Have you ever wondered how to get a good deal on an iPhone?
There are three ways to purchase an iPhone: as part of a contract with a carrier, purchasing just the device from a carrier, or purchasing just the device from a different carrier.
If you purchase it as a set with a line contract with each carrier, you may be able to purchase it at a lower price as campaigns for new contracts and switching carriers will apply.
However, you may be required to sign up for a pre-determined plan to receive the discount, or you may not be able to choose the plan you want.
In such cases, we recommend purchasing just the iPhone itself.
If you purchase only the device, you can choose your carrier according to your preferences, which means you have a lot of flexibility in your plans and can easily save on communication costs.
Many people may wonder if purchasing just the device is more expensive than purchasing it as a set with a line.
In this article, we will explain the benefits of purchasing just the iPhone itself, the recommended purchasing method, and points to keep in mind when purchasing.
We will introduce the benefits of purchasing just the iPhone itself.
Some people may think that purchasing just the iPhone itself is expensive, but that's not actually the case.
When purchasing just the iPhone, you can get a better fees than through a carrier by choosing the official Apple website or an electronics retailer.
| Model | Where to buy | Sales price (main unit only) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB |
Rakuten Mobile | 234,800円(税込)～ |
| docomo | 240,900円(税込)～ | |
| au | 240,900円(税込)～ | |
| SoftBank | 240,480円(税込)～ | |
| K's Denki | 194,800円(税込)～ | |
| Official Apple website | 194,800円(税込)～ | |
| iPhone 17 Pro 256GB |
Rakuten Mobile | 207,900円(税込)～ |
| docomo | 214,940円(税込)～ | |
| au | 214,900円(税込)～ | |
| SoftBank | 219,600円(税込)～ | |
| K's Denki | 179,800円(税込)～ | |
| Official Apple website | 179,800円(税込)～ |
*The above table shows the unit price as of September 19, 2025, before any discounts are applied.
As shown in the table above, if you compare only the price of the device, you can see that it is cheaper to purchase it from the official Apple website or an electronics retailer than from a carrier.
Reference: Apple official website
Also, if you want to use the "Device Purchase Support Program" offered mainly by major carriers, you can purchase the iPhone device alone.
The "Device Purchase Support Program" is a system in which you set up a long-term installment payment plan for the cost of your smartphone, and if you "return the device after the ◯th month," the remaining repayment amount is waived.
It's similar to a residual value plan when buying a car, so in exchange for returning your smartphone, you'll be exempt from the remaining repayments, and you'll always have the benefit of using the latest smartphone.
This program can be joined regardless of a line contract, so it also applies to those who purchase only the device.
In other words, even if you only purchase the iPhone itself, you can actually own the device for less than the original price.
It may come as a surprise, but buying just the iPhone itself is actually not as expensive as you might think.
We will introduce you to a smart payment method when purchasing just the iPhone device.
Do you know Paidy paidy
paidy is a post-payment service operated by Paidy LLC that allows you to make payments using your smartphone.
If the e-commerce site has the Visa logo, you can easily make payments using your smartphone, and you can shop with just your email address and mobile phone number.
Since no credit card or bank account information is required, smartphone payments have a low barrier to entry.
paidy also offers a plan called the "paidy Afterpay Plan for Apple," which allows you to pay by automatic withdrawal or bank transfer using paidy, with no installment fees, and if you have an iPhone you can choose to pay in 24 to 36 installments.
With the "paidy deferred payment plan for Apple only," you can purchase the latest models such as the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro with 0% interest on installments, which is likely to lead to high satisfaction.
Many people may be worried, "If I buy an iPhone from the official Apple website, do I have to buy it in full?" However, there is no need to worry as there are no fees and you can pay in installments.
As mentioned earlier, you could also take advantage of the "Device Purchase Support Program" offered by each carrier, but since this program is based on a residual value, you will eventually have to return the device.
However, with the "paidy Deferred Payment Plan Apple Exclusive," available on the official Apple website, you can purchase the device in installments, free of charge, without having to return the device.
With the "paidy Deferred Payment Plan for Apple," you can reduce the initial cost of the iPhone itself, and by combining it with a low-cost SIM, you can also reduce running costs.
According to the "Guidelines for Ensuring Smooth Distribution and Use of Mobile Terminal Equipment" revised in August 2021, models released on or after October 1, 2021 are in principle unlocked from the SIM lock.
SIM lock is a condition in which the handset is locked so that a SIM card other than that of the carrier with which it is contracted cannot be used.
However, now that the SIM lock regulation has been lifted, users can choose which carrier they contract with at their discretion.
This means that if you purchase an iPhone at a low price and combine it with a low-cost SIM, you can easily reduce your initial and monthly communication costs.
In addition, povo2.0 (*1), an online-only brand of au, offers the basic fees for 0 yen (*2) and allows you to purchase data when you want to use it and for as much as you want to use it, making it easy to keep communication costs low when combined with an iPhone unit.
povo2.0 The detailed features of the "*1" will be introduced later.
\For those who want to know right away!/
I found that I could buy just the iPhone for a surprisingly low price.
However, in addition to the benefits, there are also some points to be aware of beforehand, so let's take a look.
Major carriers offer "device purchase support programs" that you can join even if you only purchase the device itself without signing a contract for a line.
A portion of the iPhone's price is set aside as residual value, and if you return the device within a set validity, you will be exempt from the final payment.
Although it is a great deal to use an expensive iPhone, it is not suitable for people who want to keep their model for a long time, for example, because the carrier will have to collect the device after using it for two years.
If you want to use the iPhone you purchased for a long time, consider purchasing it from the official Apple website or an electronics retailer instead of using the Device Purchase Support Program.
If you purchase just the iPhone, even if you purchase it from a carrier, you will not be subscribed to a specific plan, so you will not be able to receive comprehensive support such as data transfer services and inspections.
Some carriers offer a service (which may require a fee) where staff will come to the store to help with any problems you may have, which is useful for people who are not good at setting things up.
However, if you are unable to receive such services and would really like thorough support, it would be better to apply for a line contract as well as purchasing the device alone.
On the other hand, the iPhone has a "Quick Start" feature that makes it easy to set up the device and transfer data.
For more information about Quick Start, please refer to the following article:
Reference: What to do before changing your iPhone model, data transfer, and when to change your SIM card
There's also a feature called "eSIM Quick Transfer" that allows you to reissue the eSIM for your current iPhone and transfer it to a new iPhone, so even if your carrier doesn't provide device setup support when you change models, you won't have any problems.
If you're not too keen on settings, this shouldn't be a problem.
Reference: About "eSIM Quick Transfer"
If you purchase an iPhone as part of a contract with one of the carriers, you can take advantage of special campaigns when signing up for a new contract or switching carriers, making it possible to own the device at a low cost.
However, there may be restrictions, such as not being able to choose the plan you want in order to apply the discount.
Also, even if you get a good deal on the iPhone itself, there is a chance that the line you sign up for may end up being more expensive than expected.
To avoid this situation, it is a good idea to take advantage of services such as the "paidy Postpaid Plan for Apple" on the official Apple website, purchase just the iPhone at a low price, and then combine it with a low-cost SIM card.
In particular, we recommend "povo2.0" for those who want to use their iPhone at a bargain price.
povo2.0 (※1), au 's online-only brand, features a basic fees of 0 yen (※2) and Topping (plans) that allow you to purchase only the amount of data you want, when you want it.
For example, you can choose from options such as "Unlimited data (※3) (24 hours) 330 yen/time including tax included" or "Data Top-up (30 days) 2,780 yen/time including tax included" depending on your usage, from occasional use to Topping-term use.
One of the most recommended options is the One Year Topping, which you can purchase all at once for a year.
The "Data Top-up 360GB (365 days) for 26,400 yen/ tax included)" option allows you to use 30GB per month for 2,200 yen/month, which is more economical than the "Data Top-up 30GB (30 days) for 2,780 yen/time (tax included included)" option.
As mentioned in this article, iPhones can also be purchased online at Apple's official store, and with povo2.0, you can complete both new and upgrade applications online, eliminating the need to go to a store.
The biggest advantage is that it is easy to use, simple and cost-effective.
\3 easy steps with the app/
Many people seem to have the impression that the price of the iPhone itself is only worth it if you purchase it as a set with a carrier's line contract.
However, this is not actually the case, and as introduced in this article, there are ways to purchase just the iPhone at a discount.
Also, if you purchase it as a set with a carrier's line contract, there is a concern that you may not be able to use the line you want, but if you purchase only the iPhone itself, you are free to sign up for a great low-cost SIM such as povo2.0.
If you are thinking about purchasing a new iPhone or upgrading your model, please consider povo2.0 as well.
*1: As this is an online-only plan, all procedures and support will be handled online. Please contact us via the povo2.0 app or official website. For reference, "What is povo2.0?" (povo2.0)
*2: [Common] ・If you do not purchase any paid Topping for 180 days or more, your service may be suspended or your contract may be terminated. ・When the data plan is 0 yen and 0 GB, the maximum sending and receiving speed is 128 kbps.
[For Data Only] - An initial Topping purchase is required when signing the contract.
For Calls＋Data】 ・Domestic calls: tax included 22 yen/30 seconds Some calling rates may differ, such as calls to satellite phones. See here for details. In addition, designated calling rates will be charged for calls to phone numbers set by other companies to fees. Sending domestic SMS: tax included 3.3 yen/text (up to 70 characters) Receiving: Free Up to 670 full-width characters can be sent depending on the model. However, up to 134 characters will be charged for two SMS, and after that, one SMS will be charged for each additional 67 characters.
※3：ネットワークの混雑時や動画・クラウドゲームなどの利用時に通信速度を制限する場合があります。
