Here are the carriers that offer the Samsung Galaxy S24 for free

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is now available for pre-order through all major retailers and carriers. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series focuses more on AI and design refinement than major hardware changes, despite a price increase this year of around $100 for the Ultra model. The result is a device with the beastly power you’d expect from a Galaxy but with an AI experience more akin to the Pixel 8 series. Interested in the Galaxy S24 but looking to save some cash on the deal? It’s possible to get a Samsung Galaxy S24 for free or extremely cheap, though not without a few caveats.

How do I get a Samsung Galaxy S24 for free?

No one is going to just hand you a free Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, or S24 Ultra, right? Aside from long-shot options like giveaways, the only truly trustworthy way to obtain a free Galaxy is through your carrier. However, ‘free’ is a bit of a loaded term here, as most deals for free phones require a trade-in, a new plan, a new line, or a similar set of terms and conditions. Regardless of how you receive your free phone, expect a contract period, typically 36 months in the US, though T-Mobile still offers phone payment plans for just two years.

You’ll be charged a monthly fee for the phone in nearly all cases, but you’ll instantly receive a credit each month that covers the cost. This is important because it means if you decide to cancel your carrier service, you’ll have to pay off the remaining balance on your ‘free’ phone first. If you wait out the full contract, you’ll own the Galaxy S24 outright and can then cancel your service whenever you please.

Are these deals any good? If saving money is your sole concern, probably not. Often, you can fare better by pairing an unlocked Android phone with a prepaid phone carrier. You’ll have to tolerate issues like throttling during congestion, but this can lead to significant savings. Still, if you’re already with a major carrier, are eligible for a new phone, and don’t plan on switching carriers, this could be an excellent way to acquire a new phone without any upfront cost.

New and existing Verizon customers can trade in any Samsung phone, regardless of the condition, and in exchange, you’ll get a free Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Plus with any eligible unlimited plan. Prefer the Galaxy S24 Ultra? While Verizon won’t give it to you for completely free, they will give you $1,000 off, which brings the starting price down to around $300. Samsung is also throwing in a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Tab, though you’ll need a connected data plan to take advantage. While Samsung is already doing this, it’s also worth noting that Verizon will also give you a free storage size upgrade if you pre-order your phone. Lastly, Verizon is offering 15% off Galaxy S24 cases and screen protectors, with 25% off select Galaxy chargers and more.

AT&T has a pretty similar trade-in program to Verizon this year, offering a free Galaxy S24 or S24 Plus with any Galaxy phone trade-in, regardless of year or condition. AT&T is also offering $1,000 off on the Galaxy S24 Ultra as well. As with most retailers, you’ll also get a free storage upgrade to the next highest tier if you pre-order between now and January 30.

T-Mobile is offering a Galaxy S24 trade-in deal as its competition that gives you up to $800 off, which would effectively make the Galaxy S24 free. Unlike the other two major carriers, you’d still have to pay at least $100 for the Galaxy S24 Plus or $600 for the Ultra. T-Mobile’s trade-in deal might not be the most exciting but the Uncarier makes up for it by giving you $1,000 off if you add a line on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next. That’s still not quite enough to cover the S24 Ultra for free, but it does bring the price down to around $300 to start.

Xfinity Mobile is offering up to $800 off in trade-in credit and double the storage on the Galaxy S24 model of your choice. Those without a trade-in can still get $500 off if they pre-order between now and January 30, which is a pretty solid deal. If you’re unaware of Xfinity, it works on Verizon’s network and requires an Xfinity TV/internet subscription to sign up. You can learn more in our guide comparing Xfinity Mobile vs Verizon.

Boost Infinite

The Dish-owned Boost Infinite is a smaller postpaid carrier that is still attempting to gain market share, which results in it having some pretty killer deals usually. The Galaxy S24 series is no exception, as you can get it from Boost for absolutely free with no trade-in needed if you sign up for their $60 unlimited talk, text, and data plan. You’ll even be able to upgrade to a newer phone within a year if you’ve made consistent payments on your plan. As you expect, if you cancel anytime before this you will have to pay off any remaining balance.

What if you’re interested in the Galaxy S24 series but aren’t interested in going through a carrier to get it? In that case, you won’t be able to get a free Galaxy S24. That said, you can still buy it unlocked at full price from Amazon and other major retailers now and can even take advantage of the same pre-order bonuses like a free storage upgrade.

Those who shop at Best Buy also have the option of trading in their phone for up to $870 off. While this sounds great don’t expect the same generous trade-in prices as a carrier would offer. For example, a Galaxy S22 in good condition would only bring the price down to about $250. You’ll also get a $150 Best Buy gift card even if you don’t trade in a thing.

Don’t mind paying full price as long as you still get that sweet pre-order bonus? Hit up the widgets below: