Here are the very best cell phone deals of the month, all in one place.
Best Cell Phone Deals for October 2024
A new cell phone, especially from major brands like Apple or Samsung, can cost upwards of four digits. In this economy? No, thank you. The good news is you can almost always find deals on plans, phones, and bundles if you know where to look. We’ve rounded up this month’s best cheap phones and cell phone plans, plus other common perks to look out for.
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile currently offer great deals on the newest iPhone, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy, with some sweet add-ons for new customers.
With fall football coming up, NFL fans will want to check out Verizon's free NFL Sunday Ticket deal. Or, take a look at the very first "forever" price lock that I've ever seen: Boost's Mobile's $25 Unlimited plan that will literally never have a price hike.
Smaller carriers like Xfinity Mobile, Mint Mobile, and Visible Wireless are also offering deals on new devices as well as a free trial of wireless service.
Guide to this piece:
Best Cell Phone Deals of October 2024
Xfinity Mobile deals
Get an Unlimited Intro line free for a year
Xfinity Mobile has a few great deals going on right now for new customers. (Reminder that Xfinity Mobile is available only to existing Xfinity home internet subscribers.)
Xfinity Mobile customers can get a free Unlimited Intro line for a year with the purchase of any Unlimited line. That’s two unlimited data phone lines for the price of one for 12 months.
New Xfinity Internet customers who choose a Fast plan or above can also get a free Unlimited Intro line (or an equivalent monthly mobile credit) for two years. Just remember to activate the Unlimited Intro line within 90 days of ordering internet service.
Save 40% on top streaming services
New and existing Xfinity TV or Internet customers can add StreamSaver for just $15 per month and get Peacock Premium with ads, Apple TV+, and Netflix Standard with ads.
That's three streaming services for the price of one! And the savings are no joke–without StreamSaver, all three services would cost $29.95 per month.
Free or discounted cell phones with Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile has a ton of deals on the latest iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, and Google Pixels. Check it out below:
- $100 off Google Pixel 8a
- $400 off iPhone 15 Pro
- $500 off select Samsung Galaxy devices
- Up to $1000 off iPhone 16 Family
- Free 5G phone with trade-in
- Free 5G phone with 150Mbps Internet (Central)
Discounted or free cell phone deals often require a trade-in or activation of a new line, so check the fine print to ensure you're not missing any requirements.
Xfinity Mobile: How does it stack up?
Xfinity Mobile is a unique carrier, offering bundle-only options with its internet service. For Xfinity Internet users, Xfinity Mobile offers decently priced unlimited and by-the-gig plans, earning a spot in our best cell phone plans review. Plus, Xfinity Mobile operates on Verizon’s network, one of the fastest networks in the country.
Xfinity Internet offers competitive prices and is available across the majority of the United States. It even offers one of the largest Wi-Fi hotspot networks. We wish its promotional prices lasted longer and that its unlimited data plan was priced more competitively, but the service is worth checking out if you’re interested in saving on bundles or family plans.
AT&T Wireless deals
Get a free Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with any trade-in, no matter its condition or year
AT&T’s best cell phone deal includes a free Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with a Pixel trade-in. The best part of this deal? Your Pixel trade-in can be any year or condition.
Check out all the cell phone deals AT&T has to offer below:
- Free iPhone 16
- Free Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Up to $830 off iPhone 16 Plus
- Up to $1,000 off iPhone 16 Pro Max
Discounted or free cell phone deals often require a trade-in or activation of a new line, so check the fine print to ensure you're not missing any requirements.
AT&T internet bundle deal: Save $20/month on AT&T Fiber
Bundle your wireless and internet service with an AT&T fiber 300Mbps plan or higher, and save $20 a month on your internet and cell phone bill. Plus, new and existing customers get a free iPhone 14 with an eligible AT&T Fiber plan.
AT&T appreciation deals for military, veterans, students, and more
AT&T is offering 25% per month off its services for the following users and their families:
- Active military and veterans
- First responders
- Nurses, physicians, and PA-Cs
Plus, students and union or AARP members can save $10/month per line and get discounts on wireless accessories.
AT&T: How does it stack up?
AT&T is a very reliable provider with powerful plans. You get super-fast speeds, good coverage, and incredibly high data caps. For example, the Unlimited Premium PL plan doesn’t even have a data cap, so you can never run out of high-speed data.
That being said, AT&T’s wireless plans are expensive, reaching almost $90 a month for a single line but less than $50 a month for five lines. So we recommend AT&T for those looking for a powerful phone plan or users who can get a family plan discount.
T-Mobile deals
Get four free iPhone 15s when you switch four lines
Interested in switching the whole fam over to T-Mobile? Now’s the time to pull the trigger. T-Mobile will give you four new iPhone 15s plus four lines at $25/line when you switch. To qualify, all lines must be new and include four eligible trade-ins.
T-Mobile Go5G cell phone deals
Get one of T-Mobile’s Go5G plans and enjoy a brand-new iPhone or Samsung device for free or heavily discounted. Check it out below:
Go5G Plus or Go5G Next deals
- Free iPhone 16 Pro (new and existing customers)
- Free Samsung Galaxy S24
- Free Samsung Galaxy S23 with Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan
- Free Google Pixel 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, or 9 Pro XL with a new line on select plans
- Free Motorola phone: razr, razr+, moto g, or edge with eligible new line
Discounted or free cell phone deals often require a trade-in or activation of a new line, so check the fine print to ensure you're not missing any requirements.
Get free streaming subscriptions with Go5G
You can get the following free streaming subscriptions with T-Mobile's Go5G rate plans:
- Netflix Basic (1 screen)
- Apple TV+
- Hulu (with Ads)
- Vix Premium for one year
- SiriusXM Streaming Platinum for six months
- Pandora Premium for four months
With T-Mobile’s Go5G cell phone plans, save at least $25/month and enjoy some of our favorite streaming services at no extra cost.
T-Mobile: How does it stack up?
With T-Mobile, you get fast download speeds, high data caps, lots of hotspot data, and a generous amount of perks. T-Mobile also offers the most perks compared to AT&T or Verizon, offering free streaming subscriptions plus weekly deals with its T-Mobile Tuesdays program.
But its plans are expensive, especially for one line, with its most expensive plan reaching $100 a month for a single line. We recommend T-Mobile if you’re interested in a strong cell phone plan, especially if you have friends or family to join your account for a family-plan discount.
Verizon Wireless deals
Free NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube for new and existing customers
The 2024–2025 football season is just around the corner. Get all local and out-of-market NFL games for free this year with Verizon, plus a brand-new phone.
Get a free NFL Sunday Ticket and a new phone with an Unlimited Ultimate plan and an eligible phone trade-in—any condition.
Get four iPhone 14s for free when you open four lines on Unlimited Welcome
Verizon’s four-free-iPhones deal gets you—that’s right—four new iPhone 14s at no extra cost when you add four Unlimited Welcome lines. The best part is there are no trade-ins required. And this is an online-only offer, so you’ll need to go the virtual route to get it.
This deal is similar to T-Mobile’s four iPhone 15s deal; however, you won’t be required to have eligible trade-ins with Verizon’s four iPhone 14s deal. Your phones will be a generation behind, but who really cares when they're free?
Verizon smart phone deals
New and existing customers can also get a free iPhone 15 with Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate plan and any iPhone trade-in.
Check out the rest of Verizon's cell phone deals:
- Free iPhone 16 Pro
- Free Google Pixel 9
- Free Samsung Galaxy S24 or 24+
- Free Google Pixel Watch 3
- $1000 off iPhone 16 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, or Galaxy Z Flip6
- $700 off Samsung Galaxy S23
- $800 off Samsung Galaxy ZFold6 or ZFlip6 with eligible trade-in and Unlimited Ultimate line
- Bring your own device and get up to $540
Discounted or free cell phone deals often require a trade-in or activation of a new line, so check the fine print to ensure you're not missing any requirements.
Deals for military, veterans, first responders, and their families
First responders, teachers, and military and veteran families can save on both Verizon Wireless and home internet services. Check it out below:
- Verizon Wireless customers can get up to an extra 50% off Verizon Home Internet
- Wireless customers get Fios Home Internet starting at just $45/month (regularly $50–$90/month)
Verizon Wireless: How does it stack up?
Verizon Wireless is the king of coverage, offering fast speeds and reliable performance. Its plans are pretty standard compared to AT&T and T-Mobile, if not a tiny bit cheaper. Verizon offers fewer free perks, especially compared to T-Mobile. But it has basic, powerful plans that suit most users’ data and coverage needs. And the plans are pretty affordable if you can add a few members to your account for a family plan discount.
Mint Mobile deals
Get six months free when you buy a new phone and a six-month plan
With Mint Mobile (a prepaid carrier), users pay in three, six, or 12-month installments. And right now, new customers who buy an eligible phone with Mint get a 50% discount on a 12-month plan. This means you can get an entire year of unlimited cell phone service for only $180, which is as expensive as two months on an unlimited plan from a bigger provider like Verizon or AT&T.
Mint Mobile also offers phone discounts, such as $180 off the Google Pixel 8, $440 off the Pixel 8 Pro, and $100 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 or Z Flip6.
Buy one get one free 3-month Mint Mobile plan
Mint Mobile offers up to four free plans when you open a line and bring numbers from AT&T or Verizon. All additional lines will be the same 3-month plan as the primary line—which is nice since all plans are currently $15/month.
Mint Mobile: How does it stack up?
Mint Mobile offers the cheapest unlimited data plan we’ve seen. In fact, we think Mint Mobile offers the most value compared to any other cell phone carrier. Operating on T-Mobile’s network, this prepaid carrier’s plans cap out at $30 a month for unlimited data and 10GB of hotspot data. At a third of the price of major wireless carriers, Mint Mobile is a great choice for anyone trying to save money without sacrificing data or coverage.
Tips and tricks for finding the best cell phone deals
Here’s the golden rule of buying a new phone: Never pay full price. There’s almost always a way to get the device you want with a discount, a BOGO deal, or some other promotional offer. Here’s what to look for when you’re shopping.
- See if your carrier offers the latest phones for existing customers. Last year AT&T announced that it would start giving its existing customers some of the very same phone deals that it offers to new customers. Since then the other two major carriers—T-Mobile and Verizon—have followed suit.
- Look for refer-a-friend programs. You like your friends (most of the time) and you like saving money (all of the time), so why not put the two together? Many carriers—like Mint, Visible, and AT&T—will give you an account credit when you refer a friend.
- Look for trade-in programs. Verizon is usually running some kind of incredible trade-in deal that will give you $700+ off your new device when you give up your old one. While not every carrier offers that kind of cash, most do have some sort of trade-in policy.
- Consider switching carriers to get the new customer treatment. Some carriers offer deals to existing customers, but this is the exception to the rule. In most cases, switching to a new carrier opens up a whole new world of phone deals. Companies often save their best deals—like iPhone BOGO offers—for those who sign up for an unlimited data plan.
- Factor free streaming subscriptions and other perks into the total savings. Cell phone companies like to throw in perks to get you to sign up for their plans. We’ve seen mobile plans with free subscriptions to streaming services like Max, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. These may not be directly related to your phone purchase, but they sweeten the deal for sure.
What makes this guide legit?
At Reviews.org, we follow a rigorous process to review, rank, and recommend cell phone providers based on objective analysis. Here is a detailed breakdown of our process.
- Conduct comprehensive research: Our research team scours the internet to find the latest and most accurate information on cell phone providers and plans. We use a variety of sources, including industry reports, customer reviews, and comparison websites like WhistleOut.com.
- Analyze coverage data: To evaluate network coverage, we analyze data from sources like RootMetrics, OpenSignal, and Ookla. We look at coverage maps to determine which providers offer the most coverage in a given area. We also use proprietary data from over 100,000 users to evaluate data speeds and overall performance.
- Evaluate pricing: We compare the pricing of different cell phone plans to determine which providers offer the best overall value. Value is based on cost, data allotments, additional perks, coverage, and data speeds. We also consider any hidden fees or charges that might impact the total cost of the plan.
- Assess perks and features: To decide the best cell phone plans, we also factor in all the additional features outside of the usual talk, text, and data. We look at things like data rollover, international roaming, and mobile hotspot capabilities. We also evaluate the quality of the provider’s app and customer portal to determine if they offer a good user experience.
- Make recommendations: Based on our analysis, we compile a list of the best cell phone providers and plans for different types of users. We provide detailed information on each provider, including their coverage, pricing, features, and customer service. We also provide recommendations based on usage needs, such as the best plans for frequent travelers or the best plans for families.
Our research process is designed to provide our readers with accurate and trustworthy information on cell phone providers and plans. By conducting comprehensive research and analysis, we are able to make recommendations that are based on objective data and user feedback. We take great care to ensure that our recommendations are always unbiased and free from any outside influence.