Ever had a conversation with your pals about mobile phone bills? Granted, it’s not the most exciting dinner party topic, but the answers are eye-opening.
Whether we’re trapped in a lengthy contract or just don’t know where to start to find a good mobile phone deal, millions of us are paying over the odds for the modern-day necessity of a mobile phone.
If you’re coming up to the end of your phone’s contract, now’s the best time to start searching for a good deal that won’t put you in the red every month. It is possible and we’re here to guide you, with a little help from this year’s Black Friday sales.
When is Black Friday?
The shopping phenomenon takes place on November 24 this year, the fourth Friday of the month.
What is Black Friday?
It’s the time of year that may as well be relabelled discount season. Prices plummet on everything from TVs and laptops to children’s toys and even travel. In recent years, broadband providers and phone brands have joined the sales fray.
Now a global event, Black Friday initially kicked off as a single-day sale in America back in the 70s. Now, we can’t imagine November without it.
When does Black Friday end?
It may start on November 24 this year, but the deals will last all the way through until November 27, known as Cyber Monday. This is the day to pounce on all things tech, and that includes smartphone handsets, SIMs and contract deals.
What kind of phone deals can we expect?
It’s a shopper’s market right now, with juicy deals galore. Last year’s SIM-only deals included half-price offers from the biggest players including Three, O2, Virgin Mobile and Giffgaff, with some as low as £10 a month for 200GB. If you’re happy to lock into a contract deal, Black Friday will handsomely reward you with free perks - think tablets, and free months on streaming sites like Apple TV, Disney Plus and Prime Video.
Will mobile phones be cheaper on Black Friday?
Here at ES Best, we’ve always said that it’s more cost-effective to buy a handset outright and pair it with a cheap SIM rather than buying a contract. Easier said than done, the best phones don’t exactly come cheap. All that changes on Black Friday when hundreds are wiped off the RRP of top models from the likes of Samsung, OPPO, Google Pixel and of course, iPhones. With competition still strong in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, there’s every indication of a repeat sales storm this year.
Are there any phone discounts available now?
The deals are there, but what’s off-putting is the jargon. Have no fear, we will bring you the best of the phone deals as soon as they come in. Say goodbye to endless scrolling and comparing - we’ll sift through the offers to sort the wheat from the chaff.
If you can’t wait until then, we’ve eyed up the best phone deals to be had right now.
Shop now
Apple iPhone 15
The latest iPhone can be yours for just £24.99 a month on iD Mobile’s plan. The catch? It’s £349 upfront, but if you can handle the high initial cost, it’s a pretty good deal. With 25GB of data and unlimited minutes and texts, the plan offers a stable and low cost for 24 months, something that could appeal to those who want to lock in their household bills for the longer term. As for the device you can choose from black, blue, green, pink or yellow with varying degrees of storage capacity and 5G at no extra cost.
Buy now £24.99, iD Mobile
Samsung Galaxy S23
A more palatable upfront cost paired with a reasonable monthly bill makes one of Samsung’s newer models a much more favourable option for those looking for a phone-only deal. Get the S23 for £37 a month after paying £29 upfront. Pair with a cheap SIM and you’re good to go.
Buy now £37.00, Vodafone
Google Pixel 8
Forgo paying any upfront costs by picking up your next contract deal at Affordable Mobiles. Google’s latest phone, the Pixel 8, is ready to bring home for just £29 a month and zero upfront costs. The plan gives you 100GB of data, plus unlimited texts and minutes on a 24-month plan with Three as the provider.
Buy now £29.00, Three
Xiaomi handset and tablet deals
It's not enough that Chinese tech brand Xiaomi has put some of its bestselling devices on sale, but it's putting free air fryers up for grabs too. It's true: shoppers purchasing a Xiaomi 13T Pro directly from the Xiaomi Store in London will receive a Xiaomi 3.5L AirFryer as a free gift too.
Find deals at Argos, Amazon, Currys and of course, Xiaomi's own website.
Buy now, Xiaomi
Motorola - up to 25 per cent off
The phone maker has announced savings of up to 25 per cent for its Black Friday offering this year. Whether you're looking for a backup device or a simple phone for kids or an elderly relative, the inexpensive handsets just got a whole lot more appealing.
Buy now, Motorola
Vodafone
Black Friday has kicked off in style over at Vodafone's where the deals are making out heads spin. There are huge savings on big-name brand new phones - think Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel - as well as refurbished ones where iPhones are waiting to be rehomed. Find discounted contract deals, PAYG offers and contact deals on other tech like laptops - but only until 23:59 on November 27.
Buy now, Vodafone
O2 Black Friday deals
If you're set on getting a contract deal, you may as well get as much as you can this Black Friday. O2 has it sorted, whether you're after a pay monthly phone, tablet, and SIMs. There's £600 to be saved across top handsets and deals on tech like AirPods and smartwatches too.
Whether you're looking for the new iPhone 15, or want to save big money on the new Pixel 8 Pro, the network has both Android and iPhone Black Friday deals to shop now.
Buy now, O2
Three - Unlimited Data SIM
Never worry about asking for the WiFi password when you’re out and about with an unlimited data plan. Three is offering a SIM-only deal for just £20 a month for the first 12-month, increasing by a fiver more for the remainder of the 24-month contract. You’ll also get unlimited calls and texts along with 5G at no extra cost.
Buy now £20.00, Three
EE
With mobile, broadband, gaming, and home security all under one roof at EE, the tech expert has plenty to offer customers this Black Friday. We've listed the top line deals for each section, but dive in by clicking the link below and you'll find yourself swimming in plenty more.
- Mobile: SIM-deal seekers can get an Unlimited option for half price for the first six months (£16.50), rising to £33 thereafter. If you're looking for a shiny new handset, the iPhone 15 Pro can be yours for £54.26pm, bringing down the price if you trade in your old device.
- Broadband: don't adjust your screen, this offer is for real. Get three months of free broadband at EE in its incredible Black Friday offer, paying £31.99pm thereafter on a 24-month contract. Deal-takers can then unlock unlimited data SIMs for mobiles from a scandalous £10pm for 10Mbps.
- Gaming: save a right bundle on gaming products which bring the latest releases and consoles for up to £128 less.
Buy now, EE
giffgaff SIM deals
Hoping to pick up a super-cheap SIM deal this Black Friday? Head to giffgaff, who is offering generous data deals this year with the first six months at half price.
Buy now, giffgaff
iD Mobile
Black Friday may officially begin on November 24, but iD is kicking things off with early deals to ease last-minute panic purchases. There are deals on everything from Samsung, Google and Xiaomi as well as Apple, with double data to score on SIM-only plans too.
Buy now, iD Mobile
Tesco Mobile
The mobile arm of the grocer has launched its Black Friday early offers with excellent prices across the latest devices. The only catch? You need to be a Clubcard member to access them.
Fresh phone deals will be announced every Friday from November 10. Until then, feast your eyes on this juicy lot:
Samsung
- The Samsung Galaxy S23 128GB for £39.99 a month – saving customers £594. Includes unlimited data, minutes, and texts.
- The Samsung Galaxy A34 for £21.99 a month – saving customers £306. Includes 25GB data and unlimited minutes and texts.
Apple
- The Apple iPhone 14 Pro 128GB for £42.99 a month – saving customers £414. Includes 100GB data and unlimited minutes and texts.â¯
- The Apple iPhone 14 128GB for £37.99 a month – saving customers £288. Includes 100GB data and unlimited minutes and texts.â¯
â¯Google
- The Google Pixel 7A for £22.99 a month – saving customers £360. Includes 25GB data and unlimited minutes and texts.
- Clubcard holders can also bag themselves 4000 Clubcard points when they sign up for a 24-month SIM Only contract with unlimited calls and texts and 100GB of data per month for just £16.
Buy now, Tesco Mobile
Mobile Phones Direct
The handset specialist has launched its Black Friday ‘Mega Deals’ promotion which includes a range of offers including an iPhone 15 contract from £39pm plus a chance to claim £294 worth of extras with a Samsung purchase.
As well as new contract and handset deals, the vendor offers refurbished “as new” mobiles, which are also available as contract and handset deals.
- Samsung Trio offer: Purchase a qualifying Samsung Galaxy S23 or S23+ between 8th November 2023 - 25th January 2024 to be eligible to claim £100 cashback, Galaxy Buds FE and 12 months Disney+ with your purchase - see the full range and terms and conditions.
- An iPhone 15 contract costs £39 a month with an £89 upfront fee for 2 years, which includes 450GB with O2
- A Pixel 8 Pro contract at £41 a month with a £99 upfront fee for 2 years, which includes 450GB with O2
- Samsung Galaxy S23 contract for £30 a month with a £9 upfront fee for 2 years, which includes 300GB with O2
- A refurbished iPhone 11 contract costs £22 a month with a £9 upfront fee for 2 years, which includes 40GB with O2
- A refurbished Galaxy S23 Ultra contract costs £50 a month with a £39 upfront fee for 2 years, which includes 100GB with Three
Buy now, Mobile Phones Direct
Mobiles.co.uk
When every penny counts on Black Friday, it pays to shop around for the best offers. Mobiles.co.uk has brought its A-game this year with super competitive offers on SIM only deals and phone contracts too. Take a peek at the top ones below:
Vodafone 5G SIM, 12m - Unlimited data, £14p/m (effective cost after cashback)
Vodafone 5G SIM, 12m - 200GB, £8.50 p/m (effective cost after cashback)
Apple iPhone 15 - Vodafone, 400GB, £39.00 p/m, £50 upfront. Get Extra 300GB Data. Was 100GB, Now 400GB, and includes 3 Months Free Apple TV & Music
Buy now, Mobiles.co.uk
Best Black Friday deals on handsets: iPhone Samsung, Google Pixel and more
Save a great deal on a shiny new phone and you'll clear up on costs in the long run.
Apple iPhone 13 mini (512GB) - Blue
Was: £979
Buy now £923.07, Amazon
Apple iPhone 14, iOS, 6.1", 5G, SIM Free, 512GB, Purple
Was: £1,099
Buy now £949.00, John Lewis
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Unlocked Android Smartphone, 1TB Storage
Was: £2,049
Buy now £1748.99, Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Mobile Phone SIM Free Android Folding Smartphone 256GB Phantom Black (UK Version)
This folding device is full of surprises. Folded, the screen spans 6.2inches, but open it up and you’ll have 7.6inches of viewing space to enjoy on the Infinity Flex Display.
The 120hz refresh rate is perfect for streaming shows, scrolling your newsfeed or catching up on the latest headlines, not to mention remote working, especially with the Multi View feature which allows you to see up to three apps at once.
Was £1,599
Buy now £680.00, Amazon
Google Pixel Fold 5G 256GB + 12GB RAM Factory Unlocked
Was: £1,709
Buy now £1599.99, Amazon
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G
Was £219
Buy now £129.00, Amazon
HONOR X8a Mobile Phone Unlocked
Was: £219.99
Buy now £149.00, Amazon
Sony Xperia 10 V Black
Was: £399
Buy now £269.99, Amazon
