If you've been waiting for your chance to reserve a Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra in the United States, today's the day you can do so. Major carriers and retailers are scrambling over themselves in enticing you to buy these 5G phones (and that complementary 5G wireless service) from them and it can be a messy time trying to sort out what's going on. So, here's our best attempt at just that!
The basics
If you need a refresher of what you're going to get with each phone, here's our intro piece into all of them. Get back to us when you're done.
And if you're buying multiple units, you're likely going to end up paying full price for at least one of them, so it's worthwhile doing the math. Lucky for you, we've got the price breakdown on all the available models as well as:
- 128GB Galaxy S20: $1,000 ($42/mo. for 24 months)
- 128GB Galaxy S20+: $1,200 ($50/mo.)
- 512GB Galaxy S20+: $1,350 ($56/mo.)
- 128GB Galaxy S20 Ultra: $1,400 ($58/mo.)
- 512GB Galaxy S20 Ultra: $1,600 ($67/mo.)
Most sellers will offer zero-down, two-year financing at no interest, though there are exceptions which we'll get to along the way.
End up pre-ordering an S20 phone? Congratulations, but you'll need to wait until March 6 at the earliest (though sometimes a cheeky link in the supply chain will push a box or two early) to receive the delivery or pick it up.
And, no matter where you make your pre-order, you'll also be rewarded with $100, $150, or $200 of Samsung credit depending on the model. You'll get a code to redeem on the Shop Samsung app to buy a TV or fridge or other electronics. Importantly, if you signed up earlier on to buy direct from Samsung's website, you'll get an extra $25 of credit.
The carriers
A shiny new phone may be your excuse to consider shopping for networks. If that's the case, you'll want to know about all of their wheelin' and dealin' and we've got breakdowns of the hurdles you'll need to jump to be eligible for their discounts.
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You can get $1,000 off your S20 series device purchase in monthly credits (that makes a Galaxy S20 free) if you...
- port your number from another carrier
- sign up for either the Unlimited Extra or Unlimited Elite service plans — the ones that include 5G
- pay for your device on AT&T's 30-month installment plan
- trade in an eligible smartphone in good and working condition
As an aside, AT&T has announced its intention to sell the Galaxy S20 with 5G service on its prepaid carrier, Cricket Wireless. We'll have to keep our eyes open for when that will happen.
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You can get $750 off on any S20 device via credits
- Trade in any Galaxy S or Note model from the S8 or later in any condition
- (We're guessing they'll take non-functioning units that aren't smashed to smithereens)
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Lease any S20 device and get a free Galaxy S20 lease via credits
- You'll need two new lines or a combination of a new line and an existing line upgrades
Talking about leases, it should be noted that Sprint structures its device payment plans as 18-month leases. You'll pay the same amount per month as you would for a 24-month term, but come the end of the lease, you have the choice of either returning the phone for the ability to upgrade or pay off the device with 6 extra monthly payments or a single lump sum equivalent and own it.
T-Mobile (S20, S20+, S20 Ultra)
- You can $500 off any S20 series device
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Get up to $1,000 off an extra S20, Note10, or S10 series device via monthly credits
- Existing customers must add a line, new customers must open two lines
- Both devices must be paid off on a 24-month equipment installment plan
Financing-wise, T-Mobile will offer 24-month financing plans for all phones, but it will also require down payments for two models: $150 down and $50 per month for a 512GB Galaxy S20+, and; $200 down and $58 per month for a 512GB Galaxy S20 Ultra.
U.S. Cellular (S20, S20+, S20 Ultra)
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You can get big monthly credits on any Galaxy S20 device, whether you're a new or existing customer
- If you move your number over, you can get $500 off
- If you're on the network and eligible for an upgrade, you can get $200 off
- Either way, you'll need to be on a 30-month device payment plan and an Everyday or Even Better Unlimited service plan
Okay, maybe it's more mid-size than a major carrier. One sign of that is the fact that USC has yet to launch 5G. It'll do so in 10 cities across Iowa and Wisconsin sometime this year.
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All customers get $150 off an S20+ in monthly credits
- Of course, you'll need to be on a 24-month installment plan
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You can get $300 off a Galaxy S20 series device
- You'll need to be an existing customer with a Verizon Unlimited plan
- You'll also need an eligible trade-in
- This offer can be stacked on top of the first deal
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You can get $1,050 off a second Galaxy S20 series device
- You'll need to have an S20+ or S20 Ultra in your cart
- You'll also have to add a line to your account
- And have the second device on an installment plan
- This offer can be stacked on top of the first deal (but not with the second)
- All customers who buy an S20 with an Unlimited plan get a free 6-month subscription to budding 5G streaming game service Hatch
Notably, Big Red will not be selling the regular Galaxy S20 model.
The retailers
Maybe you like to separate your buying — get service from a smaller carrier and your phone from somewhere else. We've got that covered, too.
You won't get discounts for your S20 pre-order here, but the site will give you a free pair of Galaxy Buds for your truely wireless listening pleasure and a free Duo wireless charging pad to power up both your phone and the charging case for those buds simultaneously.
The New York-based seller will be selling all models unlocked for use with all U.S. networks, but is not promoting any deals unique to its platform.
The tech-focused big box chain is offering up to $700 off with a trade-in based on model and condition — most models from the past couple years range in the $400 to $600 region, but if you're really going to give up that Galaxy S10 5G or iPhone 11 Pro, sure, get that $700! It's also selling phones with plans on behalf of AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon and sweetening that with an additional $150 off post-activation.
The company itself is also selling phones compatible with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon as well as U.S. unlocked units. As with Best Buy, it's also offering up to $700 on trade-ins. It's also offering 36-month financing terms at zero interest.
Samsung will also offer $100, $150, or $200 (plus a $25 bonus credit for some customers) Samsung store credit depending on whether you've picked an S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra, respectively.
We'll update this list as needed should new promotions pop up during the pre-order period or if existing ones change significantly.