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These are Samsung's latest (and greatest) ultra-high-end handsets. | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung’s big moment in the spotlight has finally arrived, and after those pesky YouTubers revealed (almost) every Galaxy S26 Ultra secret in advance of the first Unpacked event of 2026, only one question stayed on everyone’s minds. Will the “most intuitive Galaxy AI phones yet” cost more than their predecessors?
Following a whirlwind of conflicting rumors from around the world these past couple of months, we’ve got the answers at long last today, and… you’re probably not going to like them.
Pre-order the Galaxy S26 for up to $500 off
$399
99
$899
99
$500 off (56%)
The "vanilla" Galaxy S26 has finally been announced. With a next-gen Galaxy AI and a powerful chip, this phone checks all the boxes. Right now, you can pre-order the phone for up to $500 with trade-ins.
The Galaxy S26+ is here, bringing improved software and a more powerful processor. The device can now be available for up to $700 off at the official store with eligible device trade-ins.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been announced, bringing a Privacy Screen feature, insanely fast processor, and multiple Galaxy AI enhancements. Right now, you can pre-order the flagship for up to $900 off with eligible trade-ins.
$899.99 - Galaxy S26 (up from $799.99 for the Galaxy S25);
$1,099.99 - Galaxy S26 Plus (up from $999.99 for the Galaxy S25 Plus);
$1,299.99 - Galaxy S26 Ultra (unchanged from the $1,299.99 Galaxy S25 Ultra).
These are the official US price points of the three new phones’ cheapest configurations, and right off the bat, you’re likely to notice that a 256GB storage variant of the S26 Ultra costs the same as an entry-level S25 Ultra model with the same amount of local digital hoarding room did back at its launch in January 2025.
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Does the Galaxy S26 family have what it takes to outsell the Galaxy S25 series? | Image by PhoneArena
Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly), the same is not true for the “vanilla” Galaxy S26 and the S26 Plus, both of which start at significantly higher prices than their respective predecessors.
The Galaxy S26+ adds $100 to the $999.99 price tag of a Galaxy S25 Plus with 256GB internal storage space despite not raising the latter number (or upgrading many other specs, for that matter), while the non-Plus Galaxy S26 is $100 costlier than the most affordable Galaxy S25 model for a reason.
What do you think about the Galaxy S26 family's official prices?
That’s right, there’s no 128GB storage configuration this time around, so it’s only fair to compare the entry-level Galaxy S26 variant with last year’s 256GB Galaxy S25, which was released at $859.99. That’s technically a $40 price increase, which is obviously not great, but it’s also not as bad as the S26 Plus’ straight-up $100 hike.
No more free storage upgrade offers
This part almost hurts more than the Galaxy S26 family’s actual price hikes, looking set to severely harm the popularity of Samsung’s latest ultra-high-end handsets during their pre-order period.
Unlike so many of their forerunners, the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra are not available with a complimentary storage upgrade for their earliest adopters, so if you want to go up from 256 to 512 gigs of local digital hoarding room (or a full terabyte in the case of the S26 Ultra), you’ll have to pay up.
The S25 Ultra had a very important advantage at launch over the S26 Ultra now. | Image by PhoneArena
And this is where the Galaxy S26 Ultra also becomes costlier than the S25 Ultra, fetching $1,499.99 (up from $1,419.99) with 512GB internal storage space and $1,799.99 (compared to $1,659.99) for a top-of-the-line 1TB configuration. Similarly, a 512GB Galaxy S26+ costs $1,299.99, which is drastically up from $1,119.99 for a Galaxy S25+ with the same amount of storage last year. Finally, a 512GB non-Plus Galaxy S26 (which doesn't have a base Galaxy S25 equivalent) goes for $1,099.99.
Naturally, Samsung is throwing a few pre-order benefits your way to sweeten the Galaxy S26 series deals, but we’re only talking trade-in discounts (of up to $900 for “eligible” devices) and $150 credits sans trade-in to use towards other “eligible devices” (think accessories, earbuds, smartwatches, and tablets).
Galaxy S26 vs. the competition
Here’s where things get tricky for Samsung. While the mobile industry as a whole is expected to suffer the consequences of rapidly rising memory chip prices this year, it’s sure going to be difficult for reviewers and experts to recommend a Galaxy S26 purchase at $899.99 and up when Apple’s iPhone 17 starts at $799… with 256GB storage of its own.
Similarly, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is $100 cheaper than the Galaxy S26 Ultra in an entry-level 256 gig configuration, while the 6.3-inch iPhone 17 Pro matches the $1,099 starting price of the larger but not necessarily better Galaxy S26 Plus.
Yes, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is cheaper than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
If you’d like to explore other ultra-high-end options as well, the OnePlus 15 is certainly an Android flagship to consider, fetching $899.99 in the US with 256GB storage and the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor under the hood as the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
By this point, I had hoped to add the Motorola Signature to this comparison too, but alas, the brand’s comeback flagship effort is still not available in the US, so it doesn’t feel worth discussing… yet.
What about other markets?
At first glance, things look very similar in Europe as they do in the US, with the most affordable Galaxy S26 Ultra variant retaining the starting price of a Galaxy S25 Ultra with 256GB storage, the "vanilla" S26 costing a little more than its predecessor, and the Galaxy S26+ inexplicably getting the largest increases across the old continent as well.
But a crucial difference between European markets and the US is that free storage upgrade deals are still a reality in the former regions, so at least during the S26 family's pre-order period, European buyers are likely to feel less of an impact from Samsung's inflation-caused price hikes.
Because a number is worth 100 words (or something along those lines), here’s how much each new member of Samsung’s new super-premium handset family costs in France, with other European markets either sitting at the exact same marks or €20 less:
Galaxy S26 - €999 with 256GB storage (or with 512GB on pre-order);
Galaxy S26 Plus - €1,269 with 256GB storage (512GB on pre-order);
Galaxy S26 Ultra - €1,469 with 256GB storage (512GB on pre-order)/€1,969 with 1TB storage (€1,769 on pre-order).
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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