Palm Pre: $549 Without Contract, Starts at $299 for Existing Customers.

We have been getting a lot of questions on Twitter about what the Palm Pre will run without a contract and also what it will cost existing customers who want to upgrade to the device. Right now Sprint customer service is telling people that the Palm Pre will be $549 if you choose not to sign a 2 year commitment ($50 cheaper than an iPhone 3G without a contract).

This option is mainly for people who want to buy and unlock the Pre to use it with carriers other than Sprint. The majority of people will obviously end up signing a 2-year commitment and get their hands on the device for $200 after the mail in rebate.

For those of you who are already Sprint customers and looking to upgrade, the Pre’s pricing gets a bit more confusing. The Pre will cost pre-existing Sprint customers $299 or $375 after the mail in rebate, depending on which discount you qualify for.

Also, it’s worth noting that Best Buy will be selling the Pre for $200 up front, that’s right, no mail in rebate. So for those of you who are like me and hate dealing with mail in rebates - buy your Pre from Best Buy.

[Originally posted at palmpreblog.com]