Black Friday is still a couple of weeks away but we're already seeing networks battle it out for the best SIM plans this month. An early contender for the top spot is Lebara offering some of the UK's cheapest SIM plans this Black Friday.

The standout offer here is Lebara's 2GB SIM plan which is currently the cheapest SIM on the market, costing roughly half the price of the next nearest competitor. This offer will only cost you £2.50 a month.

Lebara also has the cheapest price on unlimited data SIM only deals by quite a way. This will only cost you £12.50 a month. Lebara also has a 10GB plan for £5 and 15GB for £7.50.

While all of these SIM only deals are the cheapest prices around for the data cap, they do only cost this much for six months. After that, your pricing will double. However, even at that full price, these are some fantastically priced deals.

• Black Friday SIM only deals: see the other brilliant prices available

Lebara's Black Friday sale in full

What's Lebara and what stands out about it?

Lebara specialises in cheap SIM plans, scoring its best value offers in the lower data regions.

All of its SIMs run on 1-month rolling plans, giving you the flexibility to leave at any time or change which plan you're on and Lebara promises no price rises during your contract.

Along with that, Lebara piggy-backs off the Vodafone network so you're getting reliable and fast speeds. You also get 100 international minutes to call 41 countries outside of the UK.

If you've got your eyes fully focused on getting a Samsung handset this Black Friday, there is a way for you to get even more out of this deals saving period with a promotion offering a big cash incentive.

Across a few key retailers, Samsung is offering up to £250 in cash straight into your bank account. Obviously, you have to do something for that bonus, money doesn't grow on trees!

All you have to do, is trade-in an old smartphone...yep, that's it. Buy a new handset and trade-in an eligible device with Samsung's Recycle system and on top of the trade-in value, Samsung will give you a boost in cash of up to £250.

There is a few factors to keep in mind here. Firstly, you have to buy a eligible device. This includes the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Fold 3, the Galaxy S21 series and the S20 FE 5G.

The second part to consider is that this is only available from select retailers. You need to buy one of the aforementioned devices from Sky, Mobile Phones Direct, Argos, John Lewis or Tesco Mobile.

Once you've bought the device, it's as simple as claiming your bonus and trading in an old device! You can find out how at the bottom of this article. This promotion will be running all the way until December 31.

Samsung's trade-in bonus in full:

How to claim your trade-in bonus money:

Once you've bought your new smartphone, you'll need to head to Samsung and fill out a form (the links for each retailer can be found below). Here you need to pick the device you've bought and enter the code found on the back of your new phone, the purchase date and which device you've bought. 

After that, it's all very simple. You'll receive an email that your claim has been received and you'll get a pre-paid envelope sent to you. Put the phone you want to trade in the envelope and send it off within 14 days of getting the email. Once everything has been confirmed, you'll get an email to confirm everything has been successful.

Then, you'll receive both your bonus money and the money for the trade-in of your smartphone! You can read more about the details of this promotion here

Links to claim for each retailer:

• Mobile Phones Direct
• Sky
• Argos
• John Lewis
• Tesco Mobile

The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are the latest flagship devices to land, launching just last month. So we weren't sure if they'd feature among this year's Black Friday deals.

And yet, we've just seen a price drop from Mobiles.co.uk that features some of the best Pixel 6 prices yet.

The retailer has launched two Google Pixel 6 plans and a 6 Pro deal as part of its early Black Friday offers. All three are on the Vodafone network, offering loads of data at affordable prices.

The standout offer is on the regular Google Pixel 6. Pay £105 upfront and then you're left paying only £26 a month. Despite the fact that is one of the cheapest overall Pixel 6 plans right now, it comes with a impressive 105GB of data.

That upfront cost is going to be higher than some people want to pay. That's where the other Google Pixel 6 plan in this sale comes in. It drops your upfront cost to £70 but pushes your monthly bills up to £30 a month. That price gets you an massive 150GB.

Alternatively, Mobiles.co.uk is also offering the larger Google Pixel 6 Pro with 150GB of Vodafone data. This will take your tariff to £195 upfront and just £33 a month though.

These ace Google Pixel 6 deals in full

What is the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro like?

Google Pixel 6:
The more affordable of the two devices, the Google Pixel 6, will stand out to those that want a powerful smartphone at a cheaper price point.

While it won't compete with the flagships of the world, there is a lot of promising specs on board. The 6.4-inch FHD+ display, while not as impressive as some other more expensive devices, will look bright and clear. That paired with the 90Hz refresh rate will provide a fluid move as you swipe around the phone's interface.

Google promises a 24-hour battery life from the 4524mAh battery and up to 30% charge in 30 minutes. That paired with the 8GB RAM 'Google Tensor' processor means this device will be capable of operating most apps without lag or any major trouble.

Google Pixel 6 Pro:
Step up to the more powerful Google Pixel 6 Pro, and you'll get a very similar package to the regular 6, just with some critical upgrades in the more important categories.

The most obvious upgrade is in the size and display. The Google Pixel 6 Pro comes in at an impressive 6.7-inches with a QHD display. It also upgrades to a 120Hz refresh rate for the display for even faster and cleaner movement around your phone's apps and operating system.

There are also improvements in both the battery life and charging rates. You'll be getting a 4905mAh battery and the ability to charge 50% in 30 minutes.

As for the camera, like the Google Pixel 6, the Pro model includes a 50MP wide camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. However, the Pro model also includes a 48MP telephoto lens with a zoom of up to 20x.

• Read about the upcoming Black Friday phone deals

If you're after a new smartphone, this week's early Black Friday sales at Mobile Phones Direct offer the perfect opportunity to beat the crowds later this month.

Currently, Mobile Phones Direct's pre-Black Friday sale is offering strong contracts on the iPhone 12 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra, iPhone SE and more.

On top of that, there are also a collection of mobile phone deals bundling in tech like a Nintendo Switch or Samsung tablet, helping reduce their costs. Or, for those who already have a smartphone ready to go, there are a collection of fantastic SIM only deals too.

Of course, it is worth noting that we are still a few weeks away from the official Black Friday. Both Mobile Phones Direct and other UK retailers are likely to bring new and better prices later into the month. But, if you do want to buy early or need a phone now, these are some of the best prices around.

See Mobile Phone Direct's early Black Friday in full:

Is Mobile Phones Direct a good retailer?

In a nutshell, yes. From over 65,000 reviews on TrustPilot, Mobile Phones Direct has a rating of 4.5 stars. That means roughly 80% of people reviewed it with 5 stars and only 9% considered it to be poor.

It's an established retailer and is part of the AO family which is a massive trustworthy brand and Mobile Phones Direct offers customer service 7 days a week, free next day delivery and completely secure checkouts.

• Read about the upcoming Black Friday phone deals

When Black Friday rolls around each year, Three adopts a 'go big or go home' attitude with its deals and this year seems to be no different. Three has just launched a Black Friday SIM plan that we struggle to see getting beat.

This SIM plan in question is a 100GB of data plan for a somewhat ridiculously cheap £12 a month. Most other plans in this price range will limit you to around 30-50GB, so this pretty much doubles your data.

With 100GB of data, you'll be able to watch roughly 200 hours of video, stream around 20,000 songs or, browse the internet for about 1200 hours. In other words, it's a lot of data!

Alternatively, Three is also offering a 30GB for £10 a month SIM plan for those wanting something slightly cheaper. That's also a fantastic price and one that always proves popular when Three offers it.

Both of these SIM only deals are 5G-enabled and realistically, are going to be some of the best prices we'll see from Black Friday this year.

Three's incredible Black Friday SIM only deals:

• Still looking for a new phone? Check our best SIM-free phone price guide

Three SIM only deals: what benefits are there?

If you haven't already been won over by this amazing offer from Three, then you'll be excited to hear that the network doesn't shy away from offering up some extra incentives as well.

Whether that's more control over your plan, extra perks, or increased roaming, you can see all of the best parts of a Three SIM only deal or Three mobile deals down below.

- Personal Hotspot: Use your data to tether your laptop so you can use your phone like your own mobile broadband router.

- Control your spending: Features that allow you to block calls and texts to certain numbers that might otherwise run up extra costs on your bill.

- Data flexibility: Add extra data to your tariff at any time, even halfway through a month.

Now that we've entered November, the race to Black Friday has kicked into full gear. A number of retailers have launched their sales early and one of those promotions comes from Tesco Mobile.

The big-name retailer has launched an array of mobile phone deals and SIM plans with Black Friday pricing, offering discounts for everyone and even bigger savings for those with Clubcards.

The standout offers are on the iPhone XR and iPhone 12 Pro Max for Apple fans, and for Android, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy S20 FE. Just need a SIM plan? There's a big data plan on offer too, with 60GB for only £15 a month.

It is worth noting that while these Tesco offers are some of the cheapest prices around right now, they will tie you in for a full 36-month contract. That's either a blessing or a problem depending on how often you like to change smartphones!

* Some of the below prices are for Clubcard holders but Tesco also has fantastic non-Clubcard prices for Black Friday.

These Tesco Mobile phone deals in full:

How does a 36 month contract work?

Tesco Mobile is often able to offer some of the cheapest mobile phone deals around, but this is mainly due to its 36 month contracts. At its base, this is just exactly what it sounds like - a three year plan. 

But, while some might find a 36 month contract to be a bit heavy on commitment, for others it will be perfect. You'll get the same cheap bills for three years and when your contract ends, you can upgrade, go somewhere else for your phone or keep the phone and just pay for your data allowance which will only cost you a few quid a month.

• Read about the upcoming Black Friday phone deals

Black Friday isn't set to kick in until the end of this month, and yet, we're already seeing a few sales go live here and there. If you're in the market for a new SIM plan, the first sale for you is now here.

Smarty (which runs on the Three network) has launched two new Black Friday SIM only deals. The cheaper of the two costs £15 a month and is offering double the data it usually does. That means a massive 100GB of data right now.

Alternatively, Smarty is also throwing in a discount on its unlimited data SIM. This will now cost you £17 a month - £3 a month less than its original price and one of the cheapest unlimited data SIMs around.

On both of these SIM only deals, you will only be tied into a 1-month rolling contract. That means you are able to leave at any time that suits you. While these are great prices, it is worth noting that there is still plenty of time in November for other Black Friday prices to appear, and these prices could easily be toppled by other networks.

• See the best SIM-free mobile phones to pair with your new SIMO

SIM only deals: Smarty's flexible bargains

Why go for Smarty Mobile? 

It's a brand you may have never heard of, and yet it's a name giving the big retailers some serious competition - let us tell you why.

With an excellent mix of cheap SIM only deals and big data bargains, Smarty covers most of the market's needs. And, with its 1-month rolling contracts, you can stay for as long as you like, making this the perfect stop-over option.

One final benefit? Smarty allows you to tether your devices to your phone, meaning you can use up that data across any laptop, tablet, or even the console you picked up recently.

• What is Smarty? Find out more with our explainer

Following a successful pre-order stage, both the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are now available to buy. Whether you're in the UK or US, there are plenty of retailers stocking both phones with some even offering next day delivery.

Both of these new handsets from Google stand out as great competitors to both Samsung and Apple's flagship phones. Go for the more affordable Google Pixel 6 and you'll only pay £599 / $699.

Despite that pretty affordable price tag, there's a lot crammed in here. It features a 4614mAh battery, Google's new Tensor chipset and a 6.4-inch OLED display with Full HD+.

Upgrade to the more powerful Google Pixel 6 Pro and you'll see a jump in most specs. The chipset remains the same but you'll get a more powerful 5003mAh battery, a 6.71-inch display with QHD+ resolution and a jump up from 90Hz refresh rate with the regular Pixel 6 to 120Hz.

Both handsets feature really impressive camera set-ups, utilising 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide lenses with intelligent AI working on your photos. The Pro also throws in a telephoto lens too.

Whether you're in the UK or US, we've listed all of the main retailers you can buy Google Pixel 6 deals from below.

Where to buy Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro deals:

US retailers:

• Verizon
• AT&T
• Best Buy
• Google Store
• Walmart

UK retailers:

• Carphone Warehouse
• Three
• Fonehouse
• Mobiles.co.uk
• EE
• Vodafone
• Amazon UK
• Google Store
• Currys

What's the Google Pixel 6 series like?

Google Pixel 6:
The more affordable of the two devices, the Google Pixel 6, will stand out to those that want a powerful smartphone at a cheaper price point.

While it won't compete with the flagships of the world, there is a lot of promising specs on board. The 6.4-inch FHD+ display, while not as impressive as some other more expensive devices, will look bright and clear. That paired with the 90Hz refresh rate will provide a fluid move as you swipe around the phone's interface.

Google promises a 24-hour battery life from the 4524mAh battery and up to 30% charge in 30 minutes. That paired with the 8GB RAM 'Google Tensor' processor means this device will be capable of operating most apps without lag or any major trouble.

Google has fully committed to the security of this device, using end-to-end security along with anti-phishing and malware protection, multi-layer hardware security, and plenty more.

The dual-camera setup provides an impressive camera performance. While not as powerful as what Samsung and Apple can offer, it is still likely to be one of the best around.

Google Pixel 6 Pro:
Step up to the more powerful Google Pixel 6 Pro, and you'll get a very similar package to the regular 6, just with some critical upgrades in the more important categories.

The most obvious upgrade is in the size and display. The Google Pixel 6 Pro comes in at an impressive 6.7-inches with a QHD display. It also upgrades to a 120Hz refresh rate for the display for even faster and cleaner movement around your phone's apps and operating system.

There are also improvements in both the battery life and charging rates. You'll be getting a 4905mAh battery and the ability to charge 50% in 30 minutes.

As for the camera, like the Google Pixel 6, the Pro model includes a 50MP wide camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. However, the Pro model also includes a 48MP telephoto lens with a zoom of up to 20x.

• Compare the prices to all of the UK's best mobile phone deals
• Going SIM-free? Find the best SIM only deals to pair with it
• See the competition with the best Samsung phone deals

Black Friday is still a good month away but that hasn't stopped Smarty from getting into the spirit early. Offering a massive 50% off one of its SIM only deals, Smarty currently has one of the best cheap offers around.

Right now, you can get Smarty's 12GB of data plan for only £4 a month. That's down from its original price of £8 and currently the cheapest price on the market. The next nearest plans cost at least £5 while offering at most 2GB of data.

However, this lowered pricing does only last for four months. After that it will double to £8 a month. That is still one of the cheapest prices available for 12GB of data, matched only by a few other networks.

If you're not happy with the increased price, you can simply leave after 4 months. In fact, because Smarty operates on 1-month rolling contracts, you can leave whenever you like!

• See the best SIM-free mobile phones to pair with your new SIMO

SIM only deals: Smarty's excellent offer

Why choose Smarty Mobile?

It's a brand you've probably never heard of, but it's giving the big mobile retailers a run for their money - here's why.

Smarty addresses the majority of the market's demands with a great combination of low-cost SIM only plans and big data deals. You may stay for as long as you like with the 1-month rolling contracts, making this the ideal stop-over choice.

The benefits don’t end there, Smarty also lets you connect your gadgets to your phone, allowing you to use that 12GB of data on any laptop, tablet, or even the new console you bought.

• What is Smarty? Find out more with our explainer

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 is certainly a unique handset, bringing back the nostalgia of snapping your phone closed to end a particularly feisty call. But with all of its uniqueness comes a high price tag.

Luckily, there are a number of great tariffs around to make this device feel more affordable, the latest coming directly from Samsung. You can pick up an unlimited data, calls and texts plan on this device for only £50 a month and £49.99 upfront.

On top of that, Samsung will throw in a free Galaxy Watch 4 with your purchase - a free gift worth at least £249. With that unlimited data cap and free gift, this works out as one of the best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 deals around.

However, it is well worth keeping in mind that Black Friday is now just one month away. If you're in no rush to buy your new phone, prices could come down even further during that time.

This Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 + free watch deal:

How to claim your free Galaxy Watch 4:

As we said above, the Galaxy Watch 4 doesn't automatically come with your handset. Instead, you'll have to claim it after you've purchased the device. You can do so via this Samsung explainer page.

You simply buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 and submit a claim within 60 days of your purchase. You can do this via the Samsung Members app or via the link above. Samsung will let you know within 5 working days to confirm if your claim has been validated.

What is the Samsung Galaxy Flip like?

Read our Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 review

Considering the Flip 3 saw its price fall under the £1000 mark, it's suddenly looking like a really good value foldable phone. Like the Fold 3, it's now fitted with a Snapdragon 888 processor and offers 120Hz refresh rates with its display.

Also like the Fold, the Galaxy Flip 3 didn't see any changes to its camera quality but it has added a collection of new modes, allowing you to get the most out of your photos.

One of the key upgrades with this device is in its strength, fitting a display that is 3x as strong as the Flip 2. And with a Full HD AMOLED performance stretching across a 6.7-inch display, the screen quality is, in typical Samsung fashion, looking impressive.

If you've got your eyes on the new Google Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, you might want to make a purchase very soon. That's because they will be leaving their pre-order period at 11.59 pm on Wednesday, October 27.

Unlike some other brands, Google has made their pre-order offer very tempting, throwing in a free pair of headphones worth over £300. These headphones are the Bose 700 - a pair that we gave a 4.5-star review.

Of course, with Black Friday just around the corner, there is the potential that a better offer could come around soon...we'd just be very surprised to see any retailer beat a £300 gift!

This freebie is available with Google Pixel 6 deals from both the Google Store directly and from a large collection of retailers. We've listed all of the available options below along with instructions on how to claim the headphones.

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6 with free Bose 700:

• Argos
• Carphone Warehouse
• Currys
• E2save
• EE
• iD Mobile
• Mobiles.co.uk
• O2
• Three
• Vodafone

How to claim your free Bose 700:

Claiming your free headphones is very simple. All you have to do is buy the Google Pixel 6 from one of the retailers above, wait at least 14 days and then, submit a claim here. Once you've submitted your claim, your new headphones will arrive within 60 days of your claim being approved.

If you've got your eyes on the new Google Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, you might want to make a purchase very soon. That's because they will be leaving their pre-order period at 11.59 pm on Wednesday, October 27.

Unlike some other brands, Google has made their pre-order offer very tempting, throwing in a free pair of headphones worth over £300. These headphones are the Bose 700 - a pair that we gave a 4.5-star review.

Of course, with Black Friday just around the corner, there is the potential that a better offer could come around soon...we'd just be very surprised to see any retailer beat a £300 gift!

This freebie is available with Google Pixel 6 deals from both the Google Store directly and from a large collection of retailers. We've listed all of the available options below along with instructions on how to claim the headphones.

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6 with free Bose 700:

• Argos
• Carphone Warehouse
• Currys
• E2save
• EE
• iD Mobile
• Mobiles.co.uk
• O2
• Three
• Vodafone

How to claim your free Bose 700:

Claiming your free headphones is very simple. All you have to do is buy the Google Pixel 6 from one of the retailers above, wait at least 14 days and then, submit a claim here. Once you've submitted your claim, your new headphones will arrive within 60 days of your claim being approved.

If you've got your eyes on the new Google Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, you might want to make a purchase very soon. That's because they will be leaving their pre-order period at 11.59 pm on Wednesday, October 27.

Unlike some other brands, Google has made their pre-order offer very tempting, throwing in a free pair of headphones worth over £300. These headphones are the Bose 700 - a pair that we gave a 4.5-star review.

Of course, with Black Friday just around the corner, there is the potential that a better offer could come around soon...we'd just be very surprised to see any retailer beat a £300 gift!

This freebie is available with Google Pixel 6 deals from both the Google Store directly and from a large collection of retailers. We've listed all of the available options below along with instructions on how to claim the headphones.

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6 with free Bose 700:

• Argos
• Carphone Warehouse
• Currys
• E2save
• EE
• iD Mobile
• Mobiles.co.uk
• O2
• Three
• Vodafone

How to claim your free Bose 700:

Claiming your free headphones is very simple. All you have to do is buy the Google Pixel 6 from one of the retailers above, wait at least 14 days and then, submit a claim here. Once you've submitted your claim, your new headphones will arrive within 60 days of your claim being approved.

Black Friday has a bit of a reputation for being one of the best times to get a new piece of tech. With massive discounts across everything under the sun, it would make sense to wait until Black Friday to buy the new Google Pixel 6, right?

Well, we're not so sure. Unlike some other brands (we're looking at you Apple), the Google Pixel 6 has a pretty exceptional offer if you decide to pre-order either the regular model or the larger Google Pixel 6 Pro device.

From a large range of retailers, you will receive a free pair of Bose 700 - a pair of headphones with an RRP of £349 and that currently sell for £300. 

However, this offer is going to be very short-lived with Google's pre-order stage ending on October 25. But the real question is, should you take this pre-order freebie or hold out for the big Black Friday sales?

Obviously, we don't know what kind of Google Pixel 6 deals retailers will be offering during Black Friday. While they could come out all guns blazing with big discounts, it seems somewhat unlikely.

As both handsets will have only been out for roughly a month when Black Friday rolls around, they seem too new to be being heavily discounted. Plus, with major stock issues facing smartphones right now, we wouldn't imagine there would be enough stock for retailers to go throwing big discounts around on Black Friday.

We could of course be wrong here and Black Friday could be full of Google Pixel 6 discounts, we'd just be surprised if any of them could beat the value of a £300 pair of headphones!

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6 with free Bose 700:

Google's latest pair of flagship phones are now available to pre-order, and if you've got your eyes on them, we've got a promotion to help you get a little bit more out of your tariff.

Across all Google Pixel 6 deals and 6 Pro deals on Mobiles.co.uk, you can currently get a £20 Currys voucher. This is exclusively available for TechRadar readers and gives a nice boost to the already market-leading offers Mobiles.co.uk has.

The best offers available with this promotion are on the Vodafone and iD Mobile networks. It is worth noting that there are some stock issues already with these devices, so you may find certain storage sizes and colours are unavailable. 

To get the added voucher, you will first have to go to this link. Once you've filled in your details, you will get an email, and you can go check out the Mobiles.co.uk website. If you order the device before, you won't get the voucher.

• Black Friday: find out everything you need to know about the event

Pre-order the Google Pixel 6 and get a £20 voucher:

What are the Google Pixel 6 devices like?

Google Pixel 6:
The more affordable of the two devices, the Google Pixel 6, will stand out to those that want a powerful smartphone at a more affordable price point.

While it won't compete with the flagships of the world, there is a lot of promising specs on board. The 6.4-inch FHD+ display, while not as impressive as some other more expensive devices, will look bright and clear. That paired with the 90Hz refresh rate will provide a fluid move as you swipe around the phone's interface.

Google promises a 24-hour battery life from the 4524mAh battery and up to 30% charge in 30 minutes. That paired with the 8GB RAM 'Google Tensor' processor means this device will be capable of operating most apps without lag or any major trouble.

Google has fully committed to the security of this device, using end-to-end security along with anti-phishing and malware protection, multi-layer hardware security, and plenty more.

The dual-camera setup provides an impressive camera performance. While not as powerful as what Samsung and Apple can offer, it is still likely to be one of the best around.

Google Pixel 6 Pro:
Step up to the more powerful Google Pixel 6 Pro, and you'll get a very similar package to the regular 6, just with some critical upgrades in the more important categories.

The most obvious upgrade is in the size and display. The Google Pixel 6 Pro comes in at an impressive 6.7-inches with a QHD display. It also upgrades to a 120Hz refresh rate for the display for even faster and cleaner movement around your phone's apps and operating system.

There are also improvements in both the battery life and charging rates. You'll be getting a 4905mAh battery and the ability to charge 50% in 30 minutes.

As for the camera, like the Google Pixel 6, the Pro model includes a 50MP wide camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. However, the Pro model also includes a 48MP telephoto lens with a zoom of up to 20x.