Yes—T-Mobile may reimburse up to $800 per eligible line when you switch from a qualifying rival carrier, but it generally does not pay your old carrier directly. The money typically arrives as a virtual prepaid Mastercard, and your phone, account, number, and paperwork must meet the offer’s rules. As of August 2026, the main choice is between keeping an eligible phone with Keep & Switch or trading it in and buying a new T-Mobile phone through Family Freedom or Carrier Freedom.
What “pay off your phone” means
T-Mobile’s switcher offers generally reimburse you after you complete a qualifying switch and submit proof; they are not a direct payoff arrangement with your former carrier. Keep & Switch offers up to $800 per eligible line for a remaining device balance. Family Freedom and Carrier Freedom can cover a device balance and/or an early termination fee, subject to their terms and the per-line limit. For Family Freedom, the balance and fee share a combined $800 maximum—not $800 for each.
The reimbursement is generally a virtual prepaid Mastercard, not cash. It has no cash access and expires after six months, according to T-Mobile’s Keep & Switch offer terms. If your former carrier requires payment before it will unlock your phone, you may need to front that cost and wait for reimbursement. Any eligible amount above the cap, taxes, and charges the promotion excludes remain yours to pay.
Which T-Mobile switcher offer fits?
| Offer | What you do | What it may reimburse | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep & Switch | Port an eligible number and bring an eligible existing phone. | Remaining device balance, up to $800 per line. | No new T-Mobile phone purchase is required, but the phone must be eligible for T-Mobile and generally unlocked. |
| Family Freedom | Port a number, trade in the financed phone, and buy a new T-Mobile phone on an Equipment Installment Plan. | Device balance and/or early termination fee, combined up to $800 per line. | You give up the old phone and take on a new device installment plan. |
| Carrier Freedom | Trade in the old phone and purchase a new T-Mobile phone; initiate the trade-in with the order. | Device financing and/or an early termination fee, subject to the offer terms. | Requires a trade-in and a new-phone purchase. Check the offer displayed for your transaction. |
T-Mobile’s support pages describe Keep & Switch as limited to brand-new customer accounts beginning July 9, 2026, with a maximum of four lines per account. Family Freedom and related offers also generally limit reimbursement to four lines. Promotions can change, so verify the current terms at checkout and in the relevant Keep & Switch, Family Freedom, and Carrier Freedom pages before switching.
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Who and what can qualify?
Carrier and number
T-Mobile’s current Keep & Switch list includes AT&T, Verizon, UScellular, Claro, Xfinity Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, and Liberty in Puerto Rico. The offer excludes prepaid service, including T-Mobile Prepaid and Metro by T-Mobile, free Google Voice service, and MVNOs using T-Mobile’s network. A qualifying number must be ported to a new T-Mobile voice line; a number used with T-Mobile within the previous 90 days may not qualify. The exact eligible list depends on the offer, so check the current carrier and port-in rules.
Financing history and device
For Keep & Switch, the phone generally must have been on the former carrier’s device payment plan for at least 90 days, with at least three successful minimum payments. It also must appear on T-Mobile’s eligible-device list; being a recent iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel, or Motorola model alone does not establish eligibility. Check the device list and offer terms before ordering service.
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Account status and prior use
The number must satisfy the offer’s new-line and account conditions, and the T-Mobile account must remain active and in good standing while a claim is processed. T-Mobile also restricts some numbers or devices previously used for Keep & Switch or related switcher offers; its support page describes a two-year restriction in certain port-out-and-return situations. Review the offer’s exclusions rather than assuming a past promotion is irrelevant.
How to claim Keep & Switch
- Check the rules first. Confirm the carrier, number, financing age, payment history, device model, and account meet the current Keep & Switch terms.
- Check unlock status before porting. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. T-Mobile lists these Android paths: Samsung, Settings > Connections > More Connection Settings > Network Unlock; Motorola, Settings > About Phone > Device Unlock. Menus can vary by software version; the former carrier can confirm whether it will unlock the device.
- Save the evidence before closing the old account. Keep a financing-page screenshot or bill that identifies the carrier, mobile number, device, financing details, and remaining payoff amount. If the phone must be paid off to unlock it, save proof of the original balance and payment as well.
- Port the number and activate the qualifying new T-Mobile voice line. Do not cancel the old line first; porting ordinarily handles the number transfer, and early cancellation can disrupt the process or documentation.
- Submit the claim promptly. Use T-Mobile’s promotions portal, sign in with your T-Mobile ID, select the line and relevant Keep & Switch reimbursement category, and upload the requested proof. The current instructions give a 30-day submission window tied to the qualifying transaction; submit soon after activation rather than waiting.
- Keep service active while the claim is reviewed. T-Mobile’s stated delivery timing is an estimate, not a guarantee. Its materials describe typical processing of roughly 15 days after approval or submission, depending on the step; verification can affect timing.
What changes if you trade in the phone?
Family Freedom and Carrier Freedom are for customers willing to give up the old phone and purchase a new one from T-Mobile. The process generally involves porting the number, trading in the financed phone, buying the replacement on an Equipment Installment Plan, and submitting proof of the old balance or eligible early termination fee within 30 days. Follow the specific promotion instructions for whether the deadline runs from activation or another qualifying transaction.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe traded-in phone generally must power on, have an acceptable display, show no liquid damage, and be free of activation or anti-theft locks, including Find My iPhone. For a device-balance claim under Family Freedom, it must be the phone associated with the former carrier’s financing agreement. T-Mobile may withhold reimbursement if inspection fails. See the Family Freedom requirements and Carrier Freedom instructions.
Family Freedom’s document instructions accept PDF, JPG, and PNG uploads, up to 5 MB per image and 15 images. For an early termination fee, retain the final bill that shows the fee; a total account balance by itself may not demonstrate the amount being claimed. T-Mobile’s switching documentation guide explains the information it requests.
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If your phone is locked, decide before porting
Keep & Switch is designed for bringing the existing phone, so it generally needs to be unlocked and usable on T-Mobile. Some former carriers require a device payoff before they will unlock it. T-Mobile says a qualifying customer may still seek reimbursement after paying, but that leaves you responsible for fronting the payoff and preserving proof.
With Family Freedom or Carrier Freedom, a locked phone may be trade-in eligible if it meets the program’s trade-in rules and all activation and anti-theft locks are removed. Do not assume that a locked phone automatically qualifies for trade-in or that it can be used on T-Mobile; verify the route and condition requirements before committing.
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Costs that can erase the apparent savings
- Balance above the cap: If an eligible payoff is $1,200, an $800 maximum leaves at least $400 uncovered, before excluded taxes or fees.
- Lost bill credits: Paying off a phone or canceling the old account can end unpaid promotional credits, making the remaining device balance due. T-Mobile itself warns customers to contact it before canceling because credits may stop. Read its switching offer terms and ask the former carrier for the payoff and remaining credits in writing.
- Service and activation costs: Add T-Mobile plan charges over the period you expect to stay, plus taxes, fees, activation or connection charges, and any plan or AutoPay conditions shown at checkout.
- A required new phone: Family Freedom and Carrier Freedom add the cost and installment obligation of the new device. Include that payment even if the old balance is reimbursed.
- Card limitations: A prepaid card that expires after six months and cannot be redeemed for cash may be worth less to you than an unrestricted payment, especially if you cannot use it before expiration.
Calculate the real cost before switching
Compare the total cost over the same 24- or 36-month period—not just the advertised reimbursement. Use this worksheet:
Net switching cost = old device payoff + old-carrier taxes or payoff charges + T-Mobile activation costs + T-Mobile device payments + T-Mobile service cost over the comparison period − reimbursement you can actually use − trade-in value − guaranteed T-Mobile promotional credits.
For a $500 eligible balance under Keep & Switch, the balance is below the $800 cap, but taxes, exclusions, timing, and eligibility still matter. At $1,200, at least $400 is above the cap. And if leaving means forfeiting $600 in old-carrier promotional credits, an $800 reimbursement does not represent $800 in net savings: compare the reimbursement with the credits and all new costs before deciding. Do not count a separate signup card or a conditional phone promotion unless you independently qualify for it and can verify its terms.
Quick Recap
Before-you-switch checklist
- Confirm the exact offer, participating carrier, ported number, new-account requirement, and eligible line count.
- Verify the phone model, financing age, required payments, and unlock or trade-in condition.
- Download a bill or financing record showing the line, device, payoff amount, and any ETF before closing the former account.
- Ask the old carrier what payoff will be due and which promotional credits will stop after payoff or cancellation.
- Compare plan, taxes, fees, activation, device installments, trade-in value, and credits over a consistent time period.
- Check the claim deadline and submit the complete documentation through T-Mobile’s portal as soon as the qualifying transaction is complete.
If a claim is delayed or denied
- Missing or unclear proof: Submit a bill or financing record that ties the number to the financed device and remaining balance, rather than only the account-wide total.
- Wrong device on a trade-in claim: Confirm that the phone sent in matches the device on the former carrier’s installment plan.
- Trade-in inspection issue: Check for power, screen, liquid damage, and activation-lock problems; keep shipment and submission records.
- Eligibility mismatch: Recheck the carrier, number, device list, financing age, prior-promotion restrictions, and the offer’s new-account terms.
- Deadline or status uncertainty: Review the promotion submission and contact T-Mobile with the claim number and copies of the documents. Keep the account active while the claim is unresolved.
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