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
फोनको लागत
- उपकरण मूल्य
- एकैपटक वा किस्तामा भुक्तानी
- सेवा रद्द गरे पनि बाँकी किस्ता तिर्नुपर्छ
मोबाइल सेवाको लागत
- Data
- कल र SMS
- विकल्पहरू
- रद्द गर्दा शुल्क रोकिन्छ
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
- सेवा प्रदायकको आफ्नै असीमित भिडियो प्याक वा Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, Lemino वा Hulu जस्ता तेस्रो-पक्ष सेवाको बन्डल वा छुट।
- यो कसरी बिल गरिन्छ
- मासिक मोबाइल बिलमा छुट्टै शीर्षकका रूपमा थपिन्छ। केही सेवा छुट्टै शुल्कको सट्टा उच्च योजनामा समावेश हुन्छन्।
- हेरचाह गर्नुहोस्
- धेरै सेवा सुरुका १–६ महिना निःशुल्क वा आधा मूल्यमा हुन्छन् र त्यसपछि स्वतः पूरा मूल्यमा नवीकरण हुन्छन्। समीक्षा गर्न सम्झना राख्नुहोस्।
- Examples
- सेवा प्रदायकको असीमित संगीत प्याक वा Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music जस्ता बन्डल वा छुट सेवा।
- यो कसरी बिल गरिन्छ
- मोबाइल बिलमा शुल्क लाग्छ वा योजनामा समावेश हुन्छ। बन्डल एपको डेटा कहिलेकाहीँ डेटा सीमामा गणना हुँदैन।
- हेरचाह गर्नुहोस्
- छुटका लागि निश्चित योजना चाहिन्छ कि र पछि रद्द गर्दा सुरक्षित प्लेलिस्ट के हुन्छ जाँच्नुहोस्।
- Examples
- d POINT, Ponta, PayPay points, Rakuten points जस्ता पोइन्ट कार्यक्रम र सेवा प्रदायक समूहका किनमेल लाभ।
- यो कसरी बिल गरिन्छ
- सामान्यतया छुट्टै शुल्क हुँदैन; समूहका पसल र एपमा खरिद गर्दा थप पोइन्ट वा छुट पाइन्छ।
- हेरचाह गर्नुहोस्
- पोइन्टको म्याद सकिन सक्छ र सो कम्पनीको प्रणालीभित्र मात्र प्रयोग गर्न मिल्न सक्छ।
- Examples
- फोन वारेन्टी वा मर्मत सहायता, क्लाउड फोटो भण्डारण, सुरक्षा एप र फोन नम्बरमा आधारित ID सेवा।
- यो कसरी बिल गरिन्छ
- मासिक शुल्क मोबाइल बिलमा लाग्छ। वारेन्टी योजना प्रायः उपकरण किन्दै गर्दा थप्नुपर्छ।
- हेरचाह गर्नुहोस्
- केही अभियानमा पहिलो महिनाका लागि यस्ता सेवा थप्नुपर्छ। नचाहिएमा सर्त पूरा भएपछि रद्द गर्नुहोस्।
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.