Here’s how much you can save

As impressive as the new Google Pixel 8 is, the new $699 retail price of this generation is no small outlay. The good news is that you probably won’t need your old phone once you’ve upgraded to the Pixel 8, so you might as well use it to offset the cost of the new Android phone. There are several Google Pixel 8 trade-in deals to facilitate this. We’ve rounded up your best options here.

These trade-in deals broadly fall into two categories. There are carrier deals that will often give you the Pixel 8 for free with your trade-in, but you’re also required to commit to a plan. These plans can be both pricey and have a significant minimum length — often 24 or 36 months. The other trade-in deals are on unlocked variants of the Pixel. These ones give you the flexibility to use any carrier without further commitment, but the trade-in values you’ll get are usually less generous.

Let’s take a look at the best Google Pixel 8 trade-in deals from both carriers and retailers.

Google Pixel 8 retailer trade-in deals

Google Store

That isn’t the story right across the board. Google really seems to want your old Apple handset, with the latest iPhones earning you the full $650 discount and even the 64GB iPhone 12 drawing a $450 credit.

Best Buy’s Pixel 8 trade-in deals are completely depending on the device, its condition, and whether it is locked or not. There’s a maximum credit of $670 to derive from the trade when buying the Pixel 8 — Best Buy does value some trade-ins at a higher value than that but won’t let you switch them up if it does. The values are more generous than the Google Store, with the 512GB Pixel 7 Pro earning you $550 in credit.

The retailer also has a two-tier system for claiming your credit. You can either put it towards reducing the price of the Pixel 8, or you can get the trade-in value back in the form of an e-gift card. What you should know is that the second option puts less in your pocket than the amount you can offset against the cost of the new phone. The same example of trading in the Pixel 7 Pro would only translate to a $300 gift card.

Google Pixel 8 carrier trade-in deals

T-Mobile

While new T-Mobile customers can save $800 on the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro without a trade-in, existing customers must switch up their old devices to get the same savings.  The offer requires a 24-month contract on the Go5G Next or Go5G Plus plans. The good news is that there are a lot of older phones that attract the full $800 trade-in value, such as the iPhone 11, the Samsung Galaxy S8, and the OnePlus 9 Pro. Much older devices can still get you $400 in trade-in credits, such as the iPhone 7, the Galaxy S6, and the Pixel 4.

On other qualifying plans, you can save up to $500 or $250 on the cost of the Pixel 8, based on the same two age bands of older phones outlined above.

Verizon goes one better than T-Mobile in that you can save up to $1,000 on the Pixel 8 or 8 Pro when you trade in your old phone. The flip side of that is the trade-in deal has to be used in conjunction with a 36-month plan. If you can stomach that, the trade-in can get you either handset for free.

The amount you save on the latest Google device is either $1,000, $800, or $400, though it should be made clear that you can’t save more than the retail price of the Pixel 8 model you’re choosing. Phones that attract the maximum $1,000 credit include the iPhone 11 Pro, the Pixel 7a, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. You can get $800 off for devices as old as Pixel 4, the iPhone 11, and the Galaxy S10. The rest of the accepted phones would land you $400 off, such as most of the Samsung Galaxy A range or very old Google Pixels. Verizon is happy to accept your device even if it is damaged.

AT&T allows for trade-in deals when purchasing most of its phones but also has special trade-in promotions on certain devices. Interestingly, the standard Pixel 8 falls into the first category, while the Pixel 8 Pro is in the second.

What that means is that Pixel 8 Pro buyers can get the device for free with a plan by trading in any smartphone deemed to be worth over $35. That’s quite an offer, but it also requires a 36-month contract on an eligible plan.

The Pixel 8 trade-in offer doesn’t have plan restrictions, but it isn’t as good an offer in terms of trade-in credit. For a start, each older device attracts a specific value, all of which are less generous than the deals on the Pixel 8 Pro. For instance, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is only worth $500 when you go down this route. Secondly, only certain devices can be used to offset the cost of the Pixel 8 in the form of bill credits. For those devices that don’t qualify, AT&T will only give you the credit on a promotional card that can be put towards other AT&T services.

The exact trade-in process for your phone will depend on the retailer or carrier you’re dealing with. The good news is that none of them require you to send your old device first. While that would be useful for them to assess what it is worth, it would also make it very awkward for you to transfer your data to a new device.

So what do you need to do once you’ve bought your new phone as part of a trade-in deal and it has now arrived? Here are some general steps to follow:

1. Turn on your new device and take the time to transfer over your data from your old phone. If you’re switching OS, we’ve got guides on transferring from Android to iPhone or from iPhone to Android.
2. When you’re happy that you have all the data you need, factory reset your old phone to wipe any trace of you off of it.
3. Take any accessories off your old phone, such as a case or a screen protector.
4. Lightly clean your old phone so that it looks its best while being careful not to use any cleaning products that might damage it.
5. Take photos of the old phone so that you have evidence of its condition when you sent it.
6. If you’ve been provided with packaging from the retailer you’re sending the phone to, use it to package your device. If not, package it up securely in a box with bubble wrap.
7. Check the retailer’s requirements for posting your old phone. This might require a certain level of service. In any event, recorded delivery with insurance is a good way to protect against any loss or damage in transit.