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
Coût du téléphone
- Prix de l'appareil
- Payé une seule fois ou divisé en plusieurs versements
- Restant dû si vous annulez le service
Coût du service mobile
- Data
- Appels & SMS
- Possibilités
- S'arrête lorsque vous annulez
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
- Le pack vidéo « à regarder autant que vous le souhaitez » d'un opérateur ou un service tiers groupé/à prix réduit tel que Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, Lemino ou Hulu.
- Comment c'est facturé
- Ajouté à votre facture mobile mensuelle en tant qu'élément de campagne. Certains sont regroupés dans un niveau de forfait supérieur au lieu d’être facturés séparément.
- Surveillez
- Beaucoup sont gratuits ou à moitié prix pendant les 1 à 6 premiers mois, puis se renouvellent automatiquement au plein tarif. Définissez un rappel pour le consulter.
- Examples
- Un pack musical « écoutez autant que vous le souhaitez » par un opérateur, ou un service groupé/à prix réduit tel que Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music ou un service de marque de l'opérateur.
- Comment c'est facturé
- Facturé sur la facture mobile ou inclus dans un niveau de forfait. Les données utilisées par l'application groupée sont parfois exemptées de votre allocation de données.
- Surveillez
- Vérifiez si la réduction nécessite un plan spécifique et qu'arrive-t-il à vos listes de lecture enregistrées si vous annulez plus tard.
- Examples
- Liens avec le programme de points (points d POINT, Ponta, PayPay, points Rakuten) et avantages d'achat liés au groupe d'opérateurs.
- Comment c'est facturé
- Généralement, pas de frais distincts : l'avantage consiste en des points supplémentaires ou des réductions sur les achats dans les boutiques et applications de ce groupe.
- Surveillez
- Les points expirent souvent et ne peuvent être utilisés qu’au sein de l’écosystème de cette entreprise.
- Examples
- Plans de garantie/assistance à la réparation du combiné, stockage de photos dans le cloud, applications de sécurité et services d'identification basés sur un numéro de téléphone.
- Comment c'est facturé
- Frais mensuels sur la facture mobile. Les plans de garantie doivent généralement être ajoutés au moment où vous achetez l'appareil.
- Surveillez
- Les campagnes nécessitent parfois que vous en ajoutiez un pour le premier mois. Annulez-le ensuite si vous ne le souhaitez pas.
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.