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Best place to buy an iPad on Black Friday 2026
Which iPad fits you, and how Amazon, Apple, Best Buy and Costco compare on returns, price matching and holiday offers.
The bottom line
Apple raised iPad prices on June 25, 2026, so older "iPad deal" prices you remember no longer apply. The iPad (A16) now starts at $449 and the 11-inch iPad Air at $749. Last Black Friday, Apple's own offer was a gift card for a future purchase, not cash off, and it excluded the iPad Pro. Resellers such as Amazon cut cash prices; in October Prime Day, Amazon took $50 to $100 off most iPads. Compare the same model and storage across stores, and pick the one whose return policy you would actually use.
The iPad lineup right now
List prices below are Apple's starting prices after the June 2026 increase, which Apple blamed on higher memory and storage costs.
| Model | Starts at (Wi-Fi) | Pencil | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad (A16), 11-inch | $449 (128GB) | Apple Pencil (USB-C) | The only current iPad without Apple Intelligence support. MacRumors expects its replacement in early 2027. |
| iPad mini (A17 Pro), 8.3-inch | $599 (128GB) | Apple Pencil Pro | Smallest iPad. |
| iPad Air (M4), 11-inch and 13-inch | $749 (11-inch, 128GB); $949 (13-inch, 128GB) | Apple Pencil Pro | Not expected to be replaced until 2027, per Macworld. |
| iPad Pro (M5), 11-inch and 13-inch | $1,199 (11-inch, 256GB); $1,499 (13-inch, 256GB) | Apple Pencil Pro | Excluded from Apple's gift-card offer last Black Friday. |
Which iPad is right for you
| If you... | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Kids, streaming, reading, light schoolwork | iPad (A16) | The cheapest iPad. It works with the Apple Pencil (USB-C), but not with Apple Intelligence. |
| Want the smallest iPad | iPad mini (A17 Pro) | 8.3-inch screen and support for Apple Pencil Pro. |
| Notes, drawing, Apple Intelligence | iPad Air (M4) | Supports Apple Pencil Pro and costs far less than the Pro. |
| Heavy creative or pro work | iPad Pro (M5) | Top chip and Ultra Retina XDR display. Also the most expensive, starting at $1,199. |
Where to buy: store by store
Holiday dates for 2026 are mostly not announced. Where a date is from last year, we say so.
Amazon
- Returns
- 30 days normally. Last year the holiday window was Nov 1 to Dec 31 purchases, with Apple-brand products returnable until Jan 15 (other items until Jan 31).
- Price matching
- No price matching
- Extras
- Discounts are cash off at checkout. Prime Day in October 2026 cut $50 to $100 off most iPads.
- Membership needed
- No
Apple
- Returns
- 14 days. Last year the holiday window ran for purchases Nov 12 to Dec 25, returnable until Jan 8.
- Price matching
- No price matching. Price adjustments within 14 days exclude special events like Black Friday.
- Extras
- Last year: a gift card ($50 with iPad or iPad mini, $100 with iPad Air) for future purchases. The iPad Pro was excluded.
- Membership needed
- No
Best Buy
- Returns
- 15 days (60 for paid members). Holiday extension dates for 2026 are not announced.
- Price matching
- Matches key competitors, except the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after
- Extras
- Matches its own lower price during the return period
- Membership needed
- No
Costco
- Returns
- 90 days for tablets and other qualified electronics
- Price matching
- Not covered in our sources
- Extras
- Apple devices must be factory reset and unlocked before return. The 2-year warranty extension is listed for TVs, projectors, computers and appliances, not tablets.
- Membership needed
- Yes
Which store is right for you
| If you... | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Want the lowest cash price | Check Amazon and Best Buy | Apple itself offered gift cards, not cash off, last Black Friday. Resellers discounted cash. Compare the same model and storage at both. |
| Buying a gift and want the longest return time | Costco | 90 days for tablets, if you have a membership. |
| Want a price match | Best Buy, outside Black Friday week | Its guarantee excludes the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after. |
| Want a gift card for a later Apple purchase | Apple | Only if the 2026 offer repeats. It has not been announced. |
Traps to avoid
- Gift card is not a discount. Apple's offer last year was a gift card for a later purchase. You still pay the full price today.
- Old prices. A "was $349" or "was $599" you remember predates the June 2026 increase. Compare against today's Apple price.
- Price-match gap. Best Buy's guarantee pauses from the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after, and Amazon does not price match at all.
- Shorter Apple return window. Last year, Apple products on Amazon had a Jan 15 deadline while most items had Jan 31. Write down the date.
- Wrong model. Check the chip and storage in the listing. An iPad (A16) and an iPad Air (M4) can sit side by side at different prices.
Before you check out
- Confirm the exact model, chip, screen size and storage in the listing.
- Compare the same configuration at Amazon, Best Buy and Apple.
- Check whether the seller is the store itself or a third party.
- Note the return deadline the day you buy.
- Check whether you also need an Apple Pencil or keyboard, which are sold separately.
How we put this guide together
We don't test iPads or stores. We compared Apple's published specs and prices, each store's published policies and reporting from MacRumors, Macworld and others, listed below, on October 9, 2026. Store policies change, and holiday dates for 2026 are mostly not announced, so check the store's own page before you buy. We earn a commission on some purchases made through our links; that never decides what we recommend.
Quick answers
Does Apple discount iPads on Black Friday?
Not with cash, based on last year. Apple's 2025 event gave a gift card for future purchases ($50 with an iPad or iPad mini, $100 with an iPad Air) and excluded the iPad Pro. Apple has not announced its 2026 event.
Did iPad prices go up in 2026?
Yes. On June 25, 2026 Apple raised iPad prices, citing higher memory and storage costs. The iPad (A16) went from $349 to $449, the iPad mini from $499 to $599, the 11-inch iPad Air from $599 to $749 and the 11-inch iPad Pro from $999 to $1,199.
Does Amazon price match?
No. Amazon does not match other stores' prices.
Does Best Buy price match on Black Friday?
No. Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee excludes the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after.
Which iPad should I think twice about?
The iPad (A16) is the only iPad that does not support Apple Intelligence, and MacRumors expects a replacement in early 2027. It can still suit kids and basic use. Decide whether those two facts matter to you.
How long can I return an iPad bought at Amazon over the holidays?
Last year Apple-brand products bought on Amazon from Nov 1 to Dec 31 could be returned until Jan 15. Amazon has not confirmed 2026 dates in our sources, so check its policy page when you buy.
Shopping for an iPad now?
See current iPads on Amazon, our tech deals, and every store's Black Friday ad as it comes out.
Sources
- EveryMac, "June 2026 Apple price hike" (old and new iPad prices, June 25, 2026)
- Daring Fireball, "Apple raises prices on most products" (Apple statement)
- Apple, iPad compare (chips, screen sizes, Apple Pencil support)
- Apple, buy iPad (A16 starting price)
- Macworld, "Best iPad Prime Day deals" (October 7, 2026)
- MacRumors, iPad roundup (A16 and Apple Intelligence, early 2027 replacement)
- MacRumors, "Apple's Black Friday event is now live" (2025 gift cards)
- Apple, Returns and Refunds (14 days, no price matching, price adjustments)
- AppleInsider, "Apple Stores extend return policy into January for holiday buyers" (2025)
- BGR, "Amazon's return policy is changing for the holidays" (2025 dates, Apple products Jan 15)
- Pricefy, "Amazon price adjustment and price matching explained" (2026)
- Best Buy, Price Match Guarantee
- TheStreet, "Best Buy warns holiday shoppers of updated return policy"
- SlashGear, "Costco electronics return policy explained"
BlackFriday365 is independent and not affiliated with Apple, Amazon, Best Buy or Costco.