Rumors of the Galaxy S9's impending sticker shock appear to have been greatly exaggerated — depending on where you buy the phone.
Prior to the Galaxy S9's Feb. 25 unveiling, the rumor mill had been working overtime, suggesting you could be paying as much as $100 more for Samsung's phone at launch than you would have for last year's Galaxy S8. That's one rumor we're happy to say didn't pan out, at least if you buy the phone from either Samsung or T-Mobile.
| Carrier | Galaxy S9 Price | Galaxy S9 Monthly Payments | Galaxy S9+ Price | Galaxy S9+ Monthly Payments | Trade-In Rebates? |
| AT&T | $790 | $26.34 for 30 months | $915 | $30.50 for 30 months | Up to $350 |
| Samsung | $720 | $30 for 24 months | $840 | $35 for 24 months | Up to $350 |
| Sprint | $792 | $33 for an 18-month lease | $912 | $38 for an 18-month lease | Up to $350 |
| T-Mobile | $720 | $30 for 24 months | $840 | $30 for 24 months ($120 down) | Up to half-off the Galaxy S9; Up to $360 off the S9+ |
| Verizon | $800 | $33.33 for 24 months | $930 | $38.74 for 24 months | Up to $350 |
| Xfinity Mobile | $720 | $30 for 24 months | $840 | $35 for 24 months | $200, with another $250 for activating a new line of service |
Samsung is offering an unlocked version of the Galaxy S9 for $719.99. Buy the phone in monthly installments and you'll pay $30 over 24 months. That's $30 off the $750 debut price for the Galaxy S8.
The S9+ also costs less than its predecessor, but not by much. Samsung is selling the larger phone for $839.99, or $35 a month over 24 months. The S8+ debuted at $850.
MORE: Galaxy S9 Hands-On: Killer Camera, But One Stumble
You'll find the same prices at T-Mobile, where 24 monthly payments of $30 gets you a Galaxy S9. (The phone costs $720 outright at the Uncarrier.) You'll need to make a $120 down payment on the S9+ if you pay off the larger phone in monthly installments, but that brings your monthly rate down to $30 at T-Mobile. The phone costs $840 at the Uncarrier, the same price Samsung is charging.
Verizon's prices for the Galaxy S9 are currently the highest. It's charging $799.99, for the Galaxy S9 and $929.99 for the S9+.
That's notable because both AT&T and Verizon are charging more for the new Samsung phones. AT&T charges $26.34 per month for the Galaxy S9 and $30.50 for the S9+. But AT&T spreads out those payments over 30 months, so the final price tag is $790.20 for the Galaxy S9 and $915 for the S9+. That's $70 to $75 over what you'll pay elsewhere.
Sprint's pricing is in line with what AT&T is charging, with the S9 available for $792 and the S9+ running $912. Lease the phone through the carrier's Sprint Flex program, and you're looking at monthly payments of $33 for the S9 and $38 for the S9+ over $18 months.
Verizon's prices for the Galaxy S9 are currently the highest. It's charging $33.33 per month for 24 months, or $799.99, for the Galaxy S9. The S9+ costs $38.74 per month, for a $929.99 retail price.
MORE: Best Samsung Galaxy S9 Deals
Depending on where you get the Galaxy S9, you have the chance to take advantage of trade-ins to lower your price even further. Samsung is offering up to $350 in trade-in rebates for an eligible phone, though it hasn't specified which models qualify.
AT&T is promising a minimum rebate of $200, provided your phone has a value of at least $20. Newer phones qualify for a $350 rebate from the AT&T, which is also offering a $150 bill credit if you bring over a line from another carrier.
Xfinity Mobile, which charges the same price as Samsung for the S9 and S9+, will give customers a $250 Visa prepaid card when they buy a new S9 and add a line of service. In addition, Xfinity is guaranteeing $200 for trading in an eligible phone. Of course, Xfinity Mobile is only available to customers who also get their internet from Comcast, so it's not an option for everyone.
T-Mobile is offering credits on trade-ins too, with half-off the S9 or $360 off the S9+. The carrier hasn't specified which phones are eligible for the rebate, which are spread out as monthly bill credits.
Sprint, too, will offer up to $350 in trade-in rebates for S9 and S9+ customers. Last year's Galaxy S8 phones and the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X, qualify for the biggest rebate at Sprint, which is also offering rebates of $250 and $150 depending on how old your phone is. You can also get a $150 credit for switching a line over to Sprint.
Verizon has a very detailed breakdown of the rebate you can expect for your phone. Anyone with the latest iPhone (X, 8 or 8 Plus) or last year's Samsung flagships (S8, S8+ and Note 8) can expect $350 spread out in monthly bill credits. Phones that qualify for the $300 credit include the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus as well as the 6s and 6s Plus; any Google Pixel; the LG G6 and V30; the Moto Z2 Force and Z Force; and any Samsung S7 model. The $200 credit goes to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, HTC 10, LG G5 and V20, Moto Z Droid and Z2 Play, Galaxy S6 models and the Note 5. Older phones can get a $100 credit.
The Galaxy S9 is available for pre-order on March 2, which the phone going on sale March 16. When it does go on sale, the S9 will also be available from prepaid carriers Boost, Cricket and MetroPCS.
