--- title: Is that Free Phone Really Free? description: "Free phone! Those magical words can lure anyone, but before you jump on that seemingly incredible deal. Let's peel back the layers & uncover the truth: is it phone freedom or financial illusion?" image: https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_293359980.jpeg --- - [Merchant Login](https://merchant.uownleasing.com) - [Customer Login](https://portal.kornerstoneliving.com/) [![KL Uown Logo](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KL%20Uown%20Logo.png?width=170&height=96&name=KL%20Uown%20Logo.png "KL Uown Logo")](https://www.kornerstoneliving.com/home) - [Find a Store](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/find-a-store) - [Solutions](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/better-solutions) - [K-Protect](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/kprotect) - [About](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/about) - [Customer Portal](https://portal.kornerstoneliving.com) - [Merchant Portal](https://merchant.uownleasing.com) [![KL Uown Logo](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KL%20Uown%20Logo.png?width=170&height=96&name=KL%20Uown%20Logo.png "KL Uown Logo")](https://www.kornerstoneliving.com/home) - [Find a Store](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/find-a-store) - [Solutions](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/better-solutions) - [K-Protect](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/kprotect) - [About](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/about) - [Customer Portal](https://portal.kornerstoneliving.com) - [Merchant Portal](https://merchant.uownleasing.com) [![KL Uown Logo](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KL%20Uown%20Logo.png?width=200&height=96&name=KL%20Uown%20Logo.png "KL Uown Logo")](https://www.kornerstoneliving.com/home) - [Find a Store](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/find-a-store) - [Solutions](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/better-solutions) - [K-Protect](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/kprotect) - [About](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/about) - [Customer Portal](https://portal.kornerstoneliving.com) - [Merchant Portal](https://merchant.uownleasing.com) # Is that Free Phone Really Free? 3 Jan 2024 ![Picture of Kornerstone Living](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e) [Kornerstone Living](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/author/kl) ![](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_293359980.jpeg) Are free phone deals free, or too good to be true? ![image001](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image001.png?width=728&height=381&name=image001.png) Yes and No. Here are the most common requirements that you must meet to get a free phone:  *After meeting all the required conditions, is it really, FREE?* 1. You need the right phone to trade in. 2. You need to sign up for a qualifying unlimited plan 3. Monthly bill credits are part of a long-term contract requirement 4. You must be deemed Credit Worthy by the phone company 5. You must pay a fee at Checkout So, are free phones free? It's complicated, but at the end of the day, the answer is most likely "No." You either must give up something you currently own, like your existing smartphone, or you have to sign up for a monthly plan that may be overkill for your personal use.  And depending on the installment plan a promotion requires, any changes you make could jeopardize your monthly credits, which means you will owe your carrier the remaining balance to cover the cost of the phone. [https://www.zdnet.com/article/are-free-phone-deals-really-free-or-too-good-to-be-true/](https://www.zdnet.com/article/are-free-phone-deals-really-free-or-too-good-to-be-true/) ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/is-that-free-phone-really-free&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/is-that-free-phone-really-free&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/is-that-free-phone-really-free&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/is-that-free-phone-really-free&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Is%20that%20Free%20Phone%20Really%20Free) [Finance](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/tag/finance), [Your Rights](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/tag/your-rights) ## Kornerstone Living ## Comments ## Related posts Search [Outdated or Out of Service? Time to Upgrade Your Home & Tires](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/outdated-or-out-of-service-time-to-upgrade-your-home-tires) [0% APR Credit Cards or Financing? What does Deferred Interest mean?](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/0-apr-credit-cards-or-financing-what-does-deferred-interest-mean) Search [![KL Uown Logo](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KL%20Uown%20Logo.png?width=1500&height=330&name=KL%20Uown%20Logo.png "KL Uown Logo")](https://uownleasing.com/) [![MERCHANT LOGIN](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4659227/interactive-142789733815.png)](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLK2CVA0RsEzP4dYgAeQ7EzNNsxBCP1Iz4pAbDmXdK9LrAm3mv2p08G4%2BeIIpdM4NegfSMKQ7LioNKT2If1ox0zQxeFDmR55pU1OUz2ZJPAVPgwPPYmmSO5hdTApCIbnyssx2WBXXg6nESYeQ0QJKVJ7vKiZc3S3x%2Blhx0xcEsTF9CnwVw%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=142789733815&portalId=4659227) Merchant Support : Phone: (833) 222- 2112 Email: [rs@kornerstoneliving.com](mailto:rs@kornerstoneliving.com) Mon-Sat: 8am-11pm EST Sun: 11am-11pm EST [![CUSTOMER LOGIN](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4659227/interactive-142789733895.png)](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKLIAOuzQXgp1OsM%2BifwS4yXpbUen0LN1hMhoSA9Xc8gobhR8nxz%2FQlISVPI9oLb310gdQyxvNHv4l9x8OKzL7wfxgonRl%2Ba78n4mDRDsJ44IQUvAGuRT5k%2FUM5ME1OKewc4BPuiwn82h2Pw6f3yiiOUvaJXAcvaEDXiEHI7futHcmu00AQ1Q%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=142789733895&portalId=4659227) Customer Support : Phone: (888) 521-5111 Email: [cs@kornerstoneliving.com](mailto:cs@kornerstoneliving.com) Mon-Fri: 8am-11pm EST / Sat:  9am-11pm EST Sun: 10am-11pm EST **Kornerstone Living:** 406 W South Jordan Parkway #600, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA **Uown Leasing:** 10500 University Center Drive, Suite 150, Tampa, FL 33612, USA   [![Kornerstone Credit, LLC BBB Business Review](https://seal-utah.bbb.org/seals/blue-seal-200-42-bbb-90024434.png)](https://www.bbb.org/us/ut/south-jordan/profile/consumer-finance-companies/kornerstone-credit-llc-1166-90024434/#sealclick)   - [Our Story](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/about) - [Better Solutions](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/better-solutions) - [K-Protect](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/kprotect) - [Privacy Policy](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/privacy-policy) - [Terms and Conditions](https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/terms-and-conditions) ## The advertised service is a rental – or lease-purchase agreement (or in specified states, a rent-to-own agreement; a consumer rental-purchase agreement; a lease agreement with an option to purchase; or a consumer-lease agreement) provided by Kornerstone Living or its affiliates. Not available in MN, NJ, WI or WY. Merchant participating locations only. \*90-day purchase option includes a markup over Cash Price (except for 3-month purchase option in CA). While no credit score is required, Kornerstone Living obtains information from consumer reporting agencies to verify identity in connection with a lease application. Not all applicants are approved. Acquiring ownership through leasing costs more than the retailer’s cash price. See lease for details.   Copyright © Mollie, LLC, dba Uown Leasing dba Kornerstone Living 2025. All Rights Reserved. | [Privacy Policy](https://www.kornerstoneliving.com/privacy-policy)   ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kornerstone Living", "url" : "https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/author/kl" }, "dateModified" : "2024-03-05T21:18:22.058Z", "datePublished" : "2024-01-03T22:30:21.000Z", "headline" : "Is that Free Phone Really Free?", "image" : [ "https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_293359980.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/smart-money-decisions/is-that-free-phone-really-free", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://kornerstoneliving.uownleasing.com/hubfs/Uown%20Marketing%20Materials/Logo/uown_Wtag.png" }, "name" : "Uown Leasing" } } ```