After a long wait, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE is finally available for purchase. And although this gorgeous, flagship-level phone isn’t a great value at $700, retailers and carriers are running limited-time deals that significantly reduce its price. If you’re planning on buying the Galaxy S21 FE, now’s the time to do it.
Need a quick refresher? Like the original Galaxy S21, the new Galaxy S21 FE packs a Snapdragon 888 chip, a 120Hz FHD+ display, and support for reverse wireless charging. It also works with mmWave 5G and has an IP68 water resistance rating.
The Galaxy S21 FE doesn’t match the Galaxy S21’s camera quality, and it has some small downgrades (such as a less effective optical fingerprint reader) to reach a lower price point. But with these early-bird discounts, is very easy to ignore the Galaxy S21 FE’s small downgrades.
Samsung: Big Discount, Trade-In Deals, Free Stuff
Samsung always offers the best deals on its new devices. The company is running a limited-time “enhanced” trade-in program to help you save big on your Galaxy S21 FE purchase. Plus, it’s offering free Spotify subscriptions, wireless earbuds, and other neat perks.
- Save up to $375 with an eligible trade-in.
- Get a $100 Samsung Credit, a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live (a $170 value), or a $30 pair of Galaxy Buds Pro (usually $200) with your purchase.
- Four free months of YouTube Premium ($48 value, new accounts only)
- Three free months of Spotify Premium ($30 value)
- Six free months of SiriusXM Streaming
If you manage to net the full trade-in value from a phone and redeem the $100 Samsung Credit, you could save $475 on your purchase. That brings the Galaxy S21 FE down to $225 before taxes—a killer deal if I’ve ever seen it. (And that’s not even factoring in the free streaming services!)
Best Buy: Get $300 in Gift Cards with Activation
Did you know that Best Buy sells an exclusive Navy version of the Galaxy S21 FE? Yeah, I love it too—but that’s not what we’re here to talk about, is it? Let’s get to the deals.
While Best Buy doesn’t offer the deep savings of Samsung or some carriers, it’s the best place to buy a Galaxy S21 FE if you don’t have a phone to trade in. The retailer is giving away a $100 gift card with every Galaxy S21 FE purchase, and you can get a second $200 gift card after activating your device with a qualifying carrier.
I should also note that Best Buy offers up to 24 months of financing with your purchase of a Galaxy S21 FE. That’s a lot better than the four-month financing plan offered by Samsung, though you can get a similar plan through your carrier.
Save Big With Carrier Deals
Believe it or not, but your carrier may offer better Galaxy S21 FE deals than Samsung or Best Buy. Customers with Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint can get a Galaxy S21 FE for free with a qualifying trade-in, for example.
Here are the Galaxy S21 FE deals offered by the major carriers.
Verizon Carrier Deals
Verizon customers can save up to $700 on a Galaxy S21 FE when they add a new line to an Unlimited plan or offer a qualifying trade-in device. Additionally, new Verizon customers can get up to $1000 toward a new phone when they switch.
Funny enough, Verizon takes damaged phones for trade-ins. If you’re a Verizon customer, I suggest checking how much the carrier will offer for a trade-in before shopping at Samsung or Best Buy.
AT&T Carrier Deals
For a limited time, new and existing AT&T customers can get discounts up to $160 on the S21 FE with a qualifying installment plan. That means you could buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE for as low as $540 (or $15 a month).
You can also save money on the S21 FE at AT&T with a qualified trade-in, though the carrier isn’t offering any unusual trade-in bonuses.
T-Mobile, Sprint, and Metro Carrier Deals
If you’re a T-Mobile Magenta MAX or Sprint MAX customer, you can save up to $700 on a Galaxy S21 FE when trading in an eligible device. Customers on other T-Mobile and Sprint plans can get up to $400 in bill credits over 24 months with an eligible trade-in. (Bill credits are monthly discounts on your bill. In this case, you’d get a $16.66 discount each month for two years.)
T-Mobile and Sprint customers also get $700 in bill credits when they purchase two Galaxy S21 FEs and add a second line to their plan. If you were thinking about bringing a friend or significant other on your phone plan, aim for this deal and combine it with a trade-in.
Metro by T-Mobile customers don’t get any discounts on the Galaxy S21 FE. Unless they’re new customers, in which case they can save $260 on the phone with a qualifying plan.
