The Galaxy S9, Samsung’s answer to the iPhone X and the device that will set the trend for Android phones this year, is finally available. If you took advantage of Samsung’s pre-order trade-in deal, you’re probably reading this already on your brand-new phone. But if you waited until today to pull the trigger, there’s some good news.
All four major carriers are running surprisingly good launch-day promotions on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. We’re used to seeing pre-order trade-in deals, but you normally have to wait a few months for the buy-one-get-one promotions that Verizon and Sprint are offering, while the 50% off deals from AT&T and T-Mobile are nothing to sniff at either. Combine those with deals from Best Buy and Xfinity Mobile, and it’s pretty hard to pay full price for the Galaxy S9, even if you want to.
Verizon
, Verizon is offering a buy-one-get-one deal on the Galaxy S9. It’s a simple deal: Buy two Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ devices on an installment plan from Verizon, and you’ll get bill credits worth $799 applied to the second device. The only detail is that you have to activate at least one new line of service, but if you’re already on a family unlimited plan, that’s not particularly expensive.
Most notably, there’s no requirement to trade in an older device, which has been a requirement for most of the Galaxy S9 deals we’ve seen so far. Getting the rebate as a bill credit over 24 months does tie you in to Verizon for the next two years, as leaving would mean forfeiting that bill credit.
Sprint
Sprint is also offering a Galaxy S9 buy-one-get-one deal, but the difference is that you’re leasing the device, rather than buying it outright. Under the terms of Sprint’s deal, you lease the first Galaxy S9 for $33 per month, and the second device lease is free. The lease lasts for 18 months, after which you have the option of handing the devices back, or making another six months of $33-a-month payments to own the device outright. You can also upgrade to a new contract after 12 months, if you’re in the habit of upgrading every year.
If you’re hunting for two devices with low monthly payments and no trade-in, Sprint’s deal is undoubtedly good. However, you do need two new lines of service, or one new line and one upgrade, to qualify.
AT&T
Rather than offering a buy-one-get-one, AT&T is doing 50% off a new Galaxy S9, or $395 off a Galaxy S9+ when purchased on the AT&T Next installment plan. Much like the other offers, you get the discount via bill credits applied over the term of the contract, 24 or 30 months. You also have to add a new line of service that costs at least $45 per month to qualify. If you can meet all those conditions, AT&T’s offer is actually the cheapest, provided you only want one device.
It gets even better if you go Galaxy S9 shopping at Walmart, because the retailer is currently offering $150 off a new Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ when purchased on an installment plan. The offer only stacks with AT&T’s offer, but the savings are immense: it brings the full price down to $639, from $789, which means the 50% off monthly payments would be just $10.50 on AT&T’s 30-month plan.
T-Mobile
The Un-Carrier is offering the same $360-off trade-in deal that it was giving to pre-order customers earlier this month. It’s a generous trade-in offer when you consider some of the devices T-Mobile is giving credit for, but next to the deals from AT&T and Verizon, it’s not quite as appealing.
One thing worth considering, however, is that T-Mobile is selling the Galaxy S9 for $720 to begin with, whereas the other three carriers are charging $790 or $800. That means T-Mobile is at an advantage to begin with, so it doesn’t need quite as aggressive promotions to compete. The full list of trade-in eligible devices is below:
- To save $360, trade in one of these qualifying devices:
Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, Samsung Note8, Apple iPhone 8, Apple iPhone 8 Plus, Apple iPhone 7, Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Apple iPhone 6s, Apple iPhone 6s Plus, LG V30, LG V30+ - To save $200, trade in one of these qualifying devices:
Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, Samsung Galaxy S6 Active, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Note4, Samsung Note5, Apple iPhone 6, Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Apple iPhone 5s, Apple iPhone SE, LG G6, LG G5, LG V20
