Today (October 15) marks the start of pre-orders for the iPhone 13 series. While retailers like Beyond the Box is bundling off several freebies as part of their pre-order promo, local telcos Globe and Smart have their own postpaid plans for the iPhone 13 series in the Philippines. We break down to you the postpaid offerings for both Smart and Globe to help you decide which is the right postpaid plan for you.

To make the comparison fair, we will be comparing prices under the Plan 1999 offering of both Smart and Globe, will all prices based on a new subscription with a 24-month lock-in period. In addition to that, all iPhone 13 variants mentioned will refer to the base 128GB storage variant.

Smart

Under their Signature L Plan, Smart Postpaid is offering the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max with a one-time cash-out of Php 35,400 and Php 41,300 respectively. Under the same plan, the iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13 can be availed with a one-time cash-out of Php 17,600 and Php 23,500 respectively.

Signature L gives you 15GB open-access data, Unlimited AllNet calls and text, 150 minutes for PLDT calls, and data rollover. The latter means that all unused data from the previous month will be carried over the following month. On top of that, Signature L also comes bundled with a 6-month subscription to Apple Music, which means those subscribing under Smart Signature will also get to enjoy lossless and High Fidelity music with their iPhone 13. All Smart Signature Plans are under a 24-month lock-in period.

Globe

Under their GPlan 1999, Globe Postpaid offers a one-time payment of Php 14,400 for the iPhone 13 Mini and Php 20,400 for the iPhone 13. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is offered under the same plan with a one-time payment of Php 38,400 and Php 43,200 respectively. 

GPlan 1999 comes with 15GB open access data, Unli AllNet Texts and Calls, Unli Calls to Globe Duo and Landline, 3GB GoWiFi data allocation, and data rollover. In addition to that, you get free access to KonsultaMD, 3-months insurance from GInsure, 3 months standard VIP access to iQIYI, and 3 months standard VIP access to WeTV. All Globe GPlans are under a 24-month lock-in period, though they are also offering a 36-month lock-in period for those who want a lower one-time payment.

Which is the better postpaid plan?

If our basis is with the one-time cashout payment, it is better to get the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max via Smart Signature, while Globe has a better deal for the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini. However, Globe also offers a longer 36-month lock-in period for a lower one-time cashout–though not everyone will opt for a longer lock-in period.

Looking through value-added features, Smart has an upper hand for its 6-months Apple Music subscription. 6 months of Apple Music is valued at Php 774, which is higher than the 3-month subscriptions of WeTV (Php 390/3 months) and iQIYI (Php 290/3 months) offered by Globe–and this is why Globe offers additional 3-month insurance from GInsure.

With all factors considered, Smart’s postpaid offerings offer better value for money in the long run, while Globe offers more flexibility with 24-month and 36-month lock-in period options.