It's November, and while for many, that means an imminent turkey dinner with loved ones, for us at Insider Reviews, that means the rapid approach of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As a deals editor with years of holidays under my belt, I can reassure you that it's the best deals event of the year. It's the optimal time to buy gifts, invest in upgrades, and make the pricy purchase you've been waiting on.
But, with just a few days between them, what is the difference between the two? Is there one anymore? Longtime shoppers probably remember the bygone days of store stampedes and malls flooded with attendees. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday of 2025 appear very different, given the prevalence of online shopping and fast shipping.
If you're getting cold feet about which day to place your big order, I've broken down the differences — and overwhelming similarities — below. For more of my team's coverage, check out all of our Black Friday and Cyber Monday stories, including early deals you can shop now.
What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Although they historically had very real differences that affected best shopping practices, by 2025, Black Friday and Cyber Monday had largely converged. There's only one major caveat: Black Friday sales can occur both online and in-store, while Cyber Monday is exclusively online. Most retailers, both big and small, conduct their sales for the entire weekend, offering the deepest discounts on Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving. By now, many of them have dubbed the five-day period after Thanksgiving as "Cyber Week."
In the 2000s and early 2010s, Black Friday was primarily associated with in-store shopping. This is the period when you could find hopefuls camped outside stores in sleeping bags after Thanksgiving dinner, waiting for midnight to strike and doors to open. Cyber Monday was reserved for online shopping, typically from one's work computer. It also gained a reputation for featuring technology products, including computers, gaming accessories, and the like.
Nowadays, what's on sale for one will be on sale for the other. You can find PC part sales on Friday and air fryer deals on Monday.
Is Black Friday better than Cyber Monday?
As outlined above, the two holidays no longer differ significantly. However, if you're hoping to score a limited-stock item or discount, you could benefit greatly by shopping on Friday rather than Monday. Most major retailers reserve stock for both days, so the deals don't all die before Monday, but small brands and DTC companies may run out early.
What to expect in 2025
As a deals editor, writer, and reporter of several years now, I'll join the chorus of voices warning that "deals aren't as good as they used to be." It's true — gone are the days of huge price cuts on appliances, tools, and tech. Nowadays, even during Cyber Week, the best deals event of the year, some of the deepest discounts only knock prices down by a meager 15%.
That said, people still need stuff. Parents need gifts for their kids, home chefs need kitchen tools, and households need TVs for watching big games. That's why we're here, highlighting the best deals you can grab now — because you might still need it, regardless of how low prices are. Anyway, 15% off a $1,000 mattress still saves you $150 that could go toward sheets and pillows to complete your bedroom.
If you're wondering what categories you can find on sale during Cyber Week, just about everything under the sun is discounted for the holiday. Kitchen appliances, bathroom essentials, bedroom furniture, entertainment tech, gaming rigs, and much more will be at their best prices of the year. Major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, and Best Buy, will participate, as they do every year. Brands we love, like Away, Leesa, Lo and Sons, and the like, will also probably chime in with their own all-time lows.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@bjinnox.com.
