Nowadays, many mobile devices, including advanced smartphones are surprisingly affordable and many retailers and carriers enable you to purchase a brand-new smartphone for under $100 or even under $50. However, smartphone manufacturers keep busy all year round to provide customers with better devices with more durable designs, faster performance, and incredible features.
Therefore, the latest smartphone models tend to be awfully expensive. As this amount of money isn’t something many of us can pay upfront, it’s nice to have some other options.
Multiple Option For Straight Talk Phone Payment Plan
In terms of financing, there are several Straight Talk Phone Payment Plan available when you wish to buy a new phone:
1. Monthly installments
A monthly installment plan is a payment method, which helps customers pay for a new device in several (usually 24) smaller monthly installments. It is a finance agreement that allows you to divide the full cost and spread it over a longer period of time, instead of paying the full price at the start.
Each carrier offers their customers to pay for devices in monthly installments, but their exact prices and terms vary. One monthly installment usually cost somewhere between $20 and $30, depending on the price of the phone. For example, if the phone costs $600 and you have to pay it off in the course of 24 months, you will have to pay $25 a month.
The downside of monthly installment plans is that customers have to pass a credit check to be eligible for such a payment plan. If you have a bad credit score, luckily, there are other options to pay for a brand-new smartphone.
2. Lease
Leasing in a way means renting a phone. In exchange for getting a device for rent, you pay a monthly fee. Once the lease period is over, you are not the outright owner of the device, but you do have the choice to return it to the carrier and choose a new phone or to pay the remaining balance to buy the phone.
3. Finance
This is a kind of monthly installment plan, called the equipment installment plan (EIP). In comparison to the leasing option, you actually own the device after the financing period. As during the financing period, you pay off the full price of the phone, financing is a bit more expensive than leasing.
4. Early Upgrade
An early upgrade is a monthly plan that Straight Talk gives the client an option to upgrade a new device for no extra charge before the payment term of the first phone is over. Upgrading early will extend your agreement and the monthly expense will be higher than that of a lease or finance.
Does Straight Talk Directly Provide Any Payment Plan For Phone
Straight Talk is one of the most popular telecommunication companies that offers its customers a large variety of affordable plans, devices, nationwide coverage with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint’s network, and even payment plans.
Straight Talk phone payment plan allows a customer to own a smartphone without paying the full price in advance but by paying affordable monthly payments instead. Taking advantage of this option disables the consumer to leave the carrier before paying off the full amount of the phone. While most carriers will check your credit score before allowing you to pay in installment, Straight Talk won’t do a credit check if you decide to use their phone payment plan. Moreover, this option comes with no contracts or activation fees.
How do they do it? Well, Straight Talk has an agreement with SmartPay, a leasing company and lease-to-own payment plan that allows customers to purchase smartphones for up to $1500 and pay for them in monthly installments. They also offer some smartphones through Affirm and by using PayPal credit. As such, buying a new cell phone at Straight Talk is very easy and convenient.
Best 3 Company Offer Straight Talk Phone Financing Service
The best 3 financial organizations that support Straight Talk phone financing are SmartPay, Affirm, and PayPal. You can use their financing options directly through Straight Talk’s website or by first visiting their respective websites, applying for a loan, and then purchasing a Straight Talk phone.
In addition to these three financial organization, which have partnered with Straight Talk, there are also some other lease-to-own companies, that can help you purchase a brand new Straight talk device and pay for it in installments, including Snap Finance, Visible, Afterpay, Financelt, and United Customer Financial Services. They all have similar eligibility requirements and a fast and simple application process.
1. SmartPay
As we have mentioned above, Straight Talk works with SmartPay to provide customers with the latest and most advanced mobile devices without paying the full price in advance but in affordable installments instead. The program comes with no cancellation fees, therefore you can cancel it anytime.
SmartPay is an independent leasing company that leases you a phone, hence you pay the monthly installments directly with them and Straight Talk is not liable for the transactions nor is it a party to any transactions you make with SmartPay.
Most carriers tend to perform a credit check, but Straight Talk allows you to pay in installments even if you have 0$ on your bank account. Plus, it comes with no fees.
However, to get financing through SmartPay, some terms and conditions do apply.
First of all, not all Straight Talk smartphones can be purchased with SmartPay. However, there is a large variety of different devices, including Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, Google, LG smartphones and iPhones that can be bought with the SmartPay lease-to-own payment plan. You can find all the SmartPay eligible phones at straighttalksmartpay.com.
Once you find a Straight Talk phone that can be bought through SmartPay, the process of getting financing is as follows:
- Step 1: Go to straighttalksmartpay.com and choose a device. Click on it.
- Step 2: Select the condition, color, and network, and press ‘Add to cart’.
- Step 3: Once you go to ‘Checkout’, you can either sign in with your Straight Talk account or do the checkout as a guest. Enter your billing address and required data, select your preferred shipping method, and select the payment method (SmartPay).
- Step 4: Verify your information and press continue. You will be redirected to the SmartPay website, where you will be able to securely complete your order. At this stage, you will complete your SmartPay application and as soon as you get approved (which should be instantly), you will be able to complete your transaction.
You can also go straight to SmartPay and complete your approval application at apply.smartpaylease.com to get approved for a specific lease amount. You can then shop at their retail partners (Straight Talk) either in-store or online and apply your SmartPay approval at check-out.
The requirements of leasing with SmartPay are :
- To apply for SmartPay, you must be at least 18 years old.
- You must have a monthly income of $1000 – that is before taxes and deductions.
- Must have and provide a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
- You must have a credit card or debit card associated with a standard US checking account.
- In addition, all the personal and payment info provided in the application must belong to you.
The number of payments : The number of payments depends on your term length (which may vary depending on the channel for which you are approved) and your payment frequency. You can pay installments monthly – every 4 weeks or twice monthly – every other week. SmartPay also gives customers the option to pay off their lease early (the 90-day BuyOut option) to save on total fees.
Interest rate : SmartPay has no interest rates, however, if you choose to pay your lease early, you will get a buyout fee of 3.5 to 20%.
2. Affirm
In addition to SmartPay, Straight Talk also works with Affirm to grant the applicants smartphones with free shipping and down to 0% APR financing.
To pay for your new device with Affirm, you can go to affirm.straighttalk.com and check if you qualify by pressing ‘Learn More’ and then ‘See if you qualify’. The application process is quick and easy. You will simply be asked to enter some personal information. With Affirm you get no hidden fees. However, a down payment may be required. Payment options depend on your purchase amount.
Keep in mind that not all Straight Talk devices can be purchased through Affirm. You can see the models that can currently be bought with Affirm in the next chapter.
3. PayPal credit
Straight Talk also allows users to use PayPal credit. This option also allows you to get a new phone without paying any money down.
The process:
- Step 1: Choose a phone at their official website and put it in the cart.
- Step 2: When checking out, select PayPal as your payment option.
If you don’t have PayPal credit, you can simply apply for it. The process won’t take more than a couple of minutes. You can put your device on payments with Lay-Buy, which ships the device to your address as soon as you come back and pay. If you pay for the phone within six months, PayPal won’t charge any interest. However, while Lay-Buy doesn’t perform a credit check, PayPal does.
Which Phones Can I Get With Straight Talk Financing?
Straight Talk offers two general financing options for purchasing cellular phones – SmartPay and Affirm. Each of these options can help customers buy different mobile devices.
SmartPay
With SmartPay you can currently pay for the following cell phones in installments:
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip | Motorola RAZR 5G |
Apple iPhone 12 Pro | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G | Motorola Edge 5G |
Apple iPhone 12 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G | Motorola One Ace 5G |
Apple iPhone 12 Mini | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | Motorola G Stylus |
Apple iPhone 11 | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G | Motorola G Fast |
Apple iPhone SE | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ | Motorola G Power (2021) |
Apple iPhone XR | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G | Motorola G7 Plus |
Google Pixel 5 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Motorola G Stylus (2021) |
Google Pixel 4 XL | Samsung Galaxy S10+ | Motorola G Play (2021) |
Google Pixel 4a 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Motorola G Power |
Google Pixel 3a XL | Samsung Galaxy A71 5G | Motorola Moto E6 |
Google Pixel 4a | Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | Motorola E |
Microsoft Surface Duo | Samsung Galaxy S10e | Motorola E5 Play |
BLU G50 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S9+ | LG Q70 |
BLU C6L 2020 | Samsung Galaxy A51 | LG Stylo 6 |
BLU C5L 2020 | Samsung Galaxy A21 | LG K51 |
BLU View 2 | Samsung Galaxy A01 | LG K31 |
Nokia 8.3 5G | OnePlus 8 Pro 5G | LG Stylo 5 |
Nokia 5.4 | Alcatel Go Flip 3 | LG Aristo 3 |
Nokia 3.4 | Alcatel MYFLIP 2 | LG Aristo 3 Plus |
Nokia 2.4 | NUU F4L Flip Phone | LG Classic Flip |
Nokia 6300 4G |
Affirm
With Affirm you can currently pay for the following cell phones in installments:
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Google Pixel 5 5G | Motorola G Powe |
Apple iPhone XR | Google Pixel 4a | Motorola G Play (2021) |
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | Google Pixel 3a XL | BLU View 2 |
Samsung Galaxy S10 | LG Q70 | BLU C5L 2020 |
See More: The Cheapest Straight Talk Flip Phones
Alternative Ways For Straight Talk Phone Payment Plan
We have explored the various ways in which you can buy cell phones in different payment plans directly from Straight Talk and on their website. However, there are some other alternative ways to get Straight Talk phone financing support – through online stores and financial organizations.
1. Walmart
You can purchase Straight Talk phones at Walmart. Walmart is a partner of Affirm and offers financing support for several eligible merchandise categories, including mobile phones. As such you can buy a Straight Talk phone through Affirm at Walmart. With Affirm, an eCommerce loan service provider, you will get affordable monthly payments at your preferred pace (3, 6, or 12 months). You can either choose layaway or buy the item immediately and pay it off in time.
Simply select the device at Walmart.com, add it to the cart, enter your personal info, and then choose Affirm as a payment method and apply for a loan to pay for the device. If you decide to buy the product in-store, you can simply apply at affirm.com/Walmart, select your desired payment plan, scan your single-use barcode at the register, and them make payments online directly with Affirm. With Affirm, you won’t get any extra fees.
2. Amazon
The only official retailer of Straight Talk is Walmart, however, you can also buy Straight Talk devices on Amazon. If the device you are planning to offer costs over $499 and if it’s eligible, you can qualify for Amazon’s financing support with no interest. To do so, you must first apply for an Amazon Credit Account (you must be a U.S. resident and at least 18 years old), find a qualifying item online and add it to the cart, proceed to checkout, and select Amazon Credit Account.
3. eBay
eBay sellers who work with LendingPoint can obtain access to installment loans. However, the chances of finding a seller who offers financing support as well as sells Straight Talk phones are pretty slim. As such, it may be best to stick to Straight Talk’s online store.
What Type Of Plans Does Straight Talk Provide?
Straight Talk offers two major plans – Straight Talk Ultimate Unlimited Data Plan and Straight Talk Unlimited Plan with 5 GB. Let’s break them down.
Straight Talk Ultimate Unlimited Data Plan
This plan costs $50 a month plus $0.99 upfront for three months with the Auto-Pay discount. It comes with unlimited talk, text, and 4G data. For international calls, you can add a $10 international calling pack. The plan comes with no contract and it provides movie streaming in 480p, Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, and 411 calls for no extra charge.
Currently, there is a special deal that offers customers a $5 a month discount for 3 months with Auto-Refill and free shipping. Afterward, customers pay $55 a month with Auto-Refill and free shipping for a limited amount of time. In case you use up over 60 GB of data a month, they may review your account.
This data plan can be upgraded for 1 GB ($5) or 2 GB ($10). Unused data will roll over to the next billing cycle. With this plan, you earn points for renewing the plan, playing games, and referring to friends. With sufficient points, you become eligible for a free monthly program.
Straight Talk Unlimited Plan with 5 GB
This plan costs $34 a month plus $0.99 upfront and it comes with unlimited talk, text, 5 GB of 4G LTE data, and unlimited 2G data. Obviously, it is more suitable for those who are not big data users. For international calls, you can add a $10 international calling pack. The plan comes with no contract and it offers several other features, including Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, and 411 calls for no extra charge.
Currently, there is a special deal that offers customers a $1 a month discount every month upon enrolling in Auto-Refill and free shipping for a limited time. The program allows you to purchase additional 4G data for $5 (1 GB) or $10 (2 GB). Unused data will automatically roll over to the next billing cycle.
This plan will also earn you points for renewing your plan, playing games, and referring to friends. With sufficient points, you will be able to apply for a new monthly plan.
FAQ
Can I lease a phone from Straight Talk?
Yes, Straight Talk offers cell phone leasing with the possibility for the customer to pay off and eventually own the device. To own the device, you must complete all the payments. If you don’t want to pay it off and own it, you can simply return it. Cell phone leasing also allows you to make an early purchase if you pay it off before the payment term is over.
Does Straight Talk Phone Financing build credit?
It depends on the phone financing method you choose. SmartPay, for example, doesn’t perform a credit check and as such it doesn’t report your payment frequency and behavior to the credit bureaus. PayPal, on the other hand, will check your credit score and report your payment patterns to the credit bureaus, which will either lower or increase your credit score.
How do monthly installment payment plans work?
Straight Talk and other retailers often partner with financial organizations that provide lease-to-own payment options. To get a monthly installment plan, you must first make sure you meet the requirements, then you must apply for the plan and wait a few minutes to see if you qualify, and then you can buy a smartphone (in-store or online) and pay for it in installments with the application code.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, it is possible to get a phone financing plan for purchasing a Straight Talk device. While various independent companies and retailers offer Straight Talk phone payment plan, it’s easiest to get phone financing directly at Straight Talk, which offers installment plans through SmartPay, Affirm, and PayPal. Once you get the loan, you can purchase your dream phone as well as an eligible plan.