Yes, you can really get a FREE Google Pixel 9 from Best Buy (and it's easier than you think)

(Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)

The Google Pixel 9 series is finally here, and there is already no shortage of preorder deals that could get you the phones for cheap (or even free) ahead of the release date. That said, if you were hoping to find a trade-in opportunity, Best Buy is the one. Send the retailer an old or broken phone during the preorder period and you can score up to $1,099 off any unlocked Pixel 9 series device, from the base model to the hefty Pixel 9 Pro XL. As if that wasn't enough, Best Buy will also throw in a gift card with a balance of up to $200, no strings attached.

Google Pixel 9 128GB: $799.99 FREE with eligible trade-in, plus $100 gift card at Best Buy

Preorder the base model Pixel 9 through Best Buy and you'll be eligible to receive up to $799.99 in trade-in credit, enough to make the new flagship free. The retailer will also throw in a free $100 gift card, just for kicks.

The Google Pixel 9 boasts the efficiency of the Tensor G4 chipset, plus you get some improved camera tech, a larger battery, and a bigger, brighter display than last year's Pixel 8. And like all of the phones in the Pixel 9 lineup, you'll enjoy a bunch of handy AI features and seven years of OS updates guaranteed.

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Unlike a lot of the Pixel 9 preorder offers I've seen so far, this deal doesn't require you to upgrade your wireless service to receive the savings, making it a great opportunity for folks (like yours truly) who prefer to buy their devices unlocked. Best Buy is apparently being pretty generous about the phones it's accepting for trade-in, too; I plugged in my old Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and got the max $1,099 off the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, effectively making the new device free. And again, there's the $200 gift card to sweeten the deal.

Use Best Buy's trade-in tool to see how much trade-in credit you're eligible to receive before you commit to the offer, but if you're lucky, you just might get a free unlocked Pixel 9 out of the deal.

After almost a decade of working in the e-commerce space, Patrick Farmer (he/him) began his career at Android Central as a Deals and Commerce Writer before moving into a new role as AC's eCommerce Editor in 2023. When he's not hunting down the best deals and offering shopping advice for our readers, you'll often find him listening to music, camping out at a brewery, or treating his cat like a human child.