T-Mobile Offers Free $1,900 Galaxy Z Fold8 as Samsung Claims Record Pre-Orders

Q: Is T-Mobile’s 'free' Galaxy Z Fold8 deal actually hiding a massive long-term cost inside its mandatory 24-month premium plan?

Yes. The phone can be “free,” but only if the customer accepts a costly structure: a required premium plan, a 24-month commitment to bill credits, and extra upfront charges. T-Mobile’s Fold8 promotion is delivered through 24 monthly bill credits, not an instant $1,900 discount. That means the real savings depend on staying on an eligible plan for two years. If you cancel early, switch to a nonqualifying plan, or pay off in a way that ends the credits, the remaining phone balance can become due and the unused credits stop. The key cost issue is the plan requirement. To get the Galaxy Z Fold8 “on us,” customers need Experience Beyond, T-Mobile’s top-tier plan. Public pricing cited in recent coverage puts that plan at about $100 a month for one line before taxes and fees. By comparison, cheaper unlimited options from T-Mobile and rivals can cost far less. So for someone upgrading from a lower-priced plan, the extra service cost over 24 months can easily run into many hundreds of dollars, potentially offsetting much of the phone discount. There are also mandatory extras: tax on the phone’s full pre-credit price and a $35 device connection charge. Trade-in is required for the full Fold8 offer, and the Ultra still costs $200 with trade-in, or $1,100 off with a new line. So the deal is strongest for customers who already want Experience Beyond and would keep it anyway. For anyone moving up solely to get a “free” Fold8, the long-term plan cost is the real price to examine.

3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 7

T-Mobile began offering the new Galaxy Z Fold8 for free—$1,900 off—to new and existing customers who trade in a device on its Experience Beyond plan.
Samsung said its latest Galaxy Z foldables logged the brand’s highest-ever pre-orders, helping drive the promotion as the devices reach their Aug. 7 release date after opening for pre-order on July 22.
The carrier also priced the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra at $200 with trade-in—a $1,900 discount—or $1,100 off with a new line and no trade-in.
T-Mobile extended the push across Samsung’s lineup, offering the Galaxy Z Flip8 for $100 with a new line or eligible trade-in, alongside its existing free iPhone 17 Pro promotion.