Self-Purchase MVNO vs Carrier Calculator

Self-Purchase MVNO vs Carrier Calculator helps Compare two everyday planning options using upfront cost, recurring cost, and time horizon assumptions.

Unlocked phone plus MVNO vs carrier contract

Uses the Korean 2026 model with public subsidy, post-2025 distribution subsidy, selected-contract 25% discount, 5.9% carrier installment interest, card discount, MVNO plan, and break-even.

Winner

Unlocked + MVNO

Savings

₩774,928

Unlocked total

₩1,895,000

Carrier best total

₩2,669,928

Carrier best method
선택약정 25%
Monthly savings
₩32,289
Carrier installment interest
₩62,928
Break-even
14 months

Related calculators

Unlocked phone plus MVNO vs carrier contract guide

This English page translates the Korean self-purchase plus MVNO versus carrier contract calculator and calls calculateSelfPurchaseVsCarrier, calculateCarrierPlan, calculateSelf, calculateInstallment, and calculateBreakeven. It preserves the 2025-07-22 Mobile Device Distribution Act repeal note, public subsidy, extra distribution subsidy, selected-contract 25% discount, carrier installment interest 5.9%, card discount, MVNO plan, period months, KRW 30,000 tie threshold, and break-even logic.

Carrier contract methods

The carrier branch calculates both public-subsidy method and selected-contract method. Public subsidy subtracts public subsidy plus extra subsidy from device price, while selected contract subtracts only extra subsidy and applies a 25% monthly-plan discount.

Device installment uses equal principal-and-interest repayment. The default annual installment rate is 5.9%, so the carrier total includes both device principal and installment interest.

Unlocked phone and MVNO branch

The self-purchase branch subtracts card or affiliate discount from list price. Lump-sum and interest-free installment have the same total device cost, but only installment produces a monthly device burden.

The MVNO plan is multiplied by the same comparison period. The total self-purchase cost is net device price plus MVNO plan cost over the selected months.

Savings and break-even

The winner is self-purchase, carrier, or tie. If the total difference is within KRW 30,000, the Korean model treats it as tied because promotion timing can easily exceed that gap.

Break-even differs by purchase method. Lump-sum self-purchase recovers the initial device burden through the monthly plan gap, while interest-free installment compares monthly cost immediately.