Apple launches new rental program: iPhones starting at $18/month and Apple Watch or iPad from $12/month

Apple just made it a lot easier to get its newest gear without dropping a big chunk of cash upfront. The company has rolled out a new leasing program in the US that gives people more flexible ways to own (or at least use) iPhones, Watches, Macs, and iPads. It’s called Apple Upgrade, and it’s powered by Klarna.

You can sign up for it on the Apple website, in the Apple Store app, or right in a physical store. For iPhones and Apple Watches you can choose 12- or 24-month plans. Macs and iPads get 24- or 36-month options. Monthly payments start as low as $17.99 for an iPhone, $11.99 for a Watch or iPad, and $24.99 for a Mac. Trade in an eligible device through Apple Trade In and that monthly number can drop further.

The application is quick, online or in-store, and only involves a soft credit check, so it won’t ding your credit score. Get approved and you can walk out of the store with the device the same day, or have it delivered/picked up if you ordered online.

When the 24-month lease is up, you can upgrade to a newer model, buy the current one outright by paying a lump-sum residual balance, or just hand it back to Apple in good condition. Everything, including billing and your remaining balance, lives in the Klarna app. You can still add AppleCare if you want the extra protection.

To put some real numbers on it: an iPhone 17 Pro 256GB that normally costs $1,099 would run you about $31.99 a month on a 24-month lease, or roughly $45.99 on the 12-month plan (before taxes or any trade-in credit). An Apple Watch Series 11 GPS 42mm at $399 starts at $11.99 a month for 24 months. No deposit required, though upgrades still depend on eligibility and a fresh approval.

Now that Apple Upgrade is live, the old iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments options are being retired in the US. If you’re already on one of those, you can switch over to the new leasing plan, stick with Apple Card monthly installments, just buy the phone outright, or look at carrier financing instead. The program is only for US residents 18 and older who meet the ID and account requirements, and devices can only be delivered to US addresses or picked up at US stores.

There’s no official announcement or timeline for an international rollout of the leasing plan yet.

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(Apple)