iPhone 16 vs Galaxy S25: which device has the best deals right now?

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 has just hit the market and there are some superb preorder deals to consider right now. You may be wondering, however, how these promotions stack up to what's already available on the rival Apple iPhone 16 series.

As TechRadar's deals editor, I've been rounding up the best cell phone deals for a few years now so I have plenty of experience to share with our readers so you can pay the best price.

You may already have an inkling of which device you want but I've included an unbiased overview of the best discounts on either handset to help you weigh up your decision.

Generally speaking, promotions on these devices are similar in that trade-in rebates dominate most retailer promotions. As a rule of thumb, you will not get a big discount unless you have a device ready to hand over. That said, there are other bonus gifts and freebies that I've listed just below that could help sway you either way.

Check out our Samsung Galaxy S25 review, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, or iPhone 16 review if you want to check out how these devices compare in terms of specs and features.

Who has the best carrier deals?

• iPhone 16 Pro: free with an eligible trade-in, plus free iPad and Apple Watch at Verizon
• iPhone 16 series: $200 off, plus up to $1,000 off with a trade-in at AT&T
• iPhone 16 Pro: phone and unlimited plan for $65/mo at Boost Mobile
• Galaxy S25 series: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in, plus free Galaxy Watch 7 and tablet at Verizon
• Galaxy S25 series: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in, plus cheap watch and tablet at AT&T
• Galaxy S25 Plus: phone and unlimited plan for $65/mo at Boost Mobile

Both the Samsung Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16 have great carrier deals right now. For example, both are available with significant trade-in rebates and cheap accessories at AT&T and Verizon - although Verizon is the only one that will give you free devices alongside a phone.

The devices in this case are a free Apple Watch SE and iPad 10.2 with an iPhone and a free Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Tab S9 FE with a Samsung phone. In terms of value, these devices are worth well over $500 in total, but note that you will need to pay for additional accessory cellular lines so make sure you do the math before you claim them.

Where AT&T - and its deals on Samsung devices - slightly edges ahead is its incredible trade-in rebate on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Right now, this is the only deal on the market where it's possible to get this device (valued $1,249) for free with an eligible trade-in. You'll likely need to be handing over a premium device to hit that maximum rebate but this is on paper the biggest rebate on the market for any device currently.

AT&T is also offering an additional $200 off your bills over 36 months right now if you order a device online.

While I'm here, It's also worth mentioning Boost Mobile's excellent Infinite Access plan. Remember when I said you generally need to trade in to get a discount on either device? This is one of the sole exceptions.

Boost currently has a deal that offers either the Galaxy S25 Plus or the iPhone 16 Pro (both valued $1,000) alongside an unlimited plan for $65/mo. The plan itself is relatively basic but this is a cheap all-in-one option that also makes you eligible for a free upgrade every year.

Who has the best unlocked deals?

• iPhone 16 series: save up to $650 off with a trade-in at Apple
• Galaxy S25 series: $900 instant trade-in credit and up to $300 credit at Samsung

The answer is clearer when it comes to discounts on unlocked devices: Samsung Galaxy S25 deals offer better value. This boils down to Apple's monopoly on unlocked devices in the US and its unfortunate reluctance to offer anything other than a very basic trade-in rebate.

If you compare Apple's maximum rebate of up to $650 to Samsung's maximum rebate of $900, then the latter is the clear winner in terms of outright discounts.

The official Samsung Store also currently throws in up to $300 additional credit for free storage upgrades and cheap accessories. These are all limited-time-only preorder bonuses, but generally speaking, Samsung's deals are nearly always stronger all year round, too.

If you're willing to wait, then you'll also find good cell phone deals on unlocked devices at Amazon and other big tech retailers down the line. Samsung devices are heavily stocked and popular over sales events like Black Friday in November and we nearly always see record-low prices.

For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was regularly discounted anywhere between $200 to $300 at several retailers in the second half of the year. Apple, by comparison, never has upfront discounts unless you go refurbished so trading in is the only way to get a cheaper unlocked device.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy S25 deals

Samsung Galaxy S25 series: $900 instant trade-in credit and up to $300 credit at Samsung
Looking for an unlocked device? This right here is your best option by far. The official Samsung Store offers an excellent trade-in rebate of up to $900 and $300 of store credit on the house for both carrier and unlocked devices today. The trade-in here is superb and the $300 credit is also a significant bonus that can be used to get a free storage upgrade and cheap accessories. Overall, a superb opening deal and one that's even better than I anticipated.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 series: double storage, plus up to £660 off with a trade-in at Samsung
It's hard to overlook Samsung UK's excellent opening range of Galaxy S25 deals. Not only is the trade-in rebate of up to £660 generally better than what you usually get at this retailer, but it's also throwing in a free storage upgrade as a preorder bonus. Right now, this is the strongest option for an unlocked device if you have a relatively decent handset ready to trade in.

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