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Best cell phone deals for October 2021

Published Oct 29th, 2021 4:06PM EDT
Image: standret/Adobe

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Premium cell phones like the iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S21 seem to garner all the attention. There’s no question that they’re fantastic devices, and they’re worth every penny. But unless you have a new phone to trade in for a big credit, they’re quite expensive. Not everyone wants to spend $1,000 or more on a smartphone, after all. And the good news is you definitely don’t have to. There are so many excellent cell phone deals available right now, and new ones will appear all month long in October. We’re going to show you all the best smartphone offers right here in this roundup.

From unlocked smartphone deals to the best cell phone deals for Verizon and AT&T, we’ve got it all covered. Whether you want the latest cutting-edge smartphone or a good cheap cell phone, we’ve got you covered.

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Best cell phone deals right now

If you want the latest and greatest smartphones, there are some solid deals available right now. For example, Amazon is offering a $100 Amazon credit when you buy any new iPhone 13 model. Hard-to-find models like the iPhone 13 Pro Max are even in stock today, which is surprising. They could sell out soon though since demand is through the roof. Note that the $100 Amazon credit is added spread out over 24 months. You’ll receive a new $4.17 credit each month.

Amazon Logo See Pricing
Amazon Logo See Pricing

Premium Samsung Galaxy smartphones are available as well. You’ll even find some great deals on Samsung’s high-end phones right now. Examples include $80 off the unlocked Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and $170 off the unlocked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

Of course, if you’re looking for great cell phone deals available right now, you probably want to spend much less. Don’t worry, because there are some phenomenal deals right now on the best affordable smartphones you can find.

Best cheap cell phone deals

Some of the best cheap cell phone deals available right now offer discounts on models that are already affordable. That means you’ll save so much money compared to buying a flagship smartphone. For example, you can get save on the already affordable Moto G Power. That means you get an awesome new 2021-edition smartphone with insane 3-day battery life for under $200! Plus, it’s unlocked so you can use it with any carrier.

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The Moto G Power probably offers the best value out there right now. If you’re looking for a bit more power, however, there are two great options you should check out.

Powerful but affordable

First, we have the Google Pixel 4a that is unlocked and contract-free. It starts at just $349.99 and it has thousands of 5-star reviews. As a matter of fact, it’s the single best-selling cell phone deal on Amazon’s entire site right now. Or, if you want to step things up a notch, check out the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G. This powerful smartphone retails for $500 with 128GB of storage, but you can save some money if you hurry.

Amazon Logo See Pricing
Amazon Logo See Pricing

The cheapest cell phone ever

Finally, if you really just want the cheapest possible cell phone you can get, we have just the thing. It doesn’t get any cheaper than a flip phone like the Tracfone MyFlip. It’s just $9.99 at Amazon!

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Best Apple iPhone deals

A lot of people out there shopping for the best cell phone deals want an iPhone. The words “iPhone” and “deal” might seem like antonyms, but there’s a way to get awesome iPhones cheap. All you need to do is get a refurbished iPhone model on Amazon! They’re guaranteed to work and look like new. In fact, you have 90 full days to get your money back if you’re not happy.

Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

Prices start at just $195 for a like-new Apple iPhone 8. Or, if you want to go back a generation, you can get a like-new iPhone 7 for just $139! Also, these iPhone models are unlocked so you can use them with any carrier you choose. Here are some impressive iPhone deals right now:

Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

Best cell phone deals for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile

Plenty of people out there would obviously rather get their smartphones from a wireless carrier. After all, that means you can spread out your payments over several years. And the fee is added to your normal service bill, so it’s not a separate payment each month. You can also typically trade in an old phone for a nice big credit toward the purchase of your new smartphone. It’s far easier than selling your old phone on eBay or Craigslist, after all.

Even if you want to buy your phone from your carrier, that doesn’t mean you should pay full price. All the major US wireless carriers have great cell phone deals going all the time!

Over at Verizon, you can save big on the new iPhone 13 series right now. Verizon will also give you up to $500 to switch from another carrier. Or, you can get popular phones like the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone SE, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, and more for free.

See all the latest cell phone deals at Verizon

If you’re on AT&T, you can get an iPhone 13 or even an iPhone 13 Pro for free if you sign a long agreement. There’s also a deal that gets you Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 & Galaxy Buds 2 bundle for free with a trade-in.

See all the latest cell phone deals at AT&T

T-Mobile is running plenty of great cell phone deals as well, and you can see them all below.

See all the latest cell phone deals at T-Mobile

Best Buy’s top cell phone deals

There’s no question whatsoever that carrier deals are great. In fact, sometimes carriers have the best cell phone deals you can get. But you might want to think about shopping for those deals at Best Buy instead of your carrier’s store.

You’re probably wondering why, but the explanation is simple. As a matter of fact, there are a few different reasons. First, Best Buy often has great deals that you won’t get directly from your carrier. That includes extra discounts or additional perks. Sometimes Best Buy offers free accessories with a purchase or even a free Best Buy gift card. On top of that, Best Buy offers all the top deals from every major wireless carrier. Browse through them and you might find a deal that’ll make it worthwhile to switch. Plus, you’ll find deals on unlocked smartphones and tons of cell phone accessory deals.

See all the latest cell phone deals at Best Buy

Walmart has deep discounts

Just like Best Buy, Walmart is a fantastic place to go if you’re in search of great cell phone deals. And needless to say, it’s great for all the same reasons. Walmart has all the best smartphones that are available. It also offers deals from all the major wireless carriers out there except for T-Mobile. Walmart also offers plans from MVNOs including Straight Talk, which offers incredibly low prices. It supports all the best phones and uses cellular service from every major wireless carrier, including T-Mobile.

There are so many great cell phone deals right now at Walmart. You’ll also find deep discounts on must-have accessories. Definitely check it out.

See all the latest cell phone deals at Walmart


Go here to see this month’s best cheap deals online!

Maren Estrada Deals Editor

Maren Estrada has been the Editor of BGR Deals since it launched in 2013. She has more than 20 years of experience testing more than 1,500 products, and reviewing a wide range of consumer electronics including mobile devices, smart home products, computers, and home appliances.

Previously, she was a leading consultant specializing in copywriting, product development, and new product launches.