Black Friday phone deals are here a bit early this year, giving you the perfect opportunity to snag an upgraded mobile device on the cheap. The sales have started ahead of schedule due to ongoing inventory shortages and supply chain issues, and with many retailers offering Black Friday price match guarantees, there’s no reason to wait — you can shop many of the best Black Friday phone deals right now. Whether you’re a long-time Apple fan, you love the Android ecosystem, or you’re looking to switch to a new OS, these early Black Friday deals are sure to have something to please.
Retailers with Black Friday phone deals
- Amazon Black Friday deals: Amazon always has a ton of smartphones on offer, and has some of the best Black Friday phone deals if you’re specifically looking for a carrier-unlocked device. Unlocked phones from top makers including Apple, Samsung, and Google, as well as other brands like OnePlus and TCL, are all up for grabs here — shop now.
- Best Buy Black Friday deals: Best Buy is a great place for Black Friday phone deals on both unlocked and carrier-locked mobiles, but you usually get the best discount by purchasing a device and then activating it with a service provider. If you already have a carrier your like or want to switch to, this is a great way to save on flagship devices from brands like Samsung and Apple — shop now.
- Walmart Black Friday deals: Walmart sits somewhere between Amazon and Best Buy when it comes to its smartphone offerings, selling both unlocked and carrier-locked devices. Where Walmart’s Black Friday phone deals shine is with prepaid mobiles, though. You can score discounted prepaid phones tied to Verizon and AT&T as well as smaller prepaid carriers like Tracfone, Straight Talk, and Simple Mobile — shop now.
Today’s best Black Friday phone deals
- Apple iPhone 13 (AT&T) — As low as $0 with trade-in, was $800
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Verizon) — Up to $1,000 back with trade-in, plus $500 when you switch carriers
- Google Pixel 6 (Visible, Pre-Order) — Free Pixel Buds and $200 gift card with port-in
- OnePlus 8T (Unlocked) — $500, was $600
- Motorola One (Cricket Wireless) — Free with port-in, was $260
Apple iPhone 13 (AT&T) — As low as $0 with trade-in, was $800
The iPhone 13, Apple’s latest flagship, was just released at the company’s annual fall event in September. To no one’s surprise, it’s a hit. We stated in our Apple iPhone 13 review that this is the go-to iPhone for most people and offers a lot of value for a flagship — but with an $800 sticker price, a discount is always welcome. The surest way to get a worthwhile discount on newly released flagships like this one is through carriers, and right now AT&T has arguably the best Black Friday iPhone deal that lets you save when you trade in an old device (potentially scoring the 128GB iPhone 13 for free).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Verizon) — Up to $1,000 back with trade-in, plus $500 when you switch carriers
Folding phones have returned to the scene, and leading the charge is Samsung’s excellent Galaxy Z Flip. The third-gen Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 is truly excellent, having worked out the kinks of previous iterations, and we can now strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a compact folding smartphone. Verizon has a killer deal on it right now, offering up to $1,000 back in bill credits with a trade-in, along with a $500 virtual MasterCard gift card when you switch over and add a new line on an unlimited plan.
Google Pixel 6 (Visible, Pre-Order) — Free Pixel Buds and $200 gift card with port-in
We were a little disappointed with the Pixel 5, Google’s last effort at a smartphone, which didn’t quite feel like a true flagship. Thankfully, the Google Pixel 6 is here (and now available for pre-order), and it looks poised to make a true attempt at the Android throne. It packs solid hardware, a great camera, and a lovely AMOLED display, which led us to give it the slight nod in our Google Pixel 6 vs. Apple iPhone 13 comparison. That’s even more impressive when you realize the Pixel 6 starts at just $600. Right now, Visible (a Verizon subsidiary) is offering a $200 virtual gift card along with a free pair of Pixel Buds A-Series true wireless earbuds when you pre-order a new Pixel 6 and transfer your number.
OnePlus 8T (Unlocked) — $500, was $600
The smartphone market is awash with purported “flagship killers,” but few brands actually deliver on that promise — but OnePlus is among them. The OnePlus 8T is one of the best this maker has to offer, sporting a great design, speedy hardware, slick software, and super-fast charging. In our initial OnePlus 8T review, we were very impressed with the phone’s design and hardware capabilities but cautioned against buying it at its retail price of $750 (which we felt was too expensive in a crowded field of flagships). At its current price of $500, however, this is one of the best early Black Friday phone deals going right now for anybody looking for an unlocked 5G-capable device.
Motorola One (Cricket Wireless) — Free with port-in, was $260
Motorola has been cranking out what might be the best budget Android phones out there. It hasn’t slowed down in the age of 5G, either. A case in point is the Moto One, which proves that you don’t have to pay flagship prices to enjoy 5G network speeds in 2021. Along with 5G connectivity, the Moto One boasts a big 90Hz display, a great software interface, solid specs, and a very attractive price tag — but how does “free” sound? Port-in your number to Cricket Wireless and you can snag the Moto One 5G on the house.
Best Black Friday phone deals — iPhone
- Verizon iPhone Deals — <strong>Up to $1,000 back with trade-in,</strong> plus $500 when you switch carriers
- AT&T iPhone Deals — Up to $800 back with trade-in
- T-Mobile iPhone Deals — Up to $1,000 back with trade-in
- Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 (Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint/T-Mobile) — <strong>Up to $790 off with trade-in from Apple</strong>
- Apple iPhone XR (Straight Talk Prepaid) — <strong>$299,</strong> was $349
- Apple iPhone SE 2020 (Verizon) — <strong>Free with new unlimited line,</strong> was $400
The iPhone is ubiquitous, but that doesn’t mean that discounts on Apple’s flagship mobiles are always easy to find. The good news is that Black Friday iPhone deals are here early and bringing plenty of opportunities to save, especially on newer devices like the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro series. However, these Black Friday phone deals are also a great chance to grab last-gen mobiles like the still-excellent iPhone 12 line, which will likely see their lowest prices yet — a great option if you want to save even more and don’t mind sacrificing some hardware updates.
Best Black Friday phone deals — Samsung Galaxy
- Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra — Up to $600 back with trade-in
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 — <strong>Up to $700 back with trade-in,</strong> was $1,050
- Verizon Samsung Galaxy Deals — <strong>Up to $1,000 back with trade-in,</strong> plus $500 when you switch carriers
- AT&T Samsung Galaxy Deals — Up to $1,000 back with trade-in
- T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Deals — Up to $500 back with trade-in
- Samsung Galaxy A52 (T-Mobile) — <strong>$100 with new line,</strong> was $500
The Samsung Galaxy line is almost synonymous with Android. This smartphone stable also spans a wider range of models, designs, and price points than the iPhone lineup, giving shoppers a wider variety of Black Friday Samsung Galaxy deals to choose from. You can save hundreds (or even up to a grand) on the latest flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S21 or Galaxy Z Flip 3, but if you’re after a cheaper device, then there are also plenty of Black Friday phone deals on models like the excellent Samsung Galaxy A52.
Best Black Friday phone deals — other Android phones
- Google Pixel 6 (Visible, Pre-Order) — Free Pixel Buds and $200 gift card with port-in
- Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (T-Mobile, Pre-Order) — <strong>Up to $900 back with trade-in,</strong> or $500 back without trade-in (new unlimited line required)
- OnePlus 8T (Unlocked) — $500, was $600
- OnePlus 9 (Unlocked) — <strong>$659,</strong> was $729
- Motorola One (Cricket Wireless) — <strong>Free with port-in,</strong> was $260
Our roundup of the best Android smartphones features devices from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and Motorola, and we’re already seeing more than a few Black Friday phone deals from these popular makers. Other manufacturers that you should be on the lookout for include LG, Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, and Nokia. You won’t find a shortage of options if you’ll be trying to buy a new phone, even if you’re already loyal to a specific brand.
Should you shop Black Friday phone deals now?
You’ve probably noticed that things are a mess right now. Computer chip shortages, supply chain backlogs, and shipping delays are all threatening to cause headaches during the 2021 holiday shopping season. The long and short of all this is that if you need a new mobile, you might want to think about grabbing any early Black Friday phone deals you see while the getting’s good. If the model you want goes out of stock, there’s a decent chance you might not see it on sale again before 2022.
Also, don’t assume that the best Black Friday phone deals are going to be reserved for Black Friday weekend. Stores are launching their sales early to get ahead of the aforementioned supply chain issues, and many of these bargains are going to be every bit as good as the discounts you’ll find after Thanksgiving. Better still, numerous retailers are offering Black Friday price match guarantees specifically to address this, meaning that if you buy an item covered by this guarantee and it becomes cheaper later, you’ll automatically be refunded the difference. If you want to shop now but you’re afraid of missing out on a later deal, just look for those Black Friday price guarantees and you can shop without worry.
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