Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup is officially up for preorder ahead of its March 11 release date, and early buyers in the U.S. have a new reason to pay attention: even though Samsung isn’t bundling a free storage upgrade this year, Amazon is stepping in with preorder deals that deliver more storage for the same price, plus extra value through gift cards.
Prices for the new phones are a mixed bag. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299.99 for the base configuration with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, matching last year’s entry price. The standard Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus, however, both jump by $100 compared to their previous starting points, now priced at $899.99 and $1,099.99.
Samsung’s own preorder incentives in the U.S. focus more on trade-ins than on instant upgrades. Shoppers can get up to $900 in trade-in credit along with up to $150 in store credit, but there’s no complimentary storage bump included. For buyers who want more storage without paying more, the most attention-grabbing promos are coming from Amazon.
One of the standout offers centers on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Amazon has listed the 512GB Galaxy S26 Ultra for $1,299.99, which is the same price as the 256GB model. Since the regular listed price for the 512GB version is $1,499.99, that’s effectively a $200 value right away. Amazon also includes a $200 gift card with the preorder, which pushes the total added value to $400. Notably, the free storage upgrade applies across the available color options for the S26 Ultra.
The savings aren’t limited to the Ultra model. Amazon is also offering similar free storage upgrade preorder deals for the Galaxy S26 Plus and the standard Galaxy S26. The Galaxy S26 Plus with 512GB is priced at $1,099.99 (again, matching the lower-storage pricing) and includes a $100 Amazon gift card, creating total value that adds up to $300 when you factor in the storage upgrade and the gift card. The Galaxy S26 512GB variant is also available for $899.99, the same price as the 256GB model, and it comes with a $100 gift card as well.
If you’re comparing retailers, Best Buy is also matching the free storage upgrade preorder offers for the Galaxy S26 series, though it currently doesn’t include the extra gift cards that Amazon is bundling.
As with most preorder promotions, availability and deal terms can change quickly depending on inventory and timing, so shoppers interested in the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, or Galaxy S26 Ultra may want to confirm current configurations and bonuses before placing an order.
