Ultimate Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Telco Price vs Sim-Only Price Comparison + Pre-Order Promotions And Availability
Joel Koh●
In a move that surprised no one, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S21 series of phones will ship without a charger after it made fun of Apple for doing so.
But hilarious backpedalling aside, the company has just announced the latest iterations of the Galaxy S lineup: the Samsung Galaxy S21 series of phones with 5G
Most significantly, this year’s Galaxy S21 phones are actually cheaper than last year’s Galaxy S20 phones at launch.
For example, the Samsung Galaxy S20 (128GB) launched at a recommended retail price (RRP) of $1,298 while the Galaxy S21 with double the storage is launching at an RRP $1,248.
If you are looking to buy a Galaxy S21 series phone, you are in the right place.
Check out our comparison of getting a Samsung Galaxy S21 series phone from the telcos (Circles.Life, Singtel, Starhub and M1) with a contract; versus getting it directly from Samsung and taking up a cheap SIM-Only plan (Grid Mobile).
As far as possible, we are comparing the plans with a similar amount of mobile data as the main criteria.
We will also be comparing the pre-order goodies you get as well!
TL;DR: Ultimate Samsung Galaxy S21 Telco Price vs Samsung Galaxy S21 SIM-Only Price Comparison
| Details | Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Buy Direct From Samsung | Circles.Life Plan | M1 Base Plan + $10 | Singtel XO 48 | StarHub Mobile+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (256GB) | ||||
| Upfront Cost | $1,248 | $0 | $630 | $628 | $499 |
| Monthly Subsciption | $17.90 | $70 | $50 | $48 | $65 |
| Total Cost (24 Months) | $1,678 | $1,680 | $1,770 | $1,780 | $2,059 |
| Contract Length | No Contract | No Contract* | 24 Months | ||
| Data | 20GB | 20GB | 17GB | 10GB | 30GB |
| Talktime | 120 mins | 300 mins | 200 mins | 100 mins | 200 mins |
| SMS | 50 SMS | 25 SMS | 200 SMS | 100 SMS | 200 SMS |
| Caller ID | Free | Free | Free for 3 months for new sign-ups Free for 6 months for port-in | $5.35/month + $10.70 activation fee | Free |
| 5G Network | No | No | Free 5G for up to 6 months | 6 FREE months of 5G NOW ($15/mth thereafter, 12-mth term) on Combo 2 & above plans | Yes |
| Additional Perks | Free SIM card & registration | Free SIM card & registration | 3 months Free weekend data for new sign-ups (or 6 months if switching to M1) 12 free months VIU Premium | $50 OFF with MobileSwop Unlimited Premium (12-mth contract) 6 FREE months of Microsoft 365® Personal ($6.90/mth thereafter, 12-mth term) Get data-free Spotify Premium for just $0.10 for 2 months. Plus, get $10 Grab vouchers when you sign up. Enjoy 3 months of Viu Premium on us (U.P. $4.90/mth), no contract required Enjoy 3 months of selected CAST packs on us (U.P. $5.90/mth each), no contract required | Free 12 months of StarHub TV+ & Hotstar Free 1 month Antstream Enjoy an extra $300 OFF when you switch to StarHub or sign up for a new line. (Applicable to Mobile+ $95 2-year plan and above) |
| Pre-Order Gifts | Galaxy S21 & S21+: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21 Ultra: Galaxy Buds Pro (silver) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) BLE 12 months of Samsung Care+ | $200 phone upgrade voucher every 2 years 3 months of free Unlimited Data | Galaxy S21: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21+ & Ultra: Galaxy Tab A7 (64GB, Wi-Fi) |
||
*For CirclesLife’s 24-month Samsung Galaxy S21 combo plans (with phone), there is no contract as you can terminate the contract anytime without incurring any termination fees. But, do note that the $18 monthly fee you are paying for the plan is a promotional offer for new users that will revert back to $28 monthly after a year.
You will also need to continue paying up the remaining amount you owe on the instalment plans for the cost of the phone.
Here are your options, click on the links to jump to a section.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 series overview
- Buying direct from Samsung and taking up a SIM-Only Plan
- Circles.Life iPhone 12 Telco Prices
- M1 iPhone 12 Telco Prices
- Singtel iPhone 12 Telco Prices
- StarHub iPhone 12 Telco Prices
Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Overview
But before we begin, here is a quick overview of the phones:
Samsung Galaxy S21 Design
Also, an important thing to note is that all three phones have Corning Gorilla Glass Victus screens.
But, both the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+ have a plastic back while the S21 Ultra has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus back.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Specifications
| Details | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
|---|---|---|---|
| RRP (256GB Storage) | $1,248 | $1,498 | $1,798 |
| RRP (512GB Storage) | - | S$1,998 | |
| Operating System | Android 11 with One UI 3.1 | ||
| Display | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat) 1080 x 2400 pixels (421 ppi) 120Hz, HDR 10+ Max 1300 nits brightness | 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat) 1080 x 2400 pixels (421 ppi) 120Hz, HDR 10+ Max 1300 nits brightness | 6.8" Dynamic AMOLED 2X (Curved) 1440 x 3200 pixels (515 ppi) 120Hz (10 - 120Hz), HDR 10+ Max 1500 nits brightness |
| Front Camera | 10MP Selfie Supports up to 4K@30/60fps video recording | 10MP Selfie Supports up to 4K@30/60fps video recording | 40MP Selfie Supports up to 4K@30/60fps video recording |
| Main Cameras | 12MP Ultra Wide 12MP Wide 64MP (1.1x Optical zoom) | 12MP Ultra Wide 12MP Wide 64MP (1.1x Optical zoom) | 12MP Ultra Wide 108MP Wide 10MP Telephoto (3x Optical zoom) 10MP Telephoto (10x Optical zoom) |
| Man Camera Video | Supports up to 8K@24fps | ||
| Processor | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) | ||
| Storage & Ram | 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM 512GB 16GB RAM |
| Battery | 4000 mAh Fast charging 25W USB Power Delivery 3.0 Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W Reverse wireless charging 4.5W | 4800 mAh Fast charging 25W USB Power Delivery 3.0 Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W Reverse wireless charging 4.5W | 5000 mAh Fast charging 25W USB Power Delivery 3.0 Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W Reverse wireless charging 4.5W |
| Micro SD Card Slot | No | ||
| 3.5mm Jack | No | ||
| 5G Support | Yes | ||
| Fingerprint | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor | ||
| Dust & Water Resistance | IP68 (Water resistant to a depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes) |
||
| S Pen Compatibility | No | Yes (S Pen sold separately) |
|
| Colours | Phantom Violet Phantom Gray Phantom White Phantom Pink | Phantom Violet Phantom Silver Phantom Black | Phantom Silver Phantom Black |
Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price
In terms of pricing, the phones retail from S$1,248 for the most affordable S21 phone, to S$1,798 for the most expensive S21 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Launch Date Singapore
At the time of writing, the phones are now available for pre-order if you are buying a set without a contract or via the telcos from 15 Jan 2021, 10am.
Once you have pre-ordered your Galaxy S21 series phone, you can expect to receive the phones by 29 Jan 2021.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Series (No-Contract) Pre-Order Promotion
If you choose to pre-order the Galaxy S21 series phones directly from Samsung without a contract via the:
- Samsung Online Store
- Samsung Official Stores on Lazada and Shopee.
- Samsung Experience Stores
- Selected information technology or consumer electronic goods stores.
You are entitled to the following pre-order gifts after payment has been made and the phone is collected:
- Galaxy S21 or S21+ pre-order gift: Free pair of Galaxy Buds Live (black) + Smart Tag (black) BLE (total worth $336) and Samsung Care+ for 12 months (worth $100)
- Galaxy S21 Ultra pre-order gift: Free pair of Galaxy Buds Pro (silver) + Smart Tag (black) BLE (total worth $356) and Samsung Care+ for 12 months (worth $100)
Do note that the offers end 28 Jan 2021. While stocks last. T&Cs apply.
For all Galaxy S21 series phones, you will get free four months of YouTube Premium as well.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Telco Pre-Order Promotion
If you choose to pre-order the Galaxy S21 series phones with a contract from the telcos:
- Singtel
- Starhub
- M1
You are entitled to the following pre-order gifts after payment has been made and the phone is collected:
- Galaxy S21 pre-order gift: Galaxy SmartTag (Black) and Galaxy Buds Live (Black) with a total RRP of $336
- Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra pre-order gift: Galaxy Tab A7 (64GB, Wi-Fi) with RRP of $448
Also do note that the Galaxy S21 Series 5G phones are available for pre-order direct from Samsung or the telcos till 28 Jan 2021.
Keep this in mind. Now let’s move on to the comparison.
Cheapest SIM Only Plans Singapore
To find the cheapest SIM Only plans we will be referring to the comprehensive comparison of the cheapest SIM Only plans that we put together.
For the cheapest SIM-Only plans, your top two options for the cheapest SIM Only plan are:
- TPG 50GB SIM Only Plan ($10/month)
- Grid Mobile 20GB SIM Only Plan ($17.90/month)
Amongst the three, Grid Mobile will be used for the comparison as it is the second most affordable mobile plan and has quite a bit of data.
We are not looking at TPG as their network coverage is not as comprehensive as M1, Singtel and StarHub or Circles.Life or Grid Mobile which uses M1 and Singtel’s network respectively.
Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Samsung Galaxy S21 (256GB) With No-Contract Plan And Cost
For the uninitiated, Grid Mobile is one of the newer MVNOs and is a joint venture between Singtel and ST Telemedia.
Apart from TPG’s offering, Grid Mobile’s 20GB SIM Only Mobile Plan which costs just $17.90 a month is a good deal in our books.
You even get free Caller ID (erm… hello? Singtel? Why’re you still charging for it on your own SIM Only plan?!).
However, do note that you will have to do without 5G
To illustrate the total cost of this approach, we will be buying a Samsung Galaxy S21 (256GB), and subscribing to Grid Mobile’s 20GB SIM Only Mobile Plan for 24 months.
We are using the Galaxy S21 as I would think that this is the phone most people would buy, considering that it the most affordable phone in the S21 lineup.
Cost
- Monthly Gird Mobile Subscription Costs (24 Months): $430 (rounded up)
- Samsung Galaxy S21 (256GBUpfront Costs: $1,248
- Total Cost: $1,678
Circles Life Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ And S21 Ultra Combo Plan
First up we have the prices for the Circles.Life’s Samsung Galaxy S21 series combo plans.
| Details | Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Buy Direct From Samsung | Circles.Life: Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (256GB) | Circles.Life: Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (256GB) | Circles.Life: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (256GB) | Circles.Life: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (512GB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | $1,248 | $0 | |||
| Monthly Subscription Fee | $17.90 | $70 | $80.42 | $92.92 | $101.25 |
| Contract Length | No Contract | No Contract* | |||
| Total Cost (24 Months) | $1,678 | $1,680 | $1,930.08 | $2,230.08 | $2,430 |
| Data | 20GB | 20GB | |||
| Talktime | 120 mins | 300 mins | |||
| Caller ID | Free | Free | |||
| SMS | 50 SMS | 25 SMS | |||
| 5G | No | ||||
| Additional Perks | Free SIM card & registration | Free SIM card & registration | |||
| Pre-Order Gifts | Galaxy S21 & S21+: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21 Ultra: Galaxy Buds Pro (silver) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) BLE 12 months of Samsung Care+ | $200 phone upgrade voucher every 2 years 3 months of free Unlimited Data |
|||
For CirclesLife’s 24-month Samsung Galaxy S21 combo plans (with phone) that costs $70 per month; there is no contract as you can terminate the contract anytime without incurring any penalty.
But, do note that the $18 monthly fee you are paying for the plan is a promotional offer for new users that will revert back to $28 monthly after a year.
You will also need to continue paying up the remaining amount you owe on the instalment plans for the cost of the phone.
As such, for the Circles.Life Samsung Galaxy S21 series telco plans, you are basically paying for the price of the SIM-Only subscription and the cost of the phone.
When you compare the Grid Mobile + buying the Samsung Galaxy S21 approach, to the Circles.Life S21 Combo plan; you’ll find that the Grid Mobile approach is still slightly more affordable.
For example, you will be paying $1,678 in total if you bought the S21 directly and used Grid Mobile for 24 months.
Circles.Life Galaxy S21 Price
With Circles.Life, you will be paying $1,680 in total. That’s a negligible $2 difference over 24 months if you’re counting.
Also, there is no 5G for the Circles.Life plan.
Circles.Life Payment
As for payment, you can pay for your Circles.Life plan’s mobile plan fee directly with your credit card or debit card (Visa, Mastercard or Amex).
But for the phone itself, you can only pay for it via the Installment Payment Plan offered on DBS/POSB Credit Cards (Visa or Mastercard only).
Thus, the total cost of the phone split evenly into 24 monthly instalments with 0% interest and no upfront costs.
Granted, you can also choose to pay for the full cost of the phone upfront with your credit card or debit card (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) too.
Circles.Life Pre-Order Gifts
If you pre-order the phone from Circles.Life, you will get free three months of free Unlimited Data with a flexible data plan and other benefits such as a $200 phone upgrade voucher every two years!
But unfortunately, you will be missing out on the pre-order gifts like the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds Pro, the Galaxy SmartTag or the Galaxy Tab A7.
Next, we have the prices for M1’s Samsung Galaxy S21 series plans.
M1 Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ And S21 Ultra Plans
| Details | Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Buy Direct From Samsung | M1 $40 Base plan | $10 Add-on | $38 Add-on | $70 Add-on | $195 Add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription Fee | $17.90 | $40.00 | $50.00 | $78.00 | $110.00 | $235.00 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,248 $1,678 | $850 $1,810 | $630 $1,830 | $350 $2,222 | $90 $1,770 | $0 $5,640 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,498 $1,928 | $1,070 $2,030 | $850 $2,050 | $570 $2,442 | $320 $2,000 | $0 $5,640 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,798 $2,228 | $1,320 $2,280 | $1,100 $2,300 | $850 $2,722 | $600 $2,280 | $80 $5,720 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (512GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,998 $2,428 | $1,500 $2,460 | $1,280 $2,480 | $1,030 $2,902 | $790 $2,470 | $360 $5,640 |
| Contract Length | No contract | 24 months | ||||
| Data | 20GB | 12GB | 17GB | 42GB | 77GB | 112GB |
| Talktime | 120 mins | 100 mins | 200 mins | 300 mins | 500 mins | Unlimited mins |
| SMS | 50 | 100 SMS | 200 SMS | 350 SMS | 500 SMS | 1,000 SMS |
| Caller ID | Free | Free for 3 months for new sign-ups Free for 6 months for port-in |
||||
| 5G | - | Free 5G for up to 6 months | ||||
| Additional Perks | - | 3 months Free weekend data for new sign-ups (or 6 months if switching to M1) 12 free months VIU Premium |
||||
| Pre-Order Gifts | Galaxy S21 & S21+: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21 Ultra: Galaxy Buds Pro (silver) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) BLE 12 months of Samsung Care+ | Galaxy S21: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21+ & Ultra: Galaxy Tab A7 (64GB, Wi-Fi) |
||||
When you compare the Grid Mobile + buying the phone with no contract approach to the M1 plans; you’ll find that you will have to pay more, with the difference in price expanding when you move up to the more expensive phone plans.
For example, let’s look at the Samsung Galaxy S21.
For Grid approach, you will have to pay $1,248 upfront for the and just $17.90 a month for however long you like as there is no contract.
But for the purposes of this comparison, we would assume you will use Grid mobile for 24 months.
In total, you will only be paying just $1,678.
Samsung Galaxy S21 M1 Price
However, if you opt for the M1 base plan + $1 add-on for comparable data, you will have to pay $630 for upfront for the phone and $50 a month for the plan.
In total, you will only be paying $1,830, a good $152 more than the Grid mobile approach!
Granted, you get up to 6 months of free 5G if pre-order the phone from M1.
M1 Samsung Galaxy S21 Pre-Order Perks
But on balance, M1 is offering three months of free weekend data for new sign-ups (or six months if switching to M1) and 12 free months of VIU Premium.
You also get the Galaxy A7 (64GB, Wi-Fi) tablet for the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra if you buy the phone from M1 with a 2-year contract.
Singtel Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ And S21 Ultra Plans
Next up we have Singtel who have also released information about their Samsung Galaxy S21 series telco plans.
Details Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Buy Direct From Samsung XO 48 XO 78 XO 108 Combo 2 Combo 3 Combo 6 Combo 12
Monthly Subscription Fee $17.90 $48.00 $78.00 $108.00 $42.90 $72.90 $99.90 $239.90
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (256GB)
Upfront Cost
Total Cost (24 months)$1,248
$1,678$628
$1,780$348
$2,220$88
$2,680$698
$1,727.60$448
$2,197.60$188
$2,585.60$0
$5,757.60
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (256GB)
Upfront Cost
Total Cost (24 months)$1,498
$1.928$858
$2,010$568
$2,440$318
$2,910$958
$1,987.60$668
$2,417.60$418
$2,815.60$0
$5,757.60
Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (256GB)
Upfront Cost
Total Cost (24 months)$1,798
$2,228$1,128
$2,280$848
$2,720$598
$3,190$1,228
$2,257.60$948
$2,697.60$698
$3,095.60$18
$5,775.60
Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (512GB)
Upfront Cost
Total Cost (24 months)$1,998
$2,428$1,308
$2,460
$1,048
$$798
$3,390$1,418
$2,447.60$1,148
$2,897.60$898
$3,295.60$298
$6,055.60
Contract Length No Contract 24 Months
Data 20GB 10GB 40GB 70GB 2GB 4GB 7GB 12GB
Talktime 120 mins 100 mins 300 mins 500 mins 200 mins 10,000 mins
SMS 50 100 SMS 300 SMS 500 SMS 1,000 SMS 10,000 SMS
Caller ID Free $5.35/month +
$10.70 activation fee
5G - 6 FREE months of 5G NOW ($15/mth thereafter, 12-mth term) on Combo 2 & above plans
Pre-Order Gifts (Phone) Galaxy S21 & S21+:
Galaxy Buds Live (black)
Galaxy Smart Tag (black)
12 months of Samsung Care+
Galaxy S21 Ultra:
Galaxy Buds Pro (silver)
Galaxy Smart Tag (black) BLE
12 months of Samsung Care+Galaxy S21:
Galaxy Buds Live (black)
Galaxy Smart Tag (black)
12 months of Samsung Care+
Galaxy S21+ & Ultra:
Galaxy Tab A7 (64GB, Wi-Fi)
Pre-Order Gifts (Singtel Contract) - $50 OFF with MobileSwop Unlimited Premium (12-mth contract)
$200 OFF on a new XO 78 & above plan.
$100 OFF with upgrade to XO 78 or XO 108 plan
$50 OFF with new Fibre Broadband sign-up
Pre-Order Gifts (External) - 6 FREE months of Microsoft 365®
Personal ($6.90/mth thereafter, 12-mth term)
Get data-free Spotify Premium for just $0.10 for 2 months. Plus, get $10 Grab vouchers when you sign up.
Enjoy 3 months of Viu Premium on us (U.P. $4.90/mth), no contract required
Enjoy 3 months of selected CAST packs on us (U.P. $5.90/mth each), no contract required
StarHub Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ And S21 Ultra Plans
Now let’s look at StarHub’s contract offerings for the Samsung Galaxy S21 series.
You will receive an additional $300 phone discount if you are switching from other telcos to StarHub.
But, do note that this discount is only applicable to Mobile+ $95 2-year plan and above. Also, you get free Caller Number Display too!
Plus, you have the option to pay for the phone via instalments over the 24-month contract with $0 upfront cost.
Not to mention that if you sign up for StarHub’s Mobile+ plan, you are enrolled into StarHub’s 5G network at no extra cost.
Here are the price plans:
| Details | Grid Mobile SIM Only Plan + Buy Direct From Samsung | Mobile+ ($65) | Mobile+ ($95) | Mobile+ ($155) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription Fee | $17.90 | $65.00 | $95.00 | $155.00 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,248 $1,678 | $499 $2,059 | $199 $2,479 | $0 $3,720 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,498 $1,928 | $719 $2,279 | $449 $2,729 | $0 $3,720 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (256GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,798 $2,228 | $969 $2,529 | $699 $2,979 | $149 $3,869 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21+ Ultra 5G (512GB) Upfront Cost Total Cost (24 months) | $1,998 $2,428 | $1,149 $2,709 | $889 $3,169 | $349 $4,069 |
| Contract Length | No contract | 24 Months | ||
| Data | 20GB | 30GB | 60GB | 120GB |
| Talktime | 120 mins | 200 mins | 600 mins | 1,000 mins |
| SMS | 50 | 200 SMS | 600 SMS | 1,000 SMS |
| Caller ID | Free | Free | ||
| 5G | - | Free access to StarHub's 5G network | ||
| Additional Perks | - | Free 12 months of StarHub TV+ & Hotstar Free 1 month Antstream Enjoy an extra $300 OFF when you switch to StarHub or sign up for a new line. (Applicable to Mobile+ $95 2-year plan and above) |
||
| Pre-Order Gifts | Galaxy S21 & S21+: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21 Ultra: Galaxy Buds Pro (silver) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) BLE 12 months of Samsung Care+ | Galaxy S21: Galaxy Buds Live (black) Galaxy Smart Tag (black) 12 months of Samsung Care+ Galaxy S21+ & Ultra: Galaxy Tab A7(Gray, 64GB, Wi-Fi) |
||
When you compare the Grid Mobile + buying the phone with no contract approach to the Starhub plans; you’ll find that you will have to pay more, with the difference in price expanding when you move up to the more expensive phone plans.
For example, let’s look at the Samsung Galaxy S21.
For Grid approach, you will have to pay $1,248 upfront for the and just $17.90 a month for however long you like as there is no contract.
But for the purposes of this comparison, we would assume you will use Grid mobile for 24 months.
In total, you will only be paying just $1,678.
StarHub Samsung Galaxy S21 Prices
However, if you opt for the basic Mobile+ ($65) plan, you will have to pay $499 upfront for the phone and $65 a month for the plan.
In total, you will only be paying $2,059, about a good $381 more than the Grid mobile approach.
However, you will be getting free 5G and 10GB more data for about $16 a month.
Starhub also offers 24-month device instalment plans, for customers who prefer to pay $0 upfront and spread out the cost of the phone.
The best part, you don’t need a credit card for their instalment plans.
Also, do note that the pre-order gifts are only available to customers who pre-ordered the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Series from 15 January 2021 to 26 January 2021
Closing Thoughts
Aside from Circles Life, you will be paying anywhere from $102 to $381 more when you sign up for a two-year contract with the telcos for the most affordable Galaxy S21.
Sure you get 5G connectivity and some perks for StarHub and a few months for M1, but you will be locked into a two-year contract with them.
I would very prefer the SIM-Only and no contract approach as I would not want to get locked into a contract and pay more.
But that’s just me.
However, if you have access to a Corporate Individual (CIS) scheme, it should be worth it to get a telco set as you can recontract after 21 months.
The overall discount is about 25 per cent, but you might want to do the math and compare prices.
Otherwise, the SIM only route is usually better.
Pro-tip: some people will sell their brand new telco bought Samsung phones for a bit lower than retail prices on platforms like Carousell. You might be able to snag a deal so do check it out!
Speaking of Sim-Only, check out our FREE Seedly Mobile Plans comparison tool if you are looking for the best SIM-Only plan for your phone!
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