Cheapest Telco plan for iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max (Maxis vs CelcomDigi vs U Mobile vs YES)
A telco postpaid plan is one of the most common ways to get your hands on the latest iPhone 18 Pro series in Malaysia.
In this article, our goal is to find out the cheapest way to own the latest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max 256GB via telcos with the following considerations:
- 24 months plan (because it reduces financing costs compared to 36 months even though monthly amount is smaller)
- Considers the overall financial outlay over 24 months
- Advantages of buying it through a telco versus direct from Apple or authorised resellers
- 3 key things to take note of when subscribing to a telco plan
iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) Telco comparison 2026
VERDICT as of 14 Sept 2026: YES comes out cheapest at RM6,552 over 24 months, followed extremely closely by U Mobile at RM6,624 (difference of RM72).
| Rank | Telco | Cheapest eligible plan | Phone instalment / month | Plan / month | Actual monthly commitment | 24-month total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Yes | Basic 58 | RM215 | RM58 | RM273 | RM6,552 |
| 🥈 | U Mobile | ULTRA Postpaid 68 | RM208 | RM68 | RM276 | RM6,624 |
| 🥉 | Maxis | Postpaid 89 | RM218 | RM89 | RM307 | RM7,368 |
| 4 | CelcomDigi | Postpaid 5G 100 | RM208 | RM100 | RM308 | RM7,392 |
iPhone 18 Pro Max (256GB) Telco comparison 2026
If you are looking at the Pro Max model, YES still comes out cheapest at RM7,008 over 24 months, followed extremely closely by U Mobile at RM7,080 (still a difference of RM72).
| Rank | Telco | Cheapest eligible plan | Phone instalment/ month | Plan / month | Actual monthly commitment | 24-month total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Yes | Basic 58 | RM234 | RM58 | RM292 | RM7,008 |
| 🥈 | U Mobile | ULTRA Postpaid 68 | RM227 | RM68 | RM295 | RM7,080 |
| 🥉= | Maxis | Postpaid 89 | RM238 | RM89 | RM327 | RM7,848 |
| 🥉= | CelcomDigi | Postpaid 5G 100 | RM227 | RM100 | RM327 | RM7,848 |
Advantages of buying it through a telco versus direct from Apple or authorised resellers
Buying from a telco has a few advantages as listed below:
- One less bill to worry – Since we all need a telco plan for our daily use, we can add on a device and pay for it monthly together
- The purchase does not affect your credit limit if you were to buy it directly from Apple or Apple Authorised Resellers via their interest free instalment plans using your bank credit card
- Some telcos have additional device protection plans to cover your devices purchased from the telco.
3 key things to take note of when subscribing to a telco plan
- The monthly price per month is not the total amount you pay per month,
- e.g. RM65 per month for YES only applies if you subscribe to their ULTRA 178 plan, which makes the total monthly bill RM 243 over 36 months
- Total ownership cost: RM 8,748
2. During the duration of the telco- who actually owns the phone? Telcos generally take 2 approaches:
- The device is considered yours after all device instalments are fully paid; until then, the title belongs to the telco
- YES
- U Mobile
- Phone belongs to you upon purchase, and the amount is paid via instalment plans:
- CelcomDigi
- Maxis
There are specific financial penalties if the subscriber does not complete their obligation of the contract which consumers have to take note of when they sign with a telco.
3. What happens if the device breaks or is lost during the contract period?
Generally, all telcos’ T&Cs state that users are responsible for loss, theft, damages and have to continue paying for the contracted monthly charges. Repairs and maintenance costs falls on the customers.
CelcomDigi has an additional device lock feature whereby they can block/lock the device if it is reported to be lost or stolen, or when fraud is suspected or when payments are overdue.
Final conclusion
Which telco is best to buy the iPhone 18 Pro series from? Well, it is also a combination of other factors such as your own preference for a telco brand, their coverage, the plan’s benefits and if you have family plans to make it more worthwhile as a package.
How do you buy your iPhone? Vote below and let us know!
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