Best Black Friday Android phone deals 2021: Sales on Pixel 6, Galaxy S21, Z Fold 3 and more

Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 6 (Image credit: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)

It's that time of year again. Black Friday week is upon us, and we've already seen major deals on some of the best Android phones. We won't beat around the bush: you're here for deals, and we've got a running list of Android phone deals that we've got our eye on leading up to the biggest shopping weekend of the year.

Among the best deals, you'll find major deals the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3, $100 off newer phones like the Pixel 6, and really cheap deals on older Pixels and other budget brands. But we've also seen deals come and go on the Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9. Stock is low on many popular handsets, and waiting until Black Friday for a better deal may risk you not getting that phone for anything less than full price.

When it comes to phone deals, you have three types: wholesale discounts from retailers, trade-in discounts and deals from manufacturers, and special deals from carriers. We're doing our best to find the best in all three categories.

We'll be scouring all the usual retailers and phone carriers to scope out any worthy offers and placing the best of them in the list below.

Black Friday Android phone deals: Samsung

Samsung has had some epic deals for Black Friday week, including only $250 for the Galaxy S20 FE, $200 off the S21 Ultra, or $300 off the S20 Note Ultra plus a free Chromebook. But many of these deals have expired since, leaving you with fewer options.

Among the best Black Friday Galaxy deals remaining, you can get $500 off the Z Flip 3 (depending on whether you trade in a phone) or $300 off the Z Fold 3 if you're in the market for a foldable. Otherwise, your best deals involve trading in a relatively new phone and signing a new deal with a carrier. There aren't many major Galaxy discounts without a contract.

Through Samsung's site, you can get rebates on the S21 ($100 off), S21+ ($150 off), or S21 Ultra ($200 off) on top of your trade-in rebate; the S21 is sold out on many sites, so this may be among the best deals you see.

Or, on Best Buy, you'll find Verizon trade-in offers on the S21 or Z series phones for up to $1,000 (new line) or $440 (upgrade line) depending on the quality of your phone. If you want a discount without a trade-in, T-Mobile is offering $200 off the S21, but you will have to get a new Magenta Max line.

If you're interested in a new foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is currently $400 off on Amazon. But that still leaves a hefty price tag to pay. Among the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 deals, your best bet is to find a trade-in deal.

Verizon is offering $1,000 in trade-in credits, $200 in bill reduction, and $400/$300 off with activation on the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, respectively. AT&T is offering $300 off plus $1,000/$800 off the Fold and Flip, but with a wider selection of eligible phones for the full discount. And T-Mobile has its own savings, including $400 off without a trade-in plus $200 in bill savings.

If you don't want to tie yourself to a carrier upgrade, Samsung is offering enhanced trade-in deals, plus $250 off and free Galaxy Buds 2.

You'll find similar offers for the Z Flip 3. It's $150 off right now, but you can basically get it for free from certain carriers if you have any spare phone lying around, or get it at a serious discount from Samsung (plus the free earbuds).

Last but not least, if you want Samsung quality at a lower cost, the Galaxy A51 is just $100 on Black Friday, so cheap that anyone can afford it.

Black Friday Android phone deals: Google Pixel

Right now, you can get $100–$200 off the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. The smaller discount on Best Buy requires you to activate today but has no other strings attached. For the larger deal, you'll need to sign up for a Verizon Unlimited Plan.

As for the Pixel 5a, you can get it from the Google Store for $50 off, bringing its price down to $399. That's a solid price for a mid-range phone that we really like. You can get the superior Pixel 6 for the same price, but only if you commit to a carrier; the 5a lets you stick with what you have.

If you're willing to go even older, the Pixel 4a — still our top pick for the best budget Android phone — is $50 off as well, bringing its price down to $300.

Or if you want something both cheaper and larger, the former flagship Pixel 3 XL is down to $199 on B&H Photo right now, which we'd argue is still worth buying despite its age.

Overall, we've seen a healthy chunk of Pixel deals this Black Friday, but don't expect them to last long. The Pixel 4a is frequently out of stock on most major sites, and the Pixel 6 has fallen in and out of stock as well. We saw some good carrier deals on the Pixel 6 from sites like Visible and Mint Mobile earlier in the month, only for them to run out of stock; Verizon could be next. And the Pixel 5a was launched as a limited release, so who knows how much stock Google has left.

So whichever model you want, act fast!

Black Friday Android phone deals: OnePlus

OnePlus has kindly taken all the mystery out of its Black Friday phone deals and has outlined what discounts to expect throughout the month of November.

Throughout November, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro have had on-again/off-again discounts with consistently low sale prices: $599 ($130 off) and $799 ($270 off), respectively, on most major retailer sites like Amazon and Best Buy, as well as oneplus.com.

We don't expect prices to drop below these points and, since they've already dropped to those points, there's no reason to wait for a better deal.

In theory, you could wait for Black Friday itself for a surprise Lightning deal, but the sporadic deal prices we've seen are already excellent. We'd suggest grabbing one as soon as you spot it at those price points, or else choosing to wait until the OnePlus 10. Or, if you want to save a bit extra, we're also seeing $100 off the slightly older OnePlus 8T for Black Friday.

As for OnePlus's cheaper Nord series, we've seen a solid carrier deal from Mint Mobile. Buy the Nord N200 or Nord N100, and you'll get a free 12 months of service from Mint Mobile. Alternatively, you can grab an unlocked unit from multiple retailers at a nice discount.

Black Friday Android phone deals: Motorola

Other manufacturers' deals are great but still target people with thicker wallets. Moto phones are much more affordable at full price, and Motorola is running a Black Friday sale for its most recent phones that makes them even easier on your budget.

These deals include $600 off the Moto Razr (2nd gen), $100 off the Motorola One 5G Ace and Motorola Edge (2021), $70 off the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power, and $300 off the 2020 Motorola Edge.

Black Friday Android phone deals: TCL and other brands

TCL is offering considerable discounts across its TCL 10 range for Black Friday. The entry-level TCL 10 gives you a basic Android handset with quad rear cameras and a large display for just $153. Meanwhile the upgraded TCL 10 Pro is arguably an even better deal for $280, provided you're an Amazon Prime member. Both devices run Android 11, and will be supported with security updates through until mid-2022.

If you're looking for a phone for your kid, the Gabb Phone Z2 is a great option with core features and parental controls so it's safe for them to use.

Where to find the best Black Friday Android phone deals

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For the best discounts without any strings attached, keep a close eye on Amazon and Best Buy. Amazon usually gets the best phone deals, while Best Buy has early deals with Black Friday price guarantees running all throughout November.

Manufacturers are also pushing early deals on their own websites, so frequently check your favorite brand's site for deals. Many of the best deals depend on having a phone to trade in, however. Carriers are also offering phones at significant discounts or even for free, but usually in exchange for signing up for a subscription or switching providers.

When do the Black Friday Android phone deals begin?

Depending on which brand you want, they've already begun now and will continue to extend all the way through Cyber Monday. Popular 2021 flagships are discounted on major retailers for hundreds of dollars. And some of the best budget Android phones, including several Moto-brand phones and the Galaxy A series, have also seen significant discounts.

Thanks to recent supply chain issues, some popular phones like the Galaxy S21 have been hard to find for months, especially if you want to buy it from a specific carrier. And the newly-released Pixel 6 series may only get a small deal if it gets one at all. If you do spot a deal on a Samsung or Google phone, best not to wait for something better because it may not come at all.

Michael L Hicks
Senior Editor, VR/AR and fitness

Michael is Android Central's resident expert on fitness tech and wearables, with an enthusiast's love of VR tech on the side. After years freelancing for Techradar, Wareable, Windows Central, Digital Trends, and other sites on a variety of tech topics, AC has given him the chance to really dive into the topics he's passionate about. He's also a semi-reformed Apple-to-Android user who loves D&D, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.


For wearables, Michael has tested dozens of smartwatches from Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, Apple, COROS, Polar, Amazfit, and other brands, and will always focus on recommending the best product over the best brand. He's also completed marathons like NYC, SF, Marine Corps, Big Sur, and California International — though he's still trying to break that 4-hour barrier.