Samsung S22 vs S21 FE plans: Which is better?

There's only a $200 price difference between the 2 phones, but pre-order bonus gifts for the S22 could sway you towards Samsung's latest flagship.

Samsung has had a busy year already and we're not even halfway through February.

January saw the launch of the affordable Samsung S21 FE series, and now we've had the big Samsung S22 range flagship release.

Now the question on everyone's lips: Is it worth it to spring for the objectively fancier S22, when the perfectly fine S21 FE is a bit cheaper?

What's the price difference?

Despite the S21 FE being built on last year's technology, there's only a price gap of $200 between it and the new S22.

That said, $200 is not an insignificant number of dollars, particularly if you're buying outright and not on a phone plan.

Spread over 36 months, the sting is lessened a bit, but only you know your financial situation and priorities.

The real difference in cost comes in the form of bonus gifts this year, which vary from each provider during their current pre-order sales.

What free gifts come with the S22?

If you pre-order the S22 before 3 March, you'll get up to $1,086 worth of added extras, depending on where you pre-order from. That makes the S22 significantly more enticing.

Here's an overview of the best S22 pre-order deals:

• Telstra. Free Samsung A8 tablet worth $529, and 12-month Disney+ subscription.

• Optus. Free Galaxy Watch 4 (black, 44mm).

• Vodafone. $600 bonus trade-in credit that can help you save on the S22 if you have an eligible phone to trade in.

• Woolworths Mobile. Save between $240 and $400 depending on which model you choose.

Regardless of where you buy the S22 from, you'll also receive a Samsung accessory pack voucher worth up to $337 depending on which model you opt for. You get to decide whether you want an audio pack, travel pack or power pack, which is neat.

Or, choose to go down the outright purchase route and you can use our exclusive code FINDER50 to get $50 off on the RRP of the S22 from Amazon and get an Echo Show 8 worth $199.

Samsung Galaxy S22 pre-order deal

Get $50 off any Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone with the coupon code FINDER50. The deal also includes a bonus Echo Show 8 (RRP: $199) and a Samsung gift pack valued at up to $326.

Use code FINDER50

What S22 and S21 FE plans are available?

Here are some of the best plans available for each phone to help you decide which works best for you.

The cheapest deals on the S22 are:

• Telstra at $89.69 a month over 36 months on the $55 plan
• Optus at $79.68 a month for 36 months on the $45 plan
• Vodafone at $74.69 a month over 36 months on the $40 plan
• Woolworths Mobile at $55.33 a month for 36 months on the $25 plan

Keep in mind the prices above take into account any pre-order plan discounts that apply too.

You can also check out our guide on the cheapest way to get the S22, because it can help you offset more than half the price of the phone.

Meanwhile, the cheapest deals for the S21 FE 128GB are:

• Telstra at $82.75 a month for 36 months on the $55 plan
• Optus at $72.74 a month for 36 months on the $45 plan
• Vodafone at $67.75 a month for 36 months on the $40 plan
• Woolworths Mobile at $54.00 a month for 36 months on the $25 plan

There's not a huge difference in plan prices for the S22 and S21, with just over $1 difference if you sign up with Woolworths Mobile.

S22 vs S21 FE: What's the difference in phones?

Comparing money and bonus gifts is all well and good, but it's also key to look at the pros and cons of the phones before making a decision.

Here's a quick overview of the base level 128GB models of the Samsung S22 and Samsung S21 FE.

Samsung S22:

Pros

• Impressive camera array
• Fastest processor ever in a base-model Galaxy S phone
• Currently bundled with a variety of fancy pre-order freebies

Cons

• Smaller screen
• Smaller battery
• Slightly more expensive

Samsung S21 FE:

Pros

• Decent, mid-range phone
• More affordable than the S22
• Performs well

Cons

• Expensive for what it is
• Isn't as durable as the S22
• Uses last year's technology

At the end of the day, the phone that most strikes your fancy will be the best fit for you.

Just remember that if you choose to grab a phone on a plan, you may need to pay off your handset for up to 3 years (36 months) which may mean skipping on the next few new phone releases. Think about which phone you're happy to stick to for the next 1–3 years.