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An Upgrade Program is a new way to own a device by making a series of monthly payments over a period of time. For example, you may finance your device purchase for a period of 36 months but may be eligible to upgrade to a new model after making 24 payments. 

Then, when it’s time to upgrade to a newer model you can return it to Upgraded without the hassle of selling it on your own or missing out on its value by letting it sit and collect dust. You’ll get a new device with its own integrated financing payment plan, subject to available credit on your Citizens Pay Line of Credit and subject to the Upgrade Terms available at 

What is an “Upgrade Program”?

If you’re joining Upgraded for the first time, you’ll first need to check your eligibility for a Citizens Pay Line of Credit. You’ll be asked to provide your name, contact information, date of birth, Social Security Number, amount you pay monthly for your rent or mortgage and annual income. A soft credit check, which will not impact your credit score, is also conducted at this time.

You’ll also need a valid U.S. bank checking or savings account to make your monthly payments.  Prepaid cards and credit cards are not accepted for payment at this time.

What information is needed to apply?

Is Upgraded available outside the US?

Both. You may become eligible to upgrade early by making the equivalent number of payments specified in your contract. There is no fee to upgrade early. You may also be eligible to upgrade any time after making the equivalent number of required payments.

Can I upgrade early or late? If so, are there any fees?

Upgraded purchase plans don’t include theft or loss insurance. If your device is lost or stolen you are still obliged to pay the remaining balance on your Citizens Pay Line of Credit.

Your AppleCare+ plan is the best way to get your device repaired. You may visit an Apple Store or explore other repair options on the site. We also suggest using Apple’s Support app for iOS-- seriously, it’s great. Or, you can always chat to us and we’d be happy to help point you in the right direction.

What if I lose my device or it's damaged?

You can choose any model you want! Your monthly payment will be set based upon the cost of the purchase and the repayment term. If you select a more expensive device than before, then you may expect a higher monthly payment than you had previously paid.

When I upgrade, do I have to get a specific model, or can I choose?

You are not required to upgrade your device. You may choose to pay all of the monthly payments required by the terms of your financing purchase. Once you have made all of the required payments the device is yours to keep. There is no need to return it to Upgraded.

What happens if I don't upgrade?

If you choose to upgrade, we will send you your new device and a separate box with instructions on how to transfer all of your data to your new device and how to wipe your device before you send it back to us in the box provided (no shipping fees). We take the old device and do an FBI-grade wipe first, then refurbish it so we can give it a new home!

 If you choose not to upgrade and want to keep your device, just make the total number of required payments and it’s all yours!

What happens with my old device? Do we send it to you, someone else or just keep it?

No worries! We do an FBI-grade wipe with all devices we get back from customers. No one will see your data. :)

If I forgot to wipe my computer before sending it back, what happens? What happens to my data?

When you get your new device we send you a separate box to ship your old device in. The box will have easy step-by-step instructions for how to transfer your data and apps. If you have any trouble,  feel free to reach out to our support team in either the app or on our website.

Is it easy to transfer data and apps to the new device?

 If you've ordered a Custom Build, you can cancel before 11AM Central Time on the day following your order, or 11AM Central Time on Monday if you ordered on a weekend. After this time we can't cancel any orders, see 

 For all other orders, you can cancel anytime before your device ships. Typically, orders before 1PM CT are shipped in the evening of the day of purchase and orders after 1PM CT are shipped in the evening on the next business day (unfortunately Apple's distribution warehouses don't operate on the weekend 🤦).

Please reach out to our chat support or email 

If your order has already shipped, please see our return instructions below.

*How do I know if I ordered a Custom Build or a Base Model? If a configuration is a Custom Build, you'll see a note about it just above the Checkout with Upgraded button.

If you want to return your device, you can do so within 10 days of receiving it, if you meet the following criteria:

The device's official box is unopened (original packaging should be intact)

The device is not a custom build (these ship directly from Apple and cannot be returned :-/)

If the above two points are met, then please connect with our support team via chat on our website and we'll get you a return label.

How do you handle cancelations and returns?

All Upgraded’s purchase options include integrated financing from Citizens Pay. We made this decision to help make devices more affordable with equal monthly payments. You can take advantage of this feature to pay over time or you may choose to pay off the purchase early with no fees or penalties.

 Why are monthly payments required?

No. The integrated financing for your purchase is a line of credit offered by Citizens Pay. It allows you to make equal monthly payments over time. You may choose to upgrade your device once eligible, or you may continue to make payments until your device is fully paid off. Once the device is fully paid off, it is yours to keep. It does not need to be turned back in.

Is this a lease?

Citizens Pay is our official financing partner. Citizens Pay will evaluate your eligibility for a line of credit, issue your line of credit account, and manage the ongoing servicing of your payment plan. They will also send you emails and text messages about your account from time to time.

 You will receive a statement each month, and Citizens Pay recommends setting up automatic payments to ensure that your bill is paid on time.  There are no application fees, annual fees, or early payoff fees. Late fees may be applied to your line of credit account (see your Citizens Pay Line of Credit Agreement), and late payments may be reported to the credit bureaus.

If you already have a Citizens Pay Line of Credit for Upgraded, you can log in to your account at  

Who is Citizens Pay?

Checking your eligibility for a Citizens Pay Line of Credit will not impact your credit score. For this, Citizens Pay will conduct what’s called a soft credit check.

Upon submitting a full application for a Citizens Pay Line of Credit, Citizens Pay will complete a full credit review that will result in a hard inquiry on your credit file that may impact your credit score.

As long as you have credit available on your Citizens Pay Line of Credit for Upgraded, you may use it to make future purchases for eligible products at Upgraded with no additional credit checks. All credit checks are performed by our official partner, Citizens Pay. You may see an inquiry from Citizens on your credit report.

How will this affect my credit report?

Approved customers will receive a welcome email from Citizens Pay. It will contain a link to set up your account and enroll in the automatic payment program. For more information on your Citizens Pay Line of Credit, go to pay.citizensbank.com.

How do I make payments for my Citizens Pay Line of Credit?

Please call their toll-free number at 1-888-522-9881 or go to 

How do I contact Citizens Pay for questions regarding my line of credit?

To learn more about why your application was declined, please reach out directly to Citizens Pay. You can either call their toll-free number at 1-888-522-9881 or go to 

Why was my credit application declined?

Send us a photo of your student ID and we'd be happy to give you $50 off. 

We wish we could give a larger discount but our margins are just too thin for the time being. We need to scale!

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