Samsung Galaxy S4: price and availability in the U.S. compared

So, you're planning on getting the amazingly awesome Samsung Galaxy S4, aren't you? Great choice! It's an amazing phone that has a lot to offer – something that everyone who has read our Samsung Galaxy S4 review already knows. What you might not yet know, on the other hand, is that the highly anticipated smartphone is not going to arrive at all U.S. carriers at the same time. While AT&T and Sprint will be among the first ones to start offering it, Verizon subscribers will have to wait until May. Same applies for those using the services of lesser wireless carriers across the U.S. On top of all that, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will carry a different price tag, depending on which carrier you turn to.

In other words, things aren't as simple as they may seem. There are choices to be made depending on which carrier you're happy with and how much money you're willing to put aside. That's why we decided to help. Below we have put together all carriers that are going to offer the Samsung Galaxy S4, along with useful information about the smartphone's launch date and price. Let's start with the big boys:

So overall, it looks like T-Mobile's offer is the cheapest. Even if you pick the carrier's unlimited plan ($70 per month), you're still likely to spend less in total after 2 years of ownership compared to what other carriers' plans of equal value cost over the same period of time. With AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, however, you'll be enjoying broader LTE coverage, which often translates to higher data speeds. 

Alternatively, there are four more carriers that you'll be able to pick a Samsung Galaxy S4 from – U.S. Cellular, Cricket, Ting, and C Spire. Sure, the smartphone is due to arrive at a later date (unless you're a U.S. Cellular user), but buying an S4 from one of them instead of a major carrier is likely to save you money over time. In terms of pricing and availability, details are pretty scarce at this time, but we'll update the table below as soon as we learn more on the matter.