Black Friday lands on Friday 27 November 2026, with Cyber Monday following on 30 November — and it is consistently the best month of the year to get a new phone for less. This guide covers when the deals actually start, where the real savings are, and how to make sure the "deal" you pick genuinely costs you less. We update it throughout November as offers go live.
When do Black Friday phone deals start?
Not on Black Friday. The big networks and retailers now start their sales in early-to-mid November and run them for two to three weeks, with the strongest offers typically appearing in the final week and over the Black Friday–Cyber Monday weekend itself. Stock on the most popular models can run short by the Friday, so if you see the right deal in mid-November, there is rarely a reason to wait.
Where the real savings are
1. Pay monthly contract deals
Networks compete hardest at Black Friday: expect bigger data allowances for the same money, reduced upfront costs and cut monthly prices across pay monthly phone deals. The models to watch are this year's and last year's flagships — iPhone 17, Galaxy S26 and Pixel 11 families — where networks fight for switchers. Even the brand-new iPhone Duo may see upfront-cost reductions, and long-term contracts can bring its monthly cost down considerably.
2. Refurbished and SIM free
The biggest percentage savings are almost always on refurbished phones. A one-or-two-generation-old flagship — think iPhone 15 Pro Max, Galaxy S24 or Pixel 9 Pro — bought graded and tested with a 12-month warranty routinely undercuts the same phone new by hundreds of pounds, before any Black Friday discount is applied. Pair it with a cheap SIM and you have the lowest total cost of ownership there is.
3. SIM only
Keeping your phone? Black Friday is the best week of the year for SIM deals too — we cover those separately in our Black Friday SIM only guide.
How to judge a Black Friday phone deal
One rule: compare total cost, not the headline. Multiply the monthly price by the contract length, add the upfront cost, and compare that number between deals — a "free upfront" offer with a higher monthly price often loses to a cheaper tariff with £30 upfront. Watch contract length too: a 36- or 48-month term can make an expensive phone look cheap per month while costing more overall. Our comparison tables show the full picture on every deal.
Sell your old phone before the sales
Black Friday is also the smartest time to trade in your current phone — trade-in values fall as phones age, and our valuations are locked for 14 days from the moment you get your quote. That means you can lock today's price for your old phone now, shop the Black Friday sales, and complete the trade-in once your new phone arrives. Check what your model is worth on our per-model trade-in pages, from iPhones to Samsung and Pixel.
Black Friday phone deals FAQs
Is Black Friday really cheaper for phones?
For contract deals, usually yes — November is when networks put out their most aggressive switcher offers of the year. For handsets bought outright, refurbished prices are already low year-round, but extra stock and seasonal discounts make late November a strong moment there too.
Should I wait for Cyber Monday?
Rarely worth it for phones. Cyber Monday mostly repeats the Black Friday offers, and popular models and colours sell through over the weekend. If the deal is right, take it.
Do Black Friday deals apply to the newest iPhones?
The current flagships usually see reduced upfront costs and bigger data bundles rather than straight price cuts — the deepest discounts land on the previous generation. That is exactly where the refurbished route shines.
Bookmark this page — from early November we will keep it updated with the standout offers as they go live across contract deals and refurbished phones.