Whether you're looking for a price cut on a new iPhone or a trade-in promo on the new Galaxy S22, you'll find all of this week's best cell phone deals neatly lined up and compared right here on this page. We've picked out all of the best value options, regardless of carrier or device, to help our readers save some cash on their next purchase.
It's a great time to be checking in too. We're coming up to Memorial Day (one of the biggest sales of the year) and things are already starting to heat up at the major carriers. Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone SE 2022 are available for free right now at Verizon without the need for a trade and the Galaxy S22 series are at their lowest ever price at Amazon - all excellent cell phone deals to consider.
Jump to the section that's relevant for you:
1. Carrier phone deals
2. Unlocked phone deals
3. Prepaid phone deals
4. Specific pages for more phone deals
5. Phone deal tips
Generally speaking, you'll find cell phone deals coming in two forms - first as an outright sale on an unlocked device, and secondly as part of a carrier-plan tie-in. The latter can be a bit tricky, involving new cell phone plans and also trade-ins on old devices, but the savings can be absolutely huge if you're eligible. We've also included a third alternative option - 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 it's worth considering the switch for sure.
Which type of cell phone deal should you go for? Well, that will depend on your personal needs. If you're looking for the latest flagship device and an unlimited plan to pair it up with then you'll be well served by Verizon or AT&T's latest promotions. If you're looking for maximum flexibility or long-term savings, then it's generally better to consider either buying a device unlocked and then going with a prepaid carrier, or buying a prepaid device directly from that carrier.
Note, all of the devices featured on our list have been personally reviewed by the staff here at TechRadar. They're all fantastic picks in their own right and you won't find any sub-par choices included. If you'd like to find out which is best for you we'd recommend checking our updated guide to the best phones for 2022.
Today's best cell phone deals at a glance
- Free iPhone 13: with eligible trade-in and new unlimited line at Verizon
- Free iPhone 12 (no trade): free with a new unlimited data line at Verizon
- Cheap iPhone 12 (no trade):
$20.28$15/mo with unlimited plan at AT&T - Mint Mobile: 6-months of free data with iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone SE
- Visible Wireless: $200 gift card when you switch and buy a new iPhone SE
- Boost Mobile: $50 off new iPhone SE 2022
- Sony Xperia 1 IV: free Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds with pre-order at Amazon
- Galaxy S22 Ultra (unlocked):
$1,199$949 at Amazon - OnePlus 9 (unlocked):
$729.99$599.99 at OnePlus - Apple trade-in: save up to $790 on a new iPhone with a trade
Carrier phone deals
- Verizon - has a whole section of their site dedicated to phone deals
- AT&T - also offers a huge range of phone deals
- Sprint - currently offering free phones and other great phone deals
If you don't mind switching carriers, you can find many of the best smartphone deals from the big four. The major carriers will often let you split the cost of the phone into monthly payments anywhere from 18 to 30 months, and sometimes longer. The deals they offer frequently cut the price of the phone in half, sometimes even offering the phone for free.
To get these deals, you'll generally need to be adding a new line and signing up for a specific mobile plan. But, as long as you're planning to get an unlimited data plan anyway, they can make it a lot more affordable to pick up a brand new phone.
If you'd like to deep dive into specific carriers, we've got some great content for you in the form of our Verizon deals and AT&T deals pages. There you'll find a full list of what's available, including discounts on plans and even free phones.
Unlocked cell phone deals
- Apple - offers upfront discounts on unlocked phone deals with trade-ins
- Samsung - save up to $500 on select phone deals with trade-ins
- Amazon - has a vast selection of unlocked phone deals on a range of brands
- Best Buy - also an excellent place to find unlocked phone deals
- OnePlus - has a great Black Friday cell phone sale going on right now
Deals on unlocked smartphones aren't always the most eye-popping, as they tend to offer only small cuts to the retail price. Occasionally you'll find a major deal on a new smartphone, usually late into the one-year refresh cycle for that brand. We've seen this kind of price drop commonly for Samsung flagships, but they aren't frequent and rarely match the up-front discounts carriers offer.
However, the savings you get from unlocked cell phone deals can be hidden. That's because an unlocked phone will let you freely move between carriers, so you can always choose the mobile plan that suits you. This can make your savings add up over time, as you won't be stuck on an expensive data plan for 24 months as you pay off your phone on an installment plan.
You can also sometimes get deals directly from the phone's manufacturer, as they can offer trade-in discounts that retail stores generally won't.
Prepaid phone deals
- Mint Mobile - one of our favorite prepaid carriers offers excellent bundles
- Visible - has a great unlimited plan plus great phone deals if you switch
- Boost Mobile - offers upfront savings on a range of phone deals
Pre-paid carriers aren't locking you into a contract, so they don't have the same incentive to offer massive discounts and device installment plans. But even still, there are still some phone deals to be found, even if their sales don't quite match those found on the big carriers.
These deals will generally let you save a little bit of money upfront, while the low cost of prepaid plans can help you save even more money over time. If you want the freedom to switch carriers later on, you'll want to double check what big network these smaller carriers are with and their policy around unlocking phones. If you find them a little too restrictive, we'd recommend checking out the unlocked phone deals above.
If you'd like to see more prepaid phone deals, we recommend checking out our main page on this week's best Mint Mobile deals and Visible wireless deals.
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 Galaxy in particular.
Phone deal tips
If you want to be sure you're getting a good deal on a phone, there are a lot of factors you need to consider.
Compare your favorite retailers
For one thing, you should look around for different deals on the same phone. Carriers often offer heavy discounts, but occasionally they can be beat by deals on unlocked phones that will let you avoid getting stuck on an expensive mobile plan. So, if you see what seems like a good deal from a carrier, double check that you can't find a better deal elsewhere. And, be prepared to do some math to consider the price of the phone plus the price of the plan you'll be more or less locked into.
Shop at the right time of year
Shopping around big sales events is also a good time to find a phone deal. While major retailers cut prices on popular products, carriers can 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 phone. Even if the price of the phone doesn't change, there may be some freebies that add extra value.
Switch to get the best phone deals
If you're after the steepest discounts, though, you'll likely need to be ready to switch carriers or at least add new lines to your account. Major carriers strongly incentivize this, and it's one of the few ways you'll get a new phone for more than 50% off. These deals can sometimes be easier if you have a second person you're shopping with, as buy-one-get-one deals are also incredibly common and often only entail one new line of service.
