? No worries, we've got you. Super-cheap phone deals on budget devices aren't exactly the nearly glamorous options out at that place when compared to the latest Apple or Samsung flagships but they are essential for many. Non everyone wants to (or can beget) to spend over $500 on a jail cell telephone. Luckily, there are some great budget options out there and enough of toll cuts at Amazon specially to take advantage of.

Generally speaking, these devices may forgo some of the latest features and gadgets but y'all'd exist surprised at how decent cheap phones are getting now. Exceptional battery life, expandable storage, and increasingly slap-up screens are a commonplace feature now on even devices in the $200 mark. Cheap phone cameras too have come a long way in contempo years.

Prepaid phone deals

Mint Mobile (opens in new tab) - i of our favorite prepaid carriers offers splendid bundles
Visible (opens in new tab) - has a slap-up unlimited programme plus great telephone deals if you switch
Boost Mobile (opens in new tab) - offers upfront savings on a range of phone deals

Pre-paid carriers aren't locking you into a contract, then they don't take the same incentive to offer massive discounts and device installment plans. But even still, there are all the same some phone deals to be institute, even if their sales don't quite match those establish on the big carriers.

These deals volition generally let you save a piddling bit of money upfront, while the low cost of prepaid plans tin can help you salve even more coin over time. If you desire the freedom to switch carriers afterward on, you'll want to double check what big network these smaller carriers are with and their policy around unlocking phones. If yous find them a niggling too restrictive, we'd recommend checking out the unlocked phone deals higher up.

If you lot'd like to run into more prepaid phone deals, nosotros recommend checking out our principal page on this week'due south best Mint Mobile deals (opens in new tab) and Visible wireless deals (opens in new tab).

iPhone and Android deals

Looking for something specific? We've got a whole host of dedicated phone deal pages that are super handy if you've got your eye on that new iPhone or Milky way in particular.

best phone deals sales cellphone smartphone unlocked prepaid — (Image credit: Future)

Phone deal tips

If you want to be sure you're getting a good deal on a telephone, there are a lot of factors you need to consider.

Compare your favorite retailers

For i thing, you should look around for dissimilar deals on the same telephone. Carriers often offer heavy discounts, but occasionally they can be beat by deals on unlocked phones that will let yous avoid getting stuck on an expensive mobile program. And so, if you see what seems like a skilful deal from a carrier, double cheque that you can't observe a better deal elsewhere. And, be prepared to practice some math to consider the cost of the phone plus the toll of the program you'll be more or less locked into.

Shop at the correct fourth dimension of yr

Shopping around big sales events is too a skillful time to notice a phone deal. While major retailers cut prices on popular products, carriers tin also take those opportunities to make their usual discounts even more enticing. Carriers also offer some of these major discounts around the launch of a new telephone. Fifty-fifty if the price of the phone doesn't change, there may be some freebies that add actress value.

Switch to get the best telephone deals

If you're later on the steepest discounts, though, you'll likely need to be ready to switch carriers or at least add new lines to your business relationship. Major carriers strongly incentivize this, and it's one of the few ways yous'll get a new phone for more than 50% off. These deals can sometimes be easier if you have a 2nd person y'all're shopping with, equally purchase-i-get-one deals are also incredibly common and oftentimes but entail 1 new line of service.

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