Yes, you do. This is one of the most common questions we get at BuyCell Cleveland, and it's a great one. Your lease payment and your phone bill are two completely separate things. Let's break down what each one covers so there's no confusion.
What your lease payment covers
When you lease a phone from BuyCell, your weekly payment — typically $25 to $50 per week — goes toward paying off the phone itself. Think of it like buying the device on a payment plan. Once you've made all your payments, the phone is 100% yours.
Your lease payment covers:
- The cost of the phone hardware — the actual device in your hand
- The ability to own it outright — once it's paid off, it belongs to you
That's it. Your lease payment does not include any phone service — no talk, text, or data.
What your phone bill covers
Your phone bill is what you pay to a carrier — like T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, or any other provider. That's the service that lets you make calls, send texts, and use the internet.
Without a carrier plan, your phone would only work on WiFi. So yes, you need both: a phone (that's what we provide) and a plan (that's what your carrier provides).
How much does a phone plan cost?
It depends on the carrier and the plan you choose. Here are some rough numbers:
- Prepaid plans (Cricket, Metro, Boost): $25-$50/month
- T-Mobile or AT&T postpaid: $50-$85/month for a single line
- Verizon postpaid: $65-$90/month for a single line
- MVNOs (Mint Mobile, Visible, etc.): $15-$30/month
If you're on a budget, prepaid carriers like Cricket or Metro are solid options. You get unlimited talk, text, and data for around $25-$40 a month with no contract.
Why this is actually a good thing
At a carrier store, they bundle the phone and the plan together. Sounds convenient, right? But here's the catch — they run a credit check. If your credit isn't great, you're either denied or stuck paying a massive deposit.
With BuyCell, we separate the two. We handle the phone with no credit check. You handle the plan on your own terms. That means you can pick the cheapest carrier, switch whenever you want, and you're never locked into a contract.
All our phones are unlocked
Every phone we lease is unlocked, which means it works with any carrier in the US. You're not tied to one provider. Pop in a SIM card from whatever carrier you prefer and you're good to go. If you decide to switch from T-Mobile to AT&T next month, no problem — just swap the SIM.
So what's my total monthly cost?
Here's a realistic example. Say you lease an iPhone 14 from us at $40/week and you get a $30/month Cricket plan:
- Lease payment: ~$160/month ($40 x 4 weeks)
- Phone plan: $30/month
- Total: ~$190/month
And remember — the lease payments stop once the phone is paid off (usually 5-6 months). After that, you just pay for your carrier plan like everyone else.
If you have more questions about how lease payments work or need help choosing a carrier plan, give us a call at (440) 306-3486 or stop by our store at 6571 Pearl Rd in Parma Heights. We're happy to help you figure out the best setup for your budget.