December may not seem like the most obvious time of year to buy a new phone.
Black Friday is over, while launches like the Galaxy S25 series and OnePlus 13 are expected in January.
However, there are still plenty of excellent deals we can recommend. Whether you’re looking for the absolute best phones, the best mid-range phones or the best budget phones, you’ll find deals that suit you.
These are the best deals in the UK and US at the time of writing, although these are obviously subject to change. Consider a refurbished phone deal for a guaranteed big discount.
Best phone deals for December 2024
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next phone this holiday season, here are the deals to focus on:
Great Britain
US
*lowest price ever
Where to find the best deals on smartphones
The simple answer is that the best places to buy phones are usually the same places where you buy most of your technology: electronics stores and department stores. You can also contact carriers and networks, not to mention go directly to manufacturers’ websites. Here are some ideas to get you started:
British stores
American stores
Which phone should I buy?
Which phone is best? The answer lies in how you use your phone, your budget and what you want to get out of your phone. Tech Advisor has a number of buying guides to help you decide what’s next. Below we’ve outlined some of the key points and what you can expect from each buying guide.
Find the best phone for you
If you’re looking for deals on the best smartphone on the market, there are a few things to consider. First, should you buy an iPhone or an Android? Should you buy an unlocked subscription or a paid monthly subscription? And also: how do you choose the right SIM card?
Of course, the best phones on the market often also have premium prices. Samsung’s Galaxy S phones and Apple’s iPhones may seem like the best choice, but if you’re on a budget, there are also plenty of other powerful options available for less than premium prices.
Some of the most impressive phones on the market today – like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, OnePlus 12 and Honor Magic 6 Pro – are all from Chinese brands.
Chinese phones can be powerful, often with dual SIM support, and usually at competitive prices. On the other hand, some products may be difficult to return if there are problems and you may have to pay import duties depending on where you get them from.
However, not all of them are available worldwide, with more options in Europe than in North America.
Buy a second-hand iPhone
Buying a second-hand or refurbished phone is another way to score big, often on premium handsets like the iPhone. Our colleagues at Macworld have put together their own guide to the best way to buy a used iPhone.
Also see our guide to the best refurbished phone deals.
Best Dual SIM Phones
Our review of the best dual-SIM phones goes through what you should look for before you go ahead and buy such a device; such as which SIM cards are supported and whether both SIM cards are 4G and/or 5G compatible.
We also explain the difference between dual-standby and dual-active SIM support. This affects whether you can actively receive calls from both SIM cards at the same time.
Best basic phones
If you’re looking for a phone that can do the basics (minimum calling, texting and surfing), you can also find several phones for under £50, with cheap monthly rates.
In our guide to the best basic phones, we explain what you can expect in terms of specs, storage, audio and camera quality from a smartphone or feature phone.
What phone deals are available?
Retailers often have deals on tons of handsets, so keep your eyes peeled, not to mention that Amazon sells SIM-free phones at very attractive prices from time to time.
Samsung discounts
Samsung is currently offering a trade-in program that can get you hundreds off the company’s latest and greatest smartphones (depending on the value of the device you’re trading in). Get Samsung’s trade-in offers.
iPhone discounts
Although Apple itself does not often offer discounts, like Samsung, it does offer them its own trade-in program. If you have an older iPhone, you can transfer its value to a new iPhone, with Apple currently offering hundreds of discounts depending on your phone.
Android discounts
Many retailers are also making big savings on budget and mid-range handsets from the likes of Motorola, OnePlus, Nothing and more.
If you want to buy a phone outright rather than on contract, Amazon has some of the biggest bargains, but make sure you check the specs carefully: Third-party sellers sometimes use Amazon to move international stocks, which may differ slightly from what you’ll find in would find the shops.
If you find yourself missing out on Amazon’s Lightning deals, which are only valid for a few hours and offer limited inventory, we recommend signing up for Amazon’s 30-day free trial of Prime, which will give you access to deals 30 minutes before everyone else.
Plus, with the Prime trial you get free next-day delivery, as well as access to the Prime Video streaming service and much more.
