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Compare phones by what you will actually pay over the time you expect to keep them—not by the advertised monthly payment or “free” headline. Include the phone price, taxes and fees, any required plan, credits you can receive, trade-in value you can confirm, and costs if you leave before a promotion ends. The examples and guidance below are U.S.-focused; carrier prices and trade-in offers change, so check the current terms for your exact purchase.
Build an apples-to-apples total
Choose one ownership period for every option—such as the number of months you realistically expect to keep the phone—and compare each purchase and service scenario over that same period. A low device payment can be offset by a more expensive plan or by credits that require years of service.
- Record the phone cost. Include the amount due at checkout and all installment payments during your comparison period. Note any remaining balance if the period ends before the phone is paid off.
- Add purchase taxes and mandatory fees. Use the amounts shown for your location and purchase route. Tax treatment can differ; for example, AT&T’s trade-in offer page notes tax on the full price at sale. The FTC’s guidance on fees concerns general pricing transparency and is not a phone-specific cost formula.
- Include the required service plan. Compare the plan you would actually choose with the plan required to qualify for the promotion. If a premium plan costs more, include that difference for every month in the comparison period.
- Count only eligible bill credits. Record the credit amount, duration, qualifying plan or line conditions, and how many months of service you must keep to receive them. Do not treat a credit as guaranteed if you may not meet its terms.
- Use a confirmed trade-in amount. Base the calculation on your exact model, storage, lock status, and condition, and on the final offer’s rules—not the maximum advertised value.
- Account for leaving early. Check whether canceling or switching would leave an installment balance, end future credits, or trigger other costs. Include these consequences if they are plausible during your ownership period.
A useful worksheet for each option is: checkout amount + installments + purchase taxes and fees + required service-plan cost − eligible bill credits − confirmed trade-in proceeds + likely early-exit costs. Keep service spending that is identical across choices separate when judging the phone itself; include it in the total when plan costs differ or when comparing whole-contract spending. Treat the value of an unlocked phone as a practical flexibility benefit, not as a made-up dollar saving.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRead the promotion conditions before valuing a discount
A carrier’s headline discount may depend on an eligible trade-in, a qualifying plan or new line, and recurring bill credits. Those conditions determine the net value. A phone described as “free” may still require you to pay taxes or maintain a specified plan, and the credits may arrive gradually rather than reducing the amount due at purchase.
#1 Best Overall
- Universal unlocked. Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other prepaid carriers.
- Super-bright, super-smooth 6.7" display. See your screen clearly even outdoors in sunlight, and enjoy seamless views with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display.*
- AI-powered camera system. Take stunning photos in any light with the 50MP camera**, look your best with a 32MP selfie cam*****, and capture extreme close-ups.
- Superfast 5G performance. Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed*** with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost****.
- Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging. Power through day after day with a 5200mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.****
- Find the exact qualifying phone, plan, and line requirements.
- Check the number of months over which credits are applied and what happens if you leave, change plans, or pay off the device early.
- Separate the trade-in value from the promotional credits. Do not subtract the same value twice if the offer treats them as one combined credit.
- Compare the plan’s additional cost with the amount you would otherwise pay for service over the same period.
Confirm what your old phone is worth
Trade-in quotes are conditional, not universal market values. Samsung says eligibility and value depend on the product and carrier, may change over time, and can vary with unlocked-device status. Its evaluation of the received phone can also affect the credited value if the device does not meet the stated conditions. AT&T likewise notes that other terms apply to its offers. Confirm the offer for your exact model, storage, condition, lock status, and purchase route before using a quote in your comparison.
For the current terms, consult Samsung’s trade-in FAQ and AT&T’s phone trade-in offer page. Recheck the terms near checkout: values and eligibility can change.
Rank #2
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Decide whether a locked or unlocked phone suits you
A locked phone may be restricted to a provider’s network during a subsidy or installment period. Unlocking can make it possible to use the phone on another compatible network, but provider unlocking policies and device compatibility still matter. Check the specific phone’s unlocking terms and compatibility before treating it as flexible.
A locked promotional phone can be a reasonable choice if you expect to stay with that provider and its full cost is favorable. An unlocked phone may better suit someone who values the ability to change providers. The FCC’s 2024 Communications Marketplace Report discusses device locking and provider policy differences; it does not make every unlocked phone compatible with every network.
Rank #3
- Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
- 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.
Use old promotion examples only as examples
The FCC’s 2024 Communications Marketplace Report describes iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 promotions reported in July 2024. The examples included credits over 36 months for AT&T, 36-month credits with new-line or qualifying-plan conditions for Verizon, and 24-month credits with specified plan or line conditions for T-Mobile. These are historical illustrations of how terms can shape an offer—not prices or promotions available in October 2026. Check live offers directly and do not use old dollar amounts to predict today’s deal.
Prepare the old phone safely
If you accept a trade-in or give the phone to another owner, protect your data before handing it over. The FTC recommends backing up the device, removing SIM and SD cards, erasing personal data, and disconnecting accounts and paired devices. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your model and verify that you can access the information you need from your backup before erasing the phone. If you are recycling rather than transferring it, the FTC points consumers to manufacturers, wireless providers, local electronics stores, and EPA advice.
Rank #4
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
See the FTC’s phone data-removal guidance for details.
What the available evidence does—and does not—say
There is no established average total cost of phone ownership or average trade-in value in the cited material, so neither is a reliable shortcut for your decision. The FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez’s July 18, 2024 statement cites Pew Research Center’s finding that 97% of Americans own a cellphone; that is an ownership figure, not a measure of phone prices, trade-in values, or savings. Gomez wrote: “Unlocking phones would provide consumers with flexibility, encourage competition, and preserve consumer choice.” Read the FCC statement in FCC 24-77.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
