Our Top Pick: Lease Through Apple Upgrade If You Upgrade Often
Apple Upgrade leasing program is a device lease through Klarna that spreads the cost of iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch over 12, 24, or 36 months, then lets you hand the device back and upgrade again instead of owning it at the end. For most people who like new hardware often, Apple Upgrade is the best value choice. The standout deal is the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro: buying it outright costs USD 1,099 (approx. RM5,060), while leasing is USD 45.99 (approx. RM212) per month for 12 months, totalling USD 551.88 (approx. RM2,540). One user calculated this as USD 547.12 (approx. RM2,520) "saved" versus paying full price for a single year of use. If your goal is to enjoy the newest iPhone every year rather than to own one for many years, lease through Apple Upgrade and do not overthink it.
How Apple Upgrade with Klarna Works (And What It Really Costs)
Apple Upgrade runs through Klarna and lets you lease iPhones, Apple Watches, Macs, and iPads on 12-, 24-, or 36‑month terms before upgrading. For iPhone and Apple Watch, you can pick 12 or 24 months; for Mac and iPad, 24 or 36 months. Lease prices start at USD 17.99 (approx. RM83) per month for iPhone, USD 11.99 (approx. RM55) for Apple Watch, USD 24.99 (approx. RM115) for Mac, and USD 11.99 (approx. RM55) for iPad. A USD 2,000 (approx. RM9,210) 14‑inch M5 MacBook Pro leases at USD 53.99 (approx. RM248) per month for 24 months (USD 1,295.76 total, about 65% of its retail price) or USD 38.99 (approx. RM179) for 36 months (USD 1,403.64 total, about 70%). You can add AppleCare+ separately and may incur damage fees if the device is lost, stolen, or not returned in the required condition. The end goal of Apple Upgrade is not to own your devices; keeping a leased device at the end requires an extra fee.
| Device / Term | Monthly payment | Total paid vs retail |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro 256GB – 12 months | USD 45.99 (approx. RM212) | USD 551.88 vs USD 1,099 (~50% of retail) |
| iPhone 17 Pro 256GB – 24 months | USD 31.99 (approx. RM147) | USD 767.76 vs USD 1,099 (~70% of retail) |
| M5 MacBook Pro 14" – 24 months | USD 53.99 (approx. RM248) | USD 1,295.76 vs USD 2,000 (~65% of retail) |
| M5 MacBook Pro 14" – 36 months | USD 38.99 (approx. RM179) | USD 1,403.64 vs USD 2,000 (~70% of retail) |
Lease vs Buy vs Finance: Who Each Option Suits
You now have three clear paths: Apple Upgrade leasing with Klarna, financing, or paying in full. Apple Upgrade is ideal if you want the latest iPhone every year and care more about regular upgrades than ownership. It now extends the same logic to Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad for people who want a new device every one to three years. Financing through Apple or a carrier, including monthly Apple Card payments for hardware, suits buyers who intend to keep devices for several years but still prefer monthly device payments to spread the cost. Paying in full makes the most sense if you plan to keep your iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch for many years and want clear ownership with no lease terms. If your only reason for monthly payments is extra time to pay off large purchases, financing rather than leasing is the better match.
Key Criteria: When Apple Upgrade Leasing Math Works In Your Favor
The headline saving on the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro explains why Apple Upgrade is compelling: leasing at USD 45.99 (approx. RM212) per month for 12 months adds up to USD 551.88 (approx. RM2,540), compared with the USD 1,099 (approx. RM5,060) cash price. One user highlighted this as USD 547.12 (approx. RM2,520) "saved" on a year of use versus buying. Across devices, you typically pay 50–70% of retail over the lease term, then upgrade into a new agreement. To decide, focus on five criteria: how often you upgrade (every year or every few years), whether ownership at the end matters to you, how comfortable you are with returning devices in good condition and risk of damage fees, your preference for 0%‑style monthly device payments, and whether you might want to keep hardware long‑term, in which case financing or paying in full is smarter.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Apple Upgrade leasing program if you upgrade your iPhone every year and care more about having the latest model than owning it long-term.
- Skip the Apple Upgrade leasing program if you typically keep your iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch for many years and prefer clear ownership after you finish paying.
- Buy the 12‑month iPhone 17 Pro lease if you want a year of use for about half the USD 1,099 (approx. RM5,060) retail price and plan to upgrade again next cycle.
- Skip the iPhone lease vs buy option if you dislike returning devices, worry about possible damage fees, or want to avoid any lease commitments.
- Buy the MacBook Pro lease if you prefer paying roughly 65–70% of its USD 2,000 (approx. RM9,210) price over 24–36 months and then upgrading to a new Mac.
- Skip the Klarna Apple payments route if your main goal with monthly device payments is to own the hardware outright, in which case 0% financing or paying in full is better.
