Are you someone who likes to have the latest mobile phone in your hands but not the price tag that comes along with upgrading every year? If so, you might be the perfect customer for AT&T Next Up, a feature that lets you upgrade your phone early, even if you haven’t yet paid off your current device. Learn how it works and whether it’s worth the additional monthly cost.
What Is the AT&T Next Up Program?
AT&T Next Up is a program for AT&T mobile customers, allowing them to upgrade to a new smartphone before they pay off their old one. The program specifically helps customers who use AT&T’s installment payments to pay off their cell phones every month rather than pay the full cost upfront.
Pros
- Early upgrades
- Affordable monthly payments
- Always have the latest technology
- Trade-in value offsets costs
- Canceling doesn’t affect installment plan
Cons
- Additional monthly fee
- Trade-in requirements
- Phone condition
- Long-term commitment
How AT&T Next Up Works
AT&T Next Up is only for AT&T mobile customers. If you sign up for AT&T Next Up, you’ll have the option to trade in your current AT&T phone when you’ve paid off at least half of its total cost. You can choose to add AT&T Next Up to your plan when you choose a new device from AT&T and pay for it with AT&T’s monthly installment plan.
How Much Does AT&T Next Up Cost?
| Plan | AT&T Installment Plan | With AT&T Next Up | With AT&T Next Up Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail price | $1,199.99 | $1,199.99 | $1,199.99 |
| Monthly payment | $33.34/mo.* | $33.34/mo.* + $6/mo. | $33.34/mo.* + $10/mo. |
| When can I upgrade? | When 100% of the device is paid off: $1,199.99 | When 50% of the device is paid off: $599.99 | After one installment payment: $43.34 |
| Eligibility for smartphone deals | When 100% of the device is paid off: $1,199.99 | Every 18 months, when 50% of the device is paid off: $599.99 | Every year, when one-third of the device is paid off: $399.99 |
You’ll pay $6 per month to access AT&T Next Up capabilities. Say, for example, you want to buy the latest iPhone model right now, but you also plan to upgrade next year when the next model is set to be released. If you opt into AT&T Next Up, you’ll pay an extra $6 per month toward your AT&T phone installment plan (if your phone is $34 per month, you’ll pay $40 per month, total). This gives you the ability to trade your current phone in once you’ve paid at least 50% of your current phone’s cost.
What Is AT&T Next Up Anytime?
AT&T Next Up Anytime was introduced in mid-2024 as another option for AT&T mobile customers who like to upgrade frequently. With AT&T Next Up Anytime, you don’t have to wait as long to upgrade your phone as you do on AT&T Next Up.
Next Up Anytime vs Next Up
With Next Up Anytime, you can upgrade to a new device once you make at least one installment payment on your current device. If you wait to upgrade when your device is at least 33% paid off, you can get additional deals on your next smartphone upgrade. AT&T Next Up Anytime allows you to upgrade as many as three times per year, allowing you to always get the latest device.
How Much Does AT&T Next Up Anytime Cost?
AT&T Next Up Anytime costs an extra $10 per month in addition to the monthly payment for your device’s installment plan. If your phone costs $40 per month, you’ll pay $50 total to add on AT&T Next Up Anytime.
Is AT&T Next Up Worth It?
Home connectivity is important for many individuals and households, and having the latest mobile device can only improve your capabilities. Like deciding which of the best internet providers is right for you, it’s a good idea to compare the features of different mobile carriers to determine which company has the features you need and want.
If you’re a frequent phone upgrader, AT&T Next Up is probably worth it, so long as the rest of an AT&T plan fits your budget. Just keep in mind that if you use AT&T Next Up, you won’t get to keep your old device, which is a drawback if you like to sell your old cell phones for cash. If you’re a budget-conscious consumer who tends to use a phone for a few years before upgrading, it probably won’t make sense for you to switch to AT&T to access AT&T Next Up.
The good news is that the feature is always there if you decide to use it, and there’s no obligation to opt in if you’re an AT&T customer.
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Advantages of AT&T Next Up and AT&T Next Up Anytime
Is AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime worth the cost? Here are a few pros to consider.
Early Upgrades
The most obvious benefit of both of these plans is that you get to upgrade early without the need to pay off your current device. If you decide to upgrade before paying off your current phone, the remaining payments for your device will get wiped, allowing you to focus solely on the installment payments for your new phone. Plus, with Next Up Anytime, you can upgrade any time you wish, even if you’ve only made one payment on your current device—great news if you’re not a superfan of your current phone.
Affordable Monthly Payments
You’ll pay just $6 extra per month with AT&T Next Up or $10 for AT&T Next Up Anytime to get the benefit of upgrading early. Those are small prices to pay to have more leeway to upgrade when you’d like rather than waiting to pay off your device in full. Think of it like renting a phone; you’ll make affordable payments to use your current device for as long as you’d like but can swap it when you’re ready for something new without putting a big dent in your bank account.
Always Have the Latest Technology
If you’re a mobile phone enthusiast who likes to be one of the first people with the latest iPhone or Samsung device, you’ll enjoy the freedom AT&T Next Up and Next Up Anytime gives you.
For example, Apple typically releases a new iPhone each year. With a standard AT&T installment plan, you’ll likely be paying off your current device for the standard three-year period, during which you’ll miss out on a couple of iPhone releases. With an upgrade plan, you can upgrade more frequently to get the device you want.
Trade-In Value Offsets Costs
AT&T often features promotions for specific phones that you can get with your AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime plan offering as much as $350 in bill credits when you upgrade. If you select one of these promotions, you can receive the promotional credit applied to your bill in monthly installments, basically offsetting the cost of your Next Up or Next Up Anytime plan.
Canceling Doesn’t Affect Installment Plan
You can cancel your AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime plan without it affecting your phone’s installment plan. However, if it has been less than 14 days since you bought your new phone, you’ll need to visit an AT&T store in person to cancel. Otherwise, you can cancel your plan online. Keep in mind that you can’t add AT&T Next Up back once you cancel, and you can only re-add Next Up Anytime within 30 days of canceling.
Disadvantages of AT&T Next Up and Next Up Anytime
AT&T Next Up and Next Up Anytime may not be suitable for all AT&T customers. Consider the following drawbacks.
Additional Monthly Fee
While installment plans can help you pay off a brand-new phone, their costs get added to your monthly payment for your mobile bill. If you opt into Next Up or Next Up Anytime, you’ll get an additional cost on top of what you already pay, increasing the space you need to make in your budget.
Trade-In Requirements
Not all phones will be accepted as trade-ins in the Next Up and Next Up Anytime programs. You’ll need to have an installment plan already in place with AT&T, which only covers newer devices. Your account also must be in good standing—meaning no current late or missed payments—to take advantage of your Next Up capabilities.
Phone Condition
Your phone’s condition also plays a role in whether you can use your AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime benefits. AT&T won’t accept devices that no longer work, are missing a battery, or have cracked or broken screens.
Long-Term Commitment
While you can cancel your AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime plan whenever you’d like, it’s not as easy to get back into the program if you decide you want to later. As mentioned, both programs restrict your ability to re-add their benefits back to your AT&T plan, making them long-term commitments if you think you’ll want to use them later.
How To Sign Up for AT&T Next Up
You can sign up for AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime when you buy a new device with an installment plan from AT&T. When checking out your device, AT&T will show you options for Next Up and Next Up Anytime, allowing you to choose which option you’d like. Pay for your chosen program each month along with your device’s installment plan and AT&T mobile data plan to keep Next Up or Next Up Anytime active.
How To Cancel AT&T Next Up
Cancel AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime from your AT&T account by visiting the Installment Plan Summary section. You can do this at any time through your installment plan’s term if you’re sure you won’t use the program’s features when you want to upgrade again. You’ll have 30 days to re-add AT&T Next Up Anytime if you change your mind, but AT&T Next Up isn’t available to add back.
Is AT&T Next Up Worth Paying For?
We all want to learn ways to save money at home, especially with some of our costliest expenses, like cell phones. AT&T makes getting a new phone more accessible to consumers with its low-price installment plans that split the cost of the latest devices into easier-to-manage monthly payments. With AT&T Next Up and Next Up Anytime, upgrading a phone is even simpler.
Techie consumers who love having the newest cell phone in their hands can probably benefit from a program like AT&T Next Up or Next Up Anytime. However, with all good things comes some downfalls, like an additional monthly payment on top of your device’s installment plan and cell phone service, and the fact that both programs are long-term commitments that, once canceled, you may not be able to add back.
Before adding a Next Up or Next Up Anytime plan, consider how often you’d like to have a new device. If you don’t usually care to upgrade more often than every three years, you might be better off sticking with a regular installment plan from AT&T.
People who like upgrading to the latest smartphones frequently should consider the program. It lets you trade in your phone early for a new model once half of the cost is paid.
Canceling the program won’t affect your current phone’s installment plan. However, you won’t be able to add AT&T Next Up back later.
Your phone must be in good working condition, have no cracked screens, and be part of an installment plan. Your account also needs to be current with no missed payments.
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