Plans & Fees
How a Japanese mobile bill is put together, and why device cost and service cost are two different things.
See every currently available plan and standard call option for the nine brands covered by this guide, with undiscounted prices and important conditions.
Your monthly mobile bill
Device cost vs service cost
Costo del teléfono
- Precio del dispositivo
- Pagado una vez o dividido en cuotas
- Aún se debe si cancela el servicio
Costo del servicio móvil
- Data
- Llamadas y SMS
- Opciones
- Se detiene cuando cancelas
Installments
What you pay at signing
One-time charges are separate from both the device price and your monthly bill.
Set by the carrier and the procedure channel. Major-brand shop fees are often ¥4,950, while online fees range from free to ¥3,850 or more. Check the exact new-contract, MNP, SIM/eSIM or plan-change procedure.
Full explanationAn extra amount some agency shops and retailers add on top of the device price. Set by the shop, not the carrier — it can differ, or be zero, at another shop or online. Ask "is there a 頭金?" before you agree.
Full explanationIssuing or using MNP is generally free, but the new carrier may charge its ordinary contract handling fee. Check both carriers and the application channel.
Full explanationSeveral current plans charge a small fee when a newly opened line is cancelled within 12 months. The amount and start-date rule differ by plan. Device installments, options and same-month cancellation charges are separate.
Full explanationContent & subscription options
You can attach video, music and other subscriptions to your mobile contract so they land on one bill.
- Examples
- El paquete de videos "mira todo lo que quieras" de un operador o un servicio de terceros incluido o con descuento, como Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, Lemino o Hulu.
- como se factura
- Se agrega a su factura móvil mensual como un elemento de línea. Algunos están incluidos en un nivel de plan superior en lugar de cobrarse por separado.
- Esté atento a
- Muchos son gratuitos o a mitad de precio durante los primeros 1 a 6 meses y luego se renuevan automáticamente al precio completo. Establece un recordatorio para revisarlo.
- Examples
- Un paquete de música "escucha todo lo que quieras" del operador, o un servicio incluido/con descuento como Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music o un servicio de marca del operador.
- como se factura
- Con cargo a la factura móvil o incluido en un nivel de plan. Los datos utilizados por la aplicación incluida a veces están exentos de su asignación de datos.
- Esté atento a
- Comprueba si el descuento necesita un plan específico y qué sucede con tus listas de reproducción guardadas si cancelas más tarde.
- Examples
- Vinculaciones de programas de puntos (puntos d POINT, Ponta, PayPay, puntos Rakuten) y beneficios de compras vinculados al grupo de operadores.
- como se factura
- Por lo general, no hay una tarifa adicional: el beneficio son puntos adicionales o descuentos en compras en las tiendas y aplicaciones de ese grupo.
- Esté atento a
- Los puntos suelen caducar y es posible que solo se puedan utilizar dentro del ecosistema de esa empresa.
- Examples
- Planes de garantía/soporte de reparación de teléfonos, almacenamiento de fotografías en la nube, aplicaciones de seguridad y servicios de identificación basados en números de teléfono.
- como se factura
- Cuota mensual en la factura del móvil. Por lo general, los planes de garantía deben agregarse al momento de comprar el dispositivo.
- Esté atento a
- A veces, las campañas requieren que agregue uno de estos durante el primer mes. Cancélalo después si no lo deseas.
NTT DOCOMO, au, KDDI, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile, ahamo, povo, LINEMO, UQ mobile, Y!mobile, and other carrier, brand and plan names are trademarks of their respective owners. Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Hulu, Lemino, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other service names are trademarks of their respective owners. This is a personal site, not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them, and uses these names only to describe the services factually.
Common questions
How much does a mobile plan cost in Japan?
Your monthly bill is the plan (data and calls), any device installment, and any paid options — the plan and the device are separate costs. Undiscounted plan prices and standard call options for the nine brands this guide covers are listed in the current plan catalog.
What one-time fees are charged when I sign?
A contract handling fee — often around ¥4,950 at major-brand shops, and free to ¥3,850 or more online — and, at some agency shops, a shop "down payment" (頭金) added on top of the device price. Device installments, options and any same-month cancellation charge are separate from these.
What is a 頭金 (shop down payment)?
An extra amount some sales channels add on top of the phone price. It is decided by the individual shop or agency, not the carrier, so the same phone can cost more — or nothing extra — at another shop, a directly-run store or online. You can ask what it is and whether it can be removed.
Is there a cancellation fee?
Several current plans charge a small fee — commonly up to ¥1,100 — when a newly opened line is cancelled within about 12 months. The amount and the start-date rule differ by plan, and 8-day initial cancellation is excluded. Device installments and same-month charges are separate.
Is a shop or an online plan cheaper?
An online-focused plan often has no handling fee and no shop down payment, which can outweigh a small monthly price difference — but only if you are able to do the application, plan changes and support yourself, in a language you understand.
What is the difference between the device price and the service price?
The device is the hardware, often paid in monthly installments; the service is the plan you pay every month. They are separate agreements. Cancelling the service does not clear a device installment, and a "¥1" device offer changes only the device side of the bill.