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What are the ways to get free electronics?
Nobody hands out laptops for nothing, but a lot of smaller tech really is free, and some bigger items are free with a condition you can live with. Here is each route with what it costs you.
| Way to get it | What you get | Cost | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility energy-saving kits | LED bulbs, smart power strips, faucet aerators, sometimes a smart plug | Free | Look for "free energy kit" or "rebates" on your electric or gas utility's site. Offers vary by utility. |
| Utility smart thermostat programs | A smart thermostat, free or heavily discounted | Free or a small co-pay; you join a program | Many utilities give one if you let them nudge the temperature a few degrees on peak days. Rebates for one you buy are also common. |
| Carrier free trial lines | A few weeks of phone service on an eSIM | Free; service ends unless you switch | Download the carrier's app and start the trial on an unlocked phone. No new number needed on most trials. |
| Free phone with a new line | A current phone | Needs a plan; paid back as monthly bill credits | The phone is free only if you keep the line for the full credit period, often two to three years |
| Lifeline phone service | Discounted or free phone service, sometimes with a basic smartphone | Free for households that qualify | A federal program for low-income households. Apply through a Lifeline provider in your state; one per household. |
| Brand samples of small tech | Keychain lights, cable adapters, screen cleaners, battery packs | Free; some ask for shipping | Accessory and battery brands run sample forms and rewards programs. TrySpree lists them as they open. |
| Student offers | Office apps, design and coding tools, antivirus, extra cloud storage | Free with a school email or proof of enrollment | Check your school's IT page first, then the brand's education page |
| Gadget testing programs | A device to test at home, usually yours to keep | Free, but you write a review | Apply to a brand or retailer panel, then wait to be picked for a test that fits your profile |
| Warranty replacements | A replacement for a device or cable that failed | Free within the warranty | Contact the maker with your receipt. Some cable and charger brands have lifetime warranties. |
| Trade-in and recycling credits | Store credit or a gift card for an old device | You give up the old device | Apple, Best Buy, carriers and phone makers quote a value online; even broken phones can be worth something |
| Free e-waste pickup and drop-off | Your old electronics recycled for free | Free; some charge for TVs and monitors | Best Buy and Staples take most items in store, and many towns run free e-waste days |
| Library tech lending | Wi-Fi hotspots, tablets, laptops, e-readers, sometimes cameras and tools | Free with a library card | Ask at the desk or search the catalog for "hotspot" or "Library of Things". Loans run one to several weeks; expect a waitlist. |
| Free after rebate | A full-price item that ends up free | You pay first; the money comes back weeks later | Buy, submit the rebate by the deadline, keep the receipt. Many rebates pay by prepaid card. |
| Free software and app trials | Streaming, software and AI tools for a trial period | Free during the trial; most charge after | Set a reminder to cancel before the trial ends. Digital offers are listed on TrySpree too. |
Live free electronics offers on TrySpree
The newest electronics and digital offers on TrySpree that are still open. The cost column comes from each listing, and "check the terms" means a purchase or fee has not been ruled out yet. The full lists are in free electronics and free digital samples.
Free tech from your utility
Electric and gas utilities spend money to lower demand, and some of it comes back to customers as free hardware. The common offers are an energy-saving kit mailed to your home (LED bulbs, a smart power strip, faucet aerators, sometimes a smart plug), a free or discounted smart thermostat if you join a peak-day program, and rebates on efficient appliances. Some utilities also send a free home energy audit. Every utility runs its own program, so search your utility's site for "rebates" or "marketplace" and look for the items priced at zero.
Free phones and phone service
- Trial lines. Several carriers let you try their network free for a few weeks through an app and an eSIM, with no new number. When the trial ends, the service stops unless you switch. It is a free way to check coverage before changing carriers.
- Free phone with a new line. The phone is paid off with bill credits spread over the contract, so it is free only if you keep the line that long. Leave early and the remaining balance is due.
- Lifeline. A federal program that discounts phone or internet service for low-income households, one benefit per household. Some providers add a basic smartphone. You qualify by income or by being in programs such as SNAP, Medicaid or SSI, and you apply through a provider in your state.
Free software and storage for students
A school email unlocks more free tech than any giveaway: office apps, design and coding tools, extra cloud storage and often a site-licensed antivirus. Start on your school's IT help page, which lists what the school already pays for, then check the education pages of the apps you use. Most student offers end when you graduate, so export your files before your account closes.
Borrow it instead: library tech lending
If you need a laptop for a job search, a hotspot for a month of internet or a tablet for a trip, your public library may lend one for free. Search the catalog for "hotspot", "laptop" or "Library of Things", or ask at the desk. Some systems also lend cameras, projectors, game consoles and power tools. Waitlists are normal for hotspots.
Testing programs, trade-ins and rebates
- Gadget testing programs. You join a panel, fill in a profile, and get picked for tests that match it. The company ships the device, you use it and post a review, and you usually keep it. Our list of product testing programs notes which ones send electronics.
- Warranty replacements. Not a giveaway, but a free device if yours fails in the warranty period. Keep receipts, and check whether your cable or charger brand has a lifetime warranty before you buy a new one.
- Trade-in and recycling credits. Old phones, tablets and laptops are worth store credit at Apple, Best Buy, carriers and phone makers, even with a cracked screen. Anything worthless can still be recycled for free at most Best Buy and Staples stores or at a town e-waste day; a few places charge for TVs and monitors.
- Free after rebate. Pay first, submit the rebate on time, wait for the prepaid card. Treat the purchase as real spending until the rebate lands.
How to spot a fake free electronics offer
Real offers name a specific item and ask for a short form. Fake ones promise a phone, laptop or game console to everyone, then ask for a credit card "for verification" or send you through a chain of surveys and sign-ups. Those pages collect your details to sell, and the device never comes. TrySpree checks each electronics offer before listing it; see how offers are checked.
Related guides
How can I get free electronics?
The reliable sources are your electric utility (free LED bulbs, smart plugs and thermostat programs), your library (hotspots, tablets and laptops on loan), your school if you are a student (free software and storage), and brand sample forms for small accessories. Bigger items like phones and gadgets come with a condition: a new phone line, a review for a testing program, or paying first and getting a rebate back.
Are free electronics offers real?
Some are, and the real ones are specific: a named item, a short form, and a reason the company is giving it away. Of the 12 live electronics and digital offers above, 9 are marked free with no purchase, 0 need a purchase, cash back or fee, and 3 have terms you should check. A page promising a free phone, laptop or console to anyone who completes surveys or enters a card number is a lead form, and TrySpree does not list those.
How do I get a free phone?
Carriers give a phone free when you add a line or switch, paid back through bill credits over two to three years, so you are tied to the plan. The Lifeline program gives low-income households free or discounted service, and some Lifeline providers include a basic smartphone. You qualify through income or by being in a program like SNAP or Medicaid, and only one benefit per household is allowed.
Can I get a free smart thermostat?
Often, yes, from your electric or gas utility. Many utilities give a smart thermostat free or for a small co-pay if you join a program that adjusts your temperature a few degrees on peak demand days, which you can override. Others offer a rebate on one you buy. Search your utility's name with "thermostat" to see which it runs; the programs vary a lot by region.
What tech can I borrow from the library?
Many public libraries lend Wi-Fi hotspots, tablets, laptops and e-readers for free with a library card, and some have a "Library of Things" with cameras, projectors, game consoles and tools. Loan periods range from a week to a few months, and hotspots usually have a waitlist. It is not yours to keep, but it is free, and it is the fastest way to get internet or a laptop for a short stretch.
What is the catch with free after rebate?
You pay the full price up front, including tax and any shipping, then submit a rebate form by a deadline and wait, often six to eight weeks. If the form is late or the receipt is missing, you get nothing. Many rebates pay by prepaid card rather than cash. It is a real way to get an item for free in the end, but only if you follow through.
About TrySpree
TrySpree is a free sample site, running since 2013, that lists free sample offers from real brands and checks the links; it's free to use and supported by ads. See how offers are checked, or skip the survey sites with free samples without surveys.
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