This week's best cell phone deals are listed below in neat sections for both carrier and unlocked options. Regardless of what you're looking for, you can easily compare the best cell phone deals all in one here on this page. Our team of experts have been busy scouring all of the country's top retailers to find only the cheapest options – and overall, there's a whole lot to choose from right now thanks to a number of New Year's promotions!
Mobile phone offers: quick links
Generally, cell phone deals come in two forms: first, as a direct sale on an unlocked device and second, as part of a carrier connection. The latter can be a bit tricky as it requires new cell phone plans and also trading in old devices, but the savings can be absolutely huge if you're eligible. We've also recently seen many airlines adding free gifts to their offers as an added incentive to sign up for these plans.
Which cell phone offer should you choose? Well, that depends on your personal needs. If you're looking for the latest flagship device and an unlimited plan to pair with, you'll find great options with carriers like Verizon and AT&T. If you're looking for maximum flexibility or long-term savings, it's generally better to either consider purchasing an unlocked device and then weigh your plan options separately. This isn't a bad idea as there are a number of great prepaid plans on the market right now and there are often savings available from the major cell phone providers if you bring your own device.
Note that all of the devices on our list have been personally reviewed by the staff here at TechRadar. They are all fantastic picks in their own right and you won't find any inferior picks. If you want to find out which is best for you, we recommend checking out our updated guide to the best phones for 2024.
Today's best cell phone deals at a glance
Cell phone provider deals
- Verizon – has an entire section of its website dedicated to phone deals
- AT&T – also offers a wide range of telephone offers
- sprint – is 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 mobile phone providers often allow you to divide the telephone costs into monthly installments of between 18 and 30 months, sometimes longer. The deals they offer often halve the price of the phone and sometimes even offer the phone for free.
To receive these offers, you generally need to add a new line and sign up for a specific cell phone plan. But as long as you're planning on getting an unlimited data plan anyway, they can make buying a brand new phone significantly cheaper.
If you want to delve deeper into specific wireless carriers, we have great content for you in the form of our Verizon Deals and AT&T Deals pages. There you'll find a full list of available offers, including discounts on plans and even free phones.
Unlocked cell phone offers
- Apple – offers upfront discounts on unlocked trade-in phone deals
- Samsung – Save up to $500 on select trade-in phone deals
- Amazon – offers a wide range of unlocked phone offers from different brands
- Best buy – Also an excellent place to find deals on unlocked phones
- OnePlus – Price reductions, trade-in discounts and free gifts on private label devices
Offers for unlocked smartphones are not always particularly attractive, as they usually offer only small discounts on the retail price. Occasionally you'll find a big deal on a new smartphone, usually late in that brand's year-long refresh cycle. We've often seen price drops like this on Samsung flagships, but they don't happen often and rarely match the upfront discounts that carriers offer.
However, the savings you get from unlocked cell phone deals can remain hidden. That's because an unlocked phone allows you to switch freely between carriers, so you can always choose the cell phone plan that suits you. This means your savings can add up over time as you're not locked into an expensive data plan for 24 months as you're paying off your phone in one installment.
Sometimes you can also get deals directly from the phone manufacturer, as they may offer trade-in discounts that aren't typically offered at retail stores.
iPhone and Android offers
Are you looking for something specific? We have a whole host of dedicated phone deals pages that are particularly handy if you're eyeing a new iPhone or Galaxy in particular.
Tips for making phone calls
If you want to be sure you're getting a good deal on a phone, there are many factors to consider.
Compare your favorite retailers
For one thing, you should look for different offers for the same phone. Cell phone providers often offer deep discounts, but can occasionally be topped by unlocked phone deals that help you avoid getting stuck with an expensive cell phone plan. So if you see what seems like a good deal from one provider, double-check to make sure you can't find a better deal elsewhere. And be prepared to do a little math to factor in the price of the phone plus the price of the plan you're 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 are slashing prices on popular products, carriers can also use this opportunity to make their usual discounts even more enticing. Cell phone providers also offer some of these big 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 value.
Switch to get the best phone deals
However, if you're looking for the biggest discounts, you'll probably need to be prepared to switch providers or at least add new lines to your account. Major wireless carriers offer strong incentives for this, and it's one of the few ways to get a new phone at more than 50% off. These deals can sometimes be easier if you're shopping with a second person, as buy-one-get-one deals are also very common and often only include one new line of service.