Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9 Plus: Release date, price, and availability (Updated)

Update: Pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are going live today, March 2, and you can find all the best places to pick them up below. In addition to the Best Buy trade-in and discount promo, Samsung has also rolled out deals on them as part of its student discount program—find out more at the relevant section below.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus have just been unveiled and literally tens of millions of people will want to buy them.

The most popular Android smartphone series is back in force, bringing numerous small improvements to a beloved recipe that has been around for the better part of a decade. The dual aperture camera is the major highlight, but the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus shine overall thanks to the highly-polished experience they offer.

Editor's Pick Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus specs: All about refinements While last year's Samsung flagships featured more or less the same list of specifications (barring screen size, battery capacity, and dimensions), the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus specs differ in a few more areas. …

Samsung is obviously confident in these devices, which carry a big price premium over some of its peers. But will customers find this premium justified? Here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus price and availability.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus price

The Galaxy S9 price is $719.99 unlocked (or $30/month over 24 months) and the Galaxy S9 Plus price is $839.99 unlocked (or $35/month over 24 months) via samsung.com or the Shop Samsung app.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus release date and availability

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus release date will be Friday, March 16, 2018 (in stores). If you want to skip the lines, Galaxy S9 pre-orders open March 2.

US carrier availability

AT&T has announced it will carry the Galaxy S9 from March 16. On AT&T Next, customers can buy the Galaxy S9 for $26.34 or the Galaxy S9 Plus for $30.50 over 30 months. The Galaxy S9 will be available at select Cricket Wireless stores and online beginning on March 16th.

has announced it will carry the Galaxy S9 from March 16. On AT&T Next, customers can buy the Galaxy S9 for $26.34 or the Galaxy S9 Plus for $30.50 over 30 months. The Galaxy S9 will be available at select stores and online beginning on March 16th. Verizon will begin pre-sales for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus in Lilac Purple, Midnight Black or Coral Blue starting March 2. With Verizon device payment, the Galaxy S9 is $33.33 per month for 24 months ($799.99 retail price; 0% APR) and the Galaxy S9 Plus’s price will be is $38.74 per month for 24 months ($929.99 retail price; 0% APR). You can also get between $100 to $350 in credit for either phone if you trade in an eligible device. You can also get $100 off a Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch if you get it and one of the new Galaxy S9 phones at the same time, with a 2-year payment plan. Both phones will be available in Verizon stores on March 16.

will begin pre-sales for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus in Lilac Purple, Midnight Black or Coral Blue starting March 2. With Verizon device payment, the Galaxy S9 is $33.33 per month for 24 months ($799.99 retail price; 0% APR) and the Galaxy S9 Plus’s price will be is $38.74 per month for 24 months ($929.99 retail price; 0% APR). You can also get between $100 to $350 in credit for either phone if you trade in an eligible device. You can also get $100 off a Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch if you get it and one of the new Galaxy S9 phones at the same time, with a 2-year payment plan. Both phones will be available in Verizon stores on March 16. T-Mobile begins pre-sales for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus on March 2, with Midnight Black, Lilac Purple or Coral Blue colors available. The Galaxy S9 will be sold for $30 a month on the T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan ($0 down, FRP: $720), with the Galaxy S9 Plus also available for $30 per month ($120 down, FRP: $840). You can also get 50 percent off both phones (via 24 monthly payments) if you trade in an eligible device. Both phones will be sold in T-Mobile stores on March 16, and MetroPCS, T-Mobile’s no-contract subsidiary, will sell the Galaxy S9 on that same day.

begins pre-sales for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus on March 2, with Midnight Black, Lilac Purple or Coral Blue colors available. The Galaxy S9 will be sold for $30 a month on the T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan ($0 down, FRP: $720), with the Galaxy S9 Plus also available for $30 per month ($120 down, FRP: $840). You can also get 50 percent off both phones (via 24 monthly payments) if you trade in an eligible device. Both phones will be sold in T-Mobile stores on March 16, and MetroPCS, T-Mobile’s no-contract subsidiary, will sell the Galaxy S9 on that same day. Sprint will begin pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus on March 2, with the S9 selling for $33.00 per month with $0 down and Sprint Flex lease (SRP: $792), and Galaxy S9 Plus priced at $38.00 per month with $0 down and Sprint Flex lease (SRP: $912). Both phones will be available in Sprint stores on March 16, and the Galaxy S9 will also be sold via Sprint’s no-contract subsidiary Boost Mobile on the same day.

will begin pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus on March 2, with the S9 selling for $33.00 per month with $0 down and Sprint Flex lease (SRP: $792), and Galaxy S9 Plus priced at $38.00 per month with $0 down and Sprint Flex lease (SRP: $912). Both phones will be available in Sprint stores on March 16, and the Galaxy S9 will also be sold via Sprint’s no-contract subsidiary Boost Mobile on the same day. Xfinity Mobile will start pre-sales for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus on March 2, with full sales at its stores starting on March 16. While it has not announced pricing, it did say that from February 26 to March 22, people who purchase a Samsung phone from Xfinity Mobile and activate a new line of service will get a $250 Visa prepaid card. if you trade in a qualified device, those same customers will get another $200 guaranteed, for a total value of $450.

Student promo (US)

Samsung has launched a student discount program in the US, delivering savings on the S9 and S9 Plus for those with a valid .edu email address. Students at schools, colleges, and universities across the US can get $63 off both handsets, bringing them down to $665.99 (S9) and $776.99 (S9 Plus), once they’ve registered for the program and validated their address.

Those who’ve previously studied, and still have a .edu account, can also take advantage of the deal—though it’s currently being beaten by the $100 discount Best Buy is offering.

Topping it off, students can combine the savings with the global trade-in promotion (below) for an even better deal. If you’re interested, hit the official page here for more info.

Trade-in promo (global)

Samsung is sweetening the pill with a trade-in promotion that is available for the first time globally. Galaxy S9 buyers will be able to trade in their devices for up to $350. The top payout is for devices that are under a year old, and the device you’re trading in doesn’t need to be a Samsung.

Samsung is offering a trade-in promotion globally for the first time

It’s great to see that Samsung is extending trade-in promos worldwide. While customers in the States have been enjoying such deals for a long time, that’s not the case for customers in Europe and elsewhere.

Retailers

If you’d prefer to buy direct from a retailer, you can go to:

Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com : Best Buy is offering a $100 discount on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus for those who pre-order from March 2. That’s on top of the $350 trade-in promo, meaning that some customers can save 50 percent on their purchases. More details available here.

: Best Buy is offering a $100 discount on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus for those who pre-order from March 2. That’s on top of the $350 trade-in promo, meaning that some customers can save 50 percent on their purchases. More details available here. Amazon

Costco

Sam’s Club

Target

Walmart

MetroPCS (black only)

At launch in the U.S., the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will be available in Midnight Black, Lilac Purple, and Coral Blue. A fourth colorway, Titanium Gray, will not be sold in the U.S. As always, certain colorways might be exclusive to certain carriers.

This is what we know so far about the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus price, availability, and release date. The interest in the devices is huge so we expect to see carriers and retailers quickly follow up with their own details on the availability of the phones.

Stay tuned for more Galaxy S9 coverage on Android Authority and on our YouTube channel.