Top Verizon Black Friday Deals of 2020

You’ve likely seen the holiday ads promising a new iPhone “on us.” Back in 2020, Verizon’s Black Friday deals made exactly that promise, but getting a “free” phone wasn’t an instant giveaway. The best promotions came with specific rules about trade-ins, service plans, and how the discount was paid out over time.

To make you a smarter shopper, we’re breaking down the top Verizon Black Friday 2020 deals. By seeing how concepts like “bill credits” and “add-a-line” requirements worked, you’ll know exactly what to look for during the next big sales event.

What Were ‘Bill Credits’? The Secret Behind 2020’s Free Phone Deals

The secret behind many “free phone” deals, including Verizon’s Cyber Monday 2020 offers, was a system called bill credits. Instead of an instant discount, the carrier paid you back for the phone over time. Think of it like a store rebate, but instead of a check, you get a small discount on your bill every single month for two or three years.

Here’s how it worked: If a new phone cost $960, Verizon would divide that price by the agreement length, usually 24 months. This resulted in a $40 credit on your bill each month ($960 ÷ 24). Many of Verizon’s unlimited plan discounts in 2020 were structured this way. While you didn’t pay the full price at the register, the phone’s cost was still there—it was just canceled out by the matching credit each month.

The catch was the long-term agreement. You had to stay with Verizon for the full 24 months to get the entire discount. If you decided to switch carriers after a year, you would have to pay off the remaining balance of the phone. This was how shoppers got one of 2020’s most popular devices “on us.”

How Shoppers Got an iPhone 12 “On Us” in 2020

Beyond bill credits, getting the best Verizon iPhone 12 deals in 2020 required two key actions. First, you usually had to add a new line of service. This meant switching from another carrier or adding a phone number to your family plan, as these top-tier promotions were for attracting new business, not for simple upgrades on an existing line.

The second part of the deal almost always involved a trade-in. This is exactly what it sounds like: you give your old smartphone back to Verizon. In return, they apply a credit that directly lowers the cost of your brand-new device, making those bill credits even more powerful.

That trade-in value was crucial. The amount of your credit depended entirely on the phone you gave back. Trading in a recent, high-end model could be enough to cover the entire cost of the new iPhone 12 via bill credits. An older phone, however, would only earn you a partial discount.

This combination of adding a line and trading in a valuable phone was the magic formula for many of Verizon’s best new customer promotions in 2020. It wasn’t just for iPhones, either—this same strategy was often the key to unlocking major savings on other popular devices.

Decoding the “Buy One, Get One” (BOGO) Samsung Deals

While iPhones often focused on trade-ins, Samsung’s star promotion was frequently the classic “Buy One, Get One,” or BOGO. Shoppers looking at the popular Samsung Galaxy S20 in 2020 saw these Verizon BOGO deals pop up often. The offer was simple on the surface: buy one flagship phone, and you could get a second one of equal or lesser value for free or at a steep discount.

The catch was in how you received that “free” device. Instead of an instant discount, Verizon would cover the cost of the second phone using those same monthly bill credits over your 24 or 30-month agreement. Crucially, almost all of these 2020 Samsung BOGO offers required you to add at least one new line of service to your account to qualify for the promotion.

This structure made BOGO deals a perfect fit for couples or families switching to Verizon together. They could outfit two people with brand-new devices while only paying the full monthly cost for one of them over the long run. For a single person just looking to upgrade, however, the deal wasn’t nearly as attractive.

Were There Any Good Deals for Existing Verizon Customers?

That’s the million-dollar question for anyone already with Verizon. The answer in 2020 was yes, but with a catch. The best Verizon upgrade deals for existing customers in 2020 were almost entirely built around trade-ins. Instead of offering a free phone for adding a line, Verizon offered a significant discount on a new phone in exchange for your old one.

The size of that discount depended heavily on your old device. For example, Verizon trade-in promotions in 2020 gave you a big discount—up to $550 off a new iPhone 12—for trading in a recent model like an iPhone 11. An older phone, however, would net you a much smaller credit.

Finally, your plan was the other key factor. To get the best Verizon Unlimited plan discounts in 2020, you often needed a premium tier like “Play More” or “Get More.” Customers on a basic unlimited plan found their trade-in was worth significantly less, proving that the top deals often required you to have a top-tier plan.

Your 2020 Black Friday Lessons: A 4-Point Checklist for Your Next Phone Purchase

The 2020 Verizon Black Friday deals taught shoppers to look beyond the headline offer. The mechanics behind a deal—from monthly bill credits to trade-in requirements—reveal the true cost and commitment. Before you sign anything for a future Verizon Black Friday sale or any carrier promotion, use this simple checklist. Asking these four questions will ensure you get a deal that’s truly right for you.

Your Smart Shopper Checklist:

• Is this discount instant or paid in monthly bill credits?
• Do I have to add a new line of service?
• Do I have to trade in my current phone?
• Am I required to sign up for a specific (and more expensive) Unlimited plan?