Today's best smartphones are not exactly cheap. Most flagships start at around the $600-$800 mark for the base model, and many options exceed $1000. But what if you don't have much cash to spend on a phone? While opting for a budget phone, like the Pixel 8a, is one solution, those in the US have another option. It's possible to get some of the hottest flagships either for free or at a significantly reduced rate through your carrier.
Let's take a quick look at all the carriers that offer a free phone when you switch to their network, as well as a few deals that apply to existing customers as well.
How do you get a free phone when you switch, what's the catch?
You can't expect something for nothing so how exactly do these carrier deals work? The exact terms and conditions will vary not only from carrier to carrier but even from phone to phone or plan to plan, though generally, they work mostly the same way. You typically have to either pay for the phone upfront and get reimbursed through monthly bill credits or you have to sign up for an installment plan and then each month you're active with your carrier you'll get a credit that brings the total down to zero over the length of the installment period. Most of these free phone deals will also require select plans to qualify. If a plan requires you to sign up for a new line you may also be asked to transfer an existing number to qualify.
If you decide to change providers at any time you'll have to pay off the remaining balance on your "free phone" or you'll have to wait until it's paid off to leave.
Let's start with some of the best Verizon deals that require you to add a new qualifying line or have a certain plan level, but don't require a trade-in:
For those willing to trade in a device, you have even more options, including the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15. Really Verizon tends to give its users good deals on older trade-ins so it's possible to get just about any phone for a reduced rate, if not free. These are just some of the highlights. For a comprehensive look at the best Verizon phones you can get for free, head over to Verizon's website.
Here's a look at some of the best AT&T deals for free phones:
Of course, promotions change fast and it's possible there could be others added to this list before we have a chance to update the guide. In that case, be sure to check out the AT&T website for a closer look.
Right now Fi is offering up to $650 back on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series for those who sign up for a Flexible plan or Unlimited Plus. That's not quite free, but it does mean you'll get a flagship for less than $250. Not into Samsung or looking for a truly free phone? While it's not quite a flagship, you can currently get the Google Pixel 8a for free, spread out over 24 monthly bill credits.
To qualify you'll have to sign up for Google Fi Wireless Unlimited Plus as a brand-new customer (or have been gone for more than 180 days). It's also possible to trade in your phone for a few other devices, though these deals aren't nearly as significant.
The Dish-owned Boost Mobile offers both prepaid and postpaid options. The good news is that Dish is trying hard to win customers and that means great free phone deals. You can get the following phones completely free:
While you can get all three Galaxy S models for free, only the base iPhone is free. If you want the Plus or Pro model, you can get it but you'll pay a small fee every month for the duration of your payment plan. For example, that's $2.78 a month taxes for the Plus or $4.72/month for the iPhone 15 Pro. Those who want the Pro Max will have to pay $10.28 a month. Keep in mind that you'll also pay taxes on these fees, as that's not included in the pricing.
There's no trade-in required here at all and you'll get great coverage as Infinite utilizes a combination of Dish's 5G network, T-mobile, and AT&T for coverage. You will have to commit to Boost Infinite for three years or pay back what you owe, but that's to be expected. It's also worth noting that Boost Infinite allows you to trade in and upgrade your phone a year later, though you'll basically restart the clock on how long you'll have to stay on the network before you can leave.
If you want a new phone, you have nearly a dozen choices as of July 2024. The actual pool of devices can vary depending on the time of year and what's happening in the industry. Below we've only highlighted the deals we feel are really worth it. For example, while you can typically get a Galaxy A03 for free, why would you do that when you can also get the more powerful A54 for free? So let's jump in:
- Moto G Power (2024) - You can get the Power free if you join Metro and bring your number to a Flex Up or Metro Flex Plus plan. You can also get in on this deal if you get a new number with a Metro Flex Plus plan.
- Moto G 5G (2024) - Free when you bring your number to any Metro Flex plan, or get a new number with Metro Flex Up or Metro Flex Plus.
- Galaxy A54 - You can get the year-old mid-ranger for free if you join Metro and bring your existing number and sign up for the Metro Flex Plus plan.
- Moto G Stylus (2024) - Join Metro with your existing number and sign up for a Metro Flex Plus plan in order to get this phone for free.
While Metro is probably the least exciting of the "free phone when you switch" deals, it's still a decent option for those on a budget who don't mind older or more entry-level devices. You'll want to head to the Metro website to learn more and to sign up for a free phone deal.
Does Metro have any Apple phones for free?
As you might have noticed, I didn't list any Apple phones in the free section. Technically, you can get the iPhone 11 for free, but I would never recommend it. For one, the iPhone 11 is five years old. Most people only keep their phones for three to six years tops, and for many swaps happen much faster than that. Granted, Metro's model is likely renewed and has had its battery replaced, so it would still work for a while, I just think there's a better solution.
The two-year-old iPhone SE 3 ($429 at Amazon) might not be the perfect iPhone, but its SoC is a massive improvement over the aging chip inside of the iPhone 11 and it will be supported for much longer as well. Right now you can often find it in renewed condition for as little as $250.