Black Friday deals for the best Android phones are here
It's that time of year again. Black Friday is nearly upon us if you can believe it! Much like last year, many of the best deals will be available not only in person at retail stores but also online. It's never too early to start looking for bargains on the best Android phones, so here is a running list of Android phone deals that we've got our eye on leading up to the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
Best Black Friday Android phone deals:
There are some pretty stellar Black Friday phone deals every year, though you have to know where to shop if you want to find the best offers. So whether you're hoping for the best Samsung deals, Google Pixel deals, some other Android phone, or even an iPhone (gasp!), this is truly the best time of the year to find one.
When it comes to phone deals, you have three types: wholesale discounts from retailers, trade-in discounts and deals from manufacturers, and special deals from carriers. We're doing our best to find the best in all three categories.
We'll be scouring all the usual retailers and phone carriers to scope out any worthy offers and placing the best of them in the list below.
Where to find the best Black Friday Android phone dealsFor the best discounts without any strings attached, keep a close eye on Amazon and Best Buy. Amazon usually gets the best phone deals, while Best Buy has early deals with Black Friday price guarantees running all throughout November.
Manufacturers are also pushing early deals on their own websites, so frequently check your favorite brand's site for deals. Many of the best deals depend on having a phone to trade in, however. Carriers are also offering phones at significant discounts or even for free, but usually in exchange for signing up for a subscription or switching providers.
- Amazon: Features most major phone brand sales, with Lightning Deals to come and random discounts on older phones
- Best Buy: Easy to spot sales on smartphones and cases
- Walmart: Will have unique early Black Friday deals during all of November
- B&H Photo: Some phone deals, more likely to see older phones and accessories (watches, headphones)
- Samsung.com: Will have constant trade-in deals for all its major phones and foldables; may have actual deal prices closer to Black Friday
- OnePlus.com: Official timeline shows exactly when its phones will be discounted and for how much
- Motorola.com: The only spot right now for Moto phone deals
- Google: Pick up a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro direct
Depending on which brand you want, they've already begun now and will continue to extend all the way through Cyber Monday. Popular 2021 flagships are discounted on major retailers for hundreds of dollars. And some of the best budget Android phones, including several Moto-brand phones and the Galaxy A series, have also seen significant discounts.
Thanks to recent supply chain issues, some popular phones like the Galaxy S21 have been hard to find for months, especially if you want to buy it from a specific carrier. And the newly-released Pixel 6 series may only get a small deal if it gets one at all. If you do spot a deal on a Samsung or Google phone, best not to wait for something better because it may not come at all.
Black Friday Android phone deals: Samsung
Samsung has yet to announce its Black Friday deals slate. But we've already spotted significant discounts on foldables and Galaxy phones that are worth checking out now.
Right now, the Galaxy S21 lineup is all discounted for Black Friday on Samsung's site. Whether you buy the S21 ($100 off), S21+ ($150 off), or S21 Ultra ($200 off), you'll get some major savings on your phone of choice. You'll also get a $25 to $50 rebate after purchase to use for accessories. It's a special early deal that requires the right link, which you'll find in the box below.
Samsung Galaxy S21 series
Save up to $200 with $50 Samsung Credit at Samsung
A fantastic opportunity to upgrade to some of Samsung's latest Galaxy S phones while saving some cash and picking up some accessories with the Samsung Credit too.
If you're interested in a new foldable, Samsung has a major deal on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 as well. If you want the premium foldable and have an eligible phone to trade in, you can get an "enhanced" $900 trade-in credit, plus a $250 off rebate and free Galaxy Buds 2. With the Z Flip 3, it's a $600 enhanced credit and $100 rebate with the buds for a total of just $349. Or, if you're willing to use an AT&T carrier deal, you can get it for free with a trade-in.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
From $750 (with trade-in) at Samsung$1,499 at Amazon
Samsung's premium foldable is an incredible experience to use, with lightning speeds, a gorgeous fast-refreshing display the size of a small tablet (when unfolded), S Pen support, and great software for multitasking. It's like no phone you've ever used before.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
From $350 (with trade-in) at SamsungFree (with trade-in) from AT&T
This vertical-folding phone is extremely compact in your pocket and stylish in your hand. It has a gorgeous 6.7-inch display and a 2-inch cover display when closed. With a Snapdragon 888 chipset and 8GB of RAM, it has much faster performance than you might expect. And it's a great deal if you have a phone to trade for it.
Last but not least, Samsung is discounting the excellent (but older) Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and throwing in a free Chromebook 4 to go with it, saving about $330 total. If you're hoping to get both a new phone and a new laptop for Black Friday, this two-for-one deal will make your shopping much easier.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Pick up Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to get a powerhouse phone at $100 off while getting a free Chromebook 4 at the same time - does it get any better?
Last year, we saw savings up to $700 on the Galaxy S20 FE, $200 off the Note 20 Ultra, and $250 off the Galaxy Note 10 during Black Friday on retailer sites, plus some major discounts with carriers. That should give you an idea of what to expect when Black Friday officially arrives.
We hope to see Black Friday deals on the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra - assuming stock is available - as well as some older S20 and Note 20 models. Plus, you can count on the Z Fold 3 getting some flashy discounts, even if it'll still cost you over a grand. But supply chain issues could affect how much stock is available or which phones get discounted.
Black Friday Android phone deals: Google Pixel
When Black Friday 2020 rolled around, the recently released Pixel 5 got a $50 discount, costing even less with a trade-in. Meanwhile, the Pixel 4a 5G was free if you switched carriers or added a line. The Pixel 5a and Pixel 6 are already on sale for $50 off, meaning you'll get a brand new phone for less than you'd expect.
Thanks to low stock, the Google Store quickly ran out of the Pixel 6, and other retailers are also running low on the phone. It's possible they're hoarding stock in preparation for a Black Friday sale, but given how recently it shipped, you shouldn't expect a major discount - no more than $100 off the Pixel 6 Pro if we're lucky.
Right now, we don't see many Pixel 6 deals. Some carriers like Visible, Mint Mobile, and AT&T all had interesting deals, but they've all apparently sold out of their initial stock. Target has one of the only discounts on the Pixel 6 right now, but don't expect it to appear at many retailers as the sale ends on Saturday November 20.
As for the Pixel 5a, it's still exclusively for sale on the Google Store, so you only have one place to look for a deal! Good thing it's already on sale.
Google Pixel 5a with 5G | $50 off
The Google Pixel 5a is only a month old and is already down to its best price ever. Grab this amazing phone with fantastic battery life and an even better camera for less.
Google Pixel 6 | $50 off
Get the latest and greatest from Google for less than you'd expect. Sale ends Saturday November 20, so grab this deal ASAP!
Black Friday Android phone deals: OnePlus
OnePlus has kindly taken all the mystery out of its Black Friday phone deals and has outlined what discounts to expect throughout the month of November.
Throughout November, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro have had on-again/off-again discounts with consistently low sale prices: $599 ($130 off) and $799 ($270 off), respectively, on most major retailer sites like Amazon and Best Buy, as well as oneplus.com.
We don't expect prices to drop below these points and, since they've already dropped to those points, there's no reason to wait for a better deal.
OnePlus 9 Pro
$599 at Amazon$599 at Best Buy
Save $130 on one of OnePlus's best phones ever made, including a phenomenal Hasselblad camera system and stunning display, all in this beautiful Winter Mist colorway.
OnePlus 9 Pro
$799 at Amazon$799 at Best Buy
One of the best Android phones hands-down, the OnePlus 9 Pro has a Snapdragon 888 chipset, 120Hz QHD display, superb cameras, and 65W Warp Charge.
In theory, you could wait for Black Friday itself for a surprise Lightning deal, but the sporadic deal prices we've seen are already excellent. We'd suggest grabbing one as soon as you spot it at those price points, or else choosing to wait until the OnePlus 10.
As for OnePlus's cheaper Nord series, we've seen a solid carrier deal from Mint Mobile. Buy the Nord N200 or Nord N100, and you'll get a free 12 months of service from Mint Mobile.
OnePlus Nord N200 / N100
$420 at Mint Mobile (N200)$360 at Mint Mobile (N100)
If you're looking for both a phone and a service plan, Mint Mobile is bundling both: buy a OnePlus Nord phone, and you get 12 months of service for free. Mint Mobile is one of our favorite cell phone plans for affordability, so you'll keep saving once your free year ends.
Black Friday Android phone deals: Motorola
Other manufacturers' deals are great but still target people with thicker wallets. Moto phones are much more affordable at full price, and Motorola recently ran an early Black Friday sale for its most recent phones.
These deals included $600 off the Moto Razr (2nd gen), $100 off the Motorola One 5G Ace and Motorola Edge (2021), $70 off the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power, and $300 off the 2020 Motorola Edge.
Motorola is one of the best Android brands for affordable phones, and during Black Friday, they'll be even more affordable. These deals have ended, but we fully expect to see similar (or better) deals on Amazon during the main event.