Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday 2026: Dates, How the Deals Differ, and a Smart Shopping Checklist

By MayreDukaan Editorial TeamPublished 14 Nov 20262 min read

Illustration of shopping bags, a laptop shopping cart and a calendar

Thanksgiving is Nov 26, Black Friday Nov 27, Small Business Saturday Nov 28 and Cyber Monday Nov 30, 2026. Compare prices, check return policies and buy only from real store sites.

Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26). Cyber Monday 2026 is November 30. Many stores now start their "Black Friday" prices earlier in November and run them through Cyber Monday, so the exact day matters less than comparing prices before you buy.

The 2026 shopping calendar

Calendar of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday 2026 — Original MayreDukaan graphic

Day	Date
Thanksgiving	Thursday, Nov 26
Black Friday	Friday, Nov 27
Small Business Saturday	Saturday, Nov 28
Cyber Monday	Monday, Nov 30

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: what's the difference?

	Black Friday	Cyber Monday
Origin	In-store doorbusters	Online-only deals
Today	In-store and online	Mostly online
Often strong for	TVs, appliances, game consoles, toys	Tech accessories, software, clothing, travel

These are general patterns, not rules — the same item can be cheapest on either day.

Example: game consoles

Nintendo's official Switch 2 bundle runs Nov 22 – Dec 5, covering both days. See our Nintendo Black Friday guide.

Checklist before you click Buy

Five-point checklist to avoid fake deals — Original MayreDukaan graphic

Compare prices at two or three stores; "was" prices are not always real.
Read the return policy — holiday return windows and restocking fees vary.
Check the website address carefully. Scam sites copy real store designs.
Pay by credit card, which usually gives stronger fraud protection than debit.
Never pay by gift card, wire transfer or crypto to a seller you don't know.

Common holiday scams

Fake "order problem" texts with a link to "fix" a delivery.
Social media ads for big brands at 80–90% off.
Fake gift card balance-check sites.

If you think you've been scammed, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and contact your card issuer right away.

Free tools that help

Save receipts and order confirmations as PDFs and combine them with our free PDF merger, so returns are easier later.

Frequently asked questions

When is Black Friday 2026?

Friday, November 27, 2026.

When is Cyber Monday 2026?

Monday, November 30, 2026.

Is Black Friday or Cyber Monday better?

It depends on the item. Black Friday is often strong for TVs, appliances and consoles; Cyber Monday for tech accessories and online-only deals. Compare prices.

How do I avoid Black Friday scams?

Use real store websites, pay by credit card, and never pay with gift cards or wire transfers.

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Sources

Facts last checked against these sources on Nov 13, 2026, 9:14 PM ET.

Images: Illustration created for MayreDukaan (not a news photo) · Original MayreDukaan graphic