Hello Theoneakta,
Welcome to the community!
Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by flex balance. I am also not sure of what offer to which you refer. However, any $0 down offer would be dependent on the customer's credit and might not be available in every circumstance. That could be why you were offered the option with a down-payment.
I understand you have compared the costs with Bell. However, I don't think you are comparing similar options. What you note are differing finance options. Bell (and some of the other providers) have started to offer lease-type financing (Upfront Edge, Device Return Option, Bring-It-Back). That is, rather than having to pay a down payment upfront, they offer take back the device at the end of the contract or you can pay the remaining balance to keep the device.
You should note that Fido does not offer any lease-type financing. They will only finance the full cost of the device with down payment, if necessary.
Currently (January 24th, 2023), the Full price for that device is $2,803 (Fido) and $2,800 (Bell). While there is a slight difference between the two, they are rather similar in cost.
That cost you note for Bell requires their Device Return Option. That's why there is a discrepancy in cost. If you wished to keep the device, the total cost would be the same. As well, Bell does offer a Keep It Option as well, which is rather similar to Fido's current offer on Fido.ca. Note the cost shown is after bill credit. The total cost of the device is the same.
You should also note this forum is community-driven and not intended as a venue for customer services. We would not have access to your account. If you would like to discuss your situation, you would need to contact customer service . In addition, they can also be contacted via Facebook, or Twitter. Those methods can be accessed via the contact page posted above.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
