Apple’s new Upgrade program makes getting a Mac easier, but it may not save you money

Apple has expanded its upgrade program beyond the iPhone, giving customers a new way to get Macs, iPads, Apple Watches, and iPhones without paying the full price upfront. The catch is that the program is built around leasing, not ownership.

Called Apple Upgrade, the new program launched in the United States this week through a partnership with Klarna. Customers can lease eligible Apple devices for a fixed monthly payment, then choose what to do when the term ends: return the device, upgrade to a newer model, or pay the remaining balance to keep it. The service replaces Apple’s previous iPhone Upgrade Program with a single platform that now covers most of the company’s hardware lineup.

For Mac buyers, the program introduces a financing option Apple has never offered before. Instead of purchasing a Mac outright or paying it off through installments, customers can spread the cost over a two- or three-year lease. Monthly payments start at $24.99 for qualifying Macs, while iPhones start at $17.99, iPads at $11.99, and Apple Watches at $11.99. Existing devices can also be traded in to reduce the monthly cost.

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Traditional financing means the device becomes yours once you’ve completed the payments. Apple Upgrade works differently. Customers can hand the device back, switch to a newer model, or make a final payment if they decide they want to own it. That makes the program closer to a car lease than a conventional installment plan.

For users who replace their MacBook or iPhone every couple of years, that flexibility could be appealing. Instead of selling an older device themselves or relying on trade-in values, they can move directly to newer hardware through the program. Apple also appears to be positioning the service as a simpler way to stay on current-generation devices as hardware upgrades become more expensive.

That convenience, however, does not necessarily make it the cheaper option.

Macworld noted that leasing generally costs more over time if the goal is eventually owning the device. Customers who finance a Mac through conventional monthly installments end up with a fully paid-off computer. Under Apple Upgrade, part of the monthly payment covers the ability to upgrade later, meaning buyers who ultimately decide to keep the same Mac may pay more than they would have through a standard purchase. The final cost also depends on the buyout amount at the end of the lease.

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The program also arrives as Apple faces a different problem than it did a few years ago. Rising memory and component costs have already pushed up prices for several Mac and iPad models, making premium devices more difficult to afford in a single purchase. Offering predictable monthly payments gives Apple another way to keep customers upgrading even as hardware prices continue to climb. Analysts also see the move as a way for Apple to encourage more customers to buy directly from the company instead of through wireless carriers or third-party retailers.

For now, Apple Upgrade is available only in the United States through Apple’s online store, retail locations, and the Apple Store app. Whether it expands to markets like the Philippines remains to be seen.