Apple to lease iPhones and other devices through Klarna partnership
Key Takeaways
- •Apple Upgrade allows U.S. customers to lease eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch devices.
- •The program offers 12- and 24-month terms for iPhone and Apple Watch, and 24- and 36-month terms for Mac and iPad.
- •Leasing prices start at $17.99 per month for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac and $11.99 for iPad.
- •Customers can use Apple Trade-In to reduce monthly payments and can upgrade, buy, or return the device when the lease ends.
- •Apple will discontinue its iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments as Apple Upgrade becomes available through Apple’s website and U.S. stores.

Apple and buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider Klarna are teaming up to give U.S. customers the option to lease a new Apple device.
The company announced the program, called Apple Upgrade, on Tuesday and said customers will be able to lease eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch devices.
Apple Upgrade offers 12- and 24-month leasing options for iPhone and Apple Watch, and 24- and 36-month leasing options for Mac and iPad. Leasing prices start at $17.99 per month for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac and $11.99 for iPad.
When customers enroll in Apple Upgrade, they can trade in their current device through Apple Trade-In to reduce monthly payments during the leasing term, Apple said. At the end of the lease, customers can choose to upgrade to the latest Apple device model, buy the leased device outright or return it.
Apple said it will discontinue its iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments as the Apple Upgrade rollout begins. Both programs allowed qualified customers to buy an iPhone through a 24-month, interest-free installment loan, while the iPhone Upgrade Program also included AppleCare+ and an option to upgrade after 12 payments.
The partnership comes as more Americans use BNPL options to finance purchases. According to a Gallup survey, about 51% of Americans say they have used installment plans for online purchases. For Apple, the new lease structure replaces two existing financing options with a model that keeps the device tied to a renewal or buyout decision at the end of the term, while for Klarna it extends the company’s role beyond short-term installment lending into a consumer electronics leasing arrangement.
Klarna is best known as a BNPL provider, but Apple Upgrade is structured as a lease rather than a traditional BNPL loan.
Apple Upgrade is available through Apple’s website and U.S. Apple Store locations.