Cheap Samsung deals

When you're looking to upgrade and buy a new phone, never just go direct to the network as this is almost always the most expensive way. Resellers usually offer a range of Samsung models with the same contract terms for £100s less, while paying for a handset outright and pairing it with a cheap Sim-only deal can sometimes be the cheapest option.

To make it easier to find the cheapest deal, our Cheap Mobile Finder tool looks at 1,000s of deals from more than 60 retailers and resellers to find the cheapest way to get your new Samsung, be that on contract or by buying the Android outright and pairing with a cheap Sim.

Consider a second-hand or refurbished handset

Don't forget to check out second-hand Samsung phone deals on eBay* (check whether they are Sim free) and refurbished ones directly from your network.

See our Refurbished mobiles guide for full information and tips.

If you don't get close to using your allowance of minutes, data and texts each month, you're essentially overpaying for your contract. Bust your limit though, and the extra charges can be costly.

In our last MSE data usage poll, 70% of the 5,000 respondents said they use less than 3GB a month. However, regulator Ofcom says it's a lot more than this, with average mobile data usage in 2022 said to be 8.1GB a month.

If you want to check your usage, our handy Data Calculator in our Cheap Mobile Finder tool can help you. Key in your usage (for when you're not using Wi-Fi) and it'll give you a general idea of how much data you need.

Losing your data, photos and contacts is a nightmare. But there are a number of easy ways to protect your mobile and data, many of which are free.

Regardless of how expensive your phone is, the info you've got stored on it can also be mega-valuable, and it's a tech headache (and probably a lost cause) to retrieve contacts, photos, apps, games and messages after losing a handset.

To beat this, free services can back up this crucial info before you lose it.

Rather than old-fashioned cables, most now back up to 'the cloud' – which means storing your data on remote servers, allowing you to free up space on your phone.

Back up to 'the cloud'

Cloud storage has become the preferred method for phone backups. It involves storing your data remotely on Samsung’s servers, rather than relying on a physical backup like a computer or an external hard drive. Set it to back up automatically each day and you'll always have a backup of your phone should the worst happen, or you just need to free up some storage space. Samsung's cloud-based service, Samsung Cloud, allows you to back up phone settings, messages, calendars and your music library.

Storage costs vary depending on size, but currently it's free for it's basic plan (15GB) if you have a qualifying device. Take a look at this step-by-step guide on Samsung's site for how to back up data.

There are other free apps available, such as Dropbox, Google Photos, and Google Drive, which allow you to transfer content from your phone to 'the cloud' – where your files are stored digitally – which can then be securely accessed from any device.

Other apps to store data on 'the cloud' cheaply

Apps such as Dropbox give you 2GB for free, whereas Google Photos, and Google Drive give you up 15GB of free storage. These basic accounts will allow you to transfer content from your phone to 'the cloud' – where your files are stored digitally – which can then be securely accessed from any device.

If you need more storage, Google charges £1.59 a month or £15.99 a year for 100GB of space, which is enough for about 30,000 photos. If you want to store more with Dropbox, its cheapest plan costs £7.99 a month or £95.88 a year, but you get a huge 2TB of storage.

The old fashioned way – with a cable

If you don't want to use Samsung's cloud-based service or register for the free online cloud platforms, you can still take advantage of the traditional way of backing up your Samsung Galaxy phone, via the USB cable and its Smart Switch application. Take a look at the step-by-step guide on how to back up data using your computer on Samsung's site.

The quality of the signal you'll receive will depend on where you are. Across all the networks, big cities and towns should have a decent 5G [RH] or 4G signal – while those in rural areas can struggle to get even 3G. Check out our 5G guide for more info on where you can get it.

All the networks have coverage checkers on their sites, but these tend to be optimistic. Ofcom's research into 4G is the most up-to-date – and unbiased – coverage info we've seen. View its mobile checker to see what signal strength is likely to be in your area before taking out a contract with a new network.

Accidents can and do happen. Because mobiles are worth so much these days, if you lose 'em, break 'em or have 'em nicked, it can be costly to replace them.

Insurers play on this fear with hefty prices and unnecessary cover. Yet you can get insurance for your Samsung Galaxy phone from £59.90 a year. Read our full Mobile phone insurance guide for more info and best buys.

If your phone's stolen...

Report it to the police and let your network know ASAP. This is important to prevent unauthorised use of your phone, and may also be critical for insurance claims.

Watch out for the insurance hard sell during checkout

Retailers and resellers will attempt to sell you their own mobile insurance policies. These tend to be more expensive and offer differing levels of cover.

While you can turn down the insurance, the option to do so can sometimes be small or well hidden, so look out for it.

If you lose your phone, there's a way to make it ring – even when it's on silent

If you lose your phone and realise you've it set to silent, you often despair and think it's pointless trying to ring it to locate it. Luckily, this isn't the case. You can make it emit a noise with Google's Find My Device service, provided you've set up a Google account with the phone.

Haggling on monthly phone contracts can slash the price you pay. If you have a contract deal and you're nearing the end of your fixed term, your network will be frantic to keep you, so it's the best time to haggle. Long-term customers have a better chance of success here.

Our latest poll showed that the best mobile providers to haggle with are Sky Mobile and Three. See our Mobile phone haggling guide for help with getting a better deal. Bear in mind though it's usually harder to haggle on a contract for a new phone, particularly if you're after the latest model.

Before you call your provider, arm yourself with 'new customer' deals

All of the deals in our Cheap Mobile Finder are for new customers, but you could use the deals listed here to try and haggle yourself a better one with your current provider.

It's often possible to grab extra cashback on top when you sign up for a mobile phone contract. To get it, you need to sign up via a specialist cashback website rather than directly with the network provider or mobile reseller. Cashback websites use affiliate links to generate revenue, so if they get paid when you sign up, you'll get paid.

Unfortunately, this cash is never guaranteed, as sometimes cashback sites don't track deals in progress, so it's generally best to pick the right tariff first and view any cashback as an added extra. To find out more about how these sites can pay you, and how you can make the most of them, read our Top cashback sites guide.

Retailer cashback. Don't confuse cashback sites with cashback you can get directly through a retailer, usually through redemption. This kind of cashback isn't straightforward, and can often require you to send several copies of your monthly bills on certain days.

We usually steer clear of these deals, unless it's sent out automatically. 

Now you know the cheapest ways to buy a new Samsung Galaxy, there are a few final things you need to be aware of...

• Prices can rise each year
  
  Mobile networks are permitted to increase your monthly tariff price each year, but only if their T&Cs state so before you sign up. And all the major networks have such terms, including EE, O2, Three, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone.
  

  Changes are usually made in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI, a measure of inflation) between February and April each year, but recently some firms have chosen to change the way their prices rise each year, opting to increase by inflation plus a percentage amount on top.

  If a provider hikes your monthly bill and its T&Cs don't allow this – then you can leave your contract penalty-free.
  

• You'll be credit-checked
  
  Most providers will carry out a credit check, so if you tend to struggle getting credit, you may want to check your credit score before applying for a mobile contract.
  

  MoneySavingExpert.com's free Credit Club gives you your free Experian credit score and credit report. While it won't tell you for definite whether you'll pass a credit check for a contract, it will give you a general idea of whether you'll be seen as a good or bad credit risk.
  
  If you think you're unlikely to pass a credit check, or tried and were declined, it could be better to opt for an affordable handset and pair it with a pay-as-you-go Sim instead.
  

• Some deals are for new customers only
  
  The deals here and on most comparison sites are geared towards new customers of the relevant network. If you're already with that network, even if your existing contract is up and you try to get the deal, then technically you'll be 'upgrading' rather than taking out a new contract, and you may have to pay more as a result.
  

  Of course, you can still get the deal if you take out a separate new contract. But if you do, frustratingly you won't be able to transfer your existing number across to your new phone directly.
  

  There is a way round this, though it's a bit of work. You can get the deal on a separate new contract, and also get yourself a free pay-as-you-go Sim from a different network.
  

  Port (move) your existing number across to the free pay-as-you-go Sim, then port it again to the new contract once it's been set up. To port your number over, you'll need to request a porting authorisation code from your provider.
  

• Once your contract is over, switch to avoid overpaying
  
  The majority of phone contracts which include a handset are paid for monthly over a two-year period, meaning the handset is paid for at the end. Though the handset has been paid for, most providers continue to charge the same monthly price after the initial contract period is over, meaning in effect you're paying for the phone again.

  
  To avoid this, make a note of your contract end date, and remember to contact your provider one month before it ends to give it notice, which means you're free to leave or change deal. If you're happy with your phone, consider switching to a cheap Sim-only deal or use our Cheap Mobile Finder to compare Sim-only deals. If you're happy with your network, see our Top tips for haggling a new deal.