In India there are two ways to get a new Samsung Galaxy with a built-in exit after a year or so: a BytePe subscription or Samsung's own Galaxy Forever programme. As of 8 October 2026, the only phones Galaxy Forever covers are the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra. BytePe offers a subscription with an assured buyback on the Galaxy S26, S26 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Flip8 as well as the Fold7 and Flip7. On the Fold8, where you can choose either, BytePe's listed monthly instalment is ₹976 lower and there is no programme fee, while Samsung pays a higher buyback and includes 25 months of Samsung Care+. On the S26 Ultra, S26 and Z Flip8, Galaxy Forever is not available, and BytePe's price is ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 below samsung.com.
Why Indian buyers compare these two, not carrier plans
In the US, phone upgrade plans usually come from the mobile operator. India works differently. We could not find a current handset lease or upgrade plan from Jio, Airtel or Vi: Airtel's handset offers page still carries a 2019 footer, and Vi's EMI page lists 2020 phones. So when you want a Galaxy flagship now and a new one next year, the choice is between the phone maker, a retailer plan such as Flipkart Smart Upgrade, and a subscription store like BytePe.
How a BytePe subscription works on a Samsung phone
A BytePe subscription is the phone and a buyback promise in one monthly payment, with device protection as an add-on. Here is what the product pages and the BytePe FAQ say:
Your choices during a 24-month BytePe subscription. Device protection is an optional 12-month add-on.
You pay monthly for 24 months on credit card EMI, or on a cardless EMI marked "No Card Needed" for buyers without a credit card.
Device protection is an add-on. BytePe Secure, provided by Acko, covers accidental and liquid damage for 12 months with one repair claim at a brand-authorised service centre. You add it on the product page at a reduced subscription price, from ₹999 to ₹4,999 on the phones in this guide. You raise the claim in the Acko app, and each claim carries a fee of ₹999 to ₹1,999 plus GST on Android phones.
After 12 months you choose. Upgrade to the newest model, return the phone for the assured buyback value, or keep paying until month 24 and the phone is yours.
The buyback goes against your card loan. BytePe's FAQ says that when you return or upgrade, BytePe pays the assured buyback value, which "includes your total credit card outstanding after 12 months plus foreclosure charges". Customers who paid in full receive the buyback value directly. BytePe collects the old phone and delivers the new one on the date you choose.
Scratches and dents are fine. The phone needs to power on to the home screen, be signed out of all accounts and be factory reset.
How Samsung Galaxy Forever works
Samsung launched Galaxy Forever on 19 March 2026 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S26+, with Servify and DMI Finance as partners. The programme page now says it is "currently applicable to Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra & Galaxy Tab S12+", so among phones it covers the two Fold8 models. On the Fold8 it works like this:
You pay the full device price over 24 EMIs that Samsung calls "no cost", plus a ₹25,999 programme fee. For the Z Fold8 12/256 that is ₹8,583.25 a month (₹7,499.96 for the phone and ₹1,083.29 for the fee), or ₹2,05,998 over 24 months. The Fold8 Ultra works out to ₹9,416.58 a month.
Samsung Care+ is included for 25 months, worth ₹32,999 on the Fold8, usable once a year with zero deductible.
You can return or upgrade from month 10 to month 25. The buyback is 55% of the invoice price in months 10 and 11 and 50% in months 12 and 13. It then drops to 45% for months 14 to 18 and to 40% for months 19 to 25 (a footnote on the same page says 35% for that last window).
The buyback money comes to you, not the lender. Samsung's FAQ says you receive the buyback in your account, and you then either keep paying your EMIs or close the loan with your lender.
The phone needs to turn on and pass an IMEI check, and the Fold8 has to come back with its S Pen (₹4,399 is charged if it is missing). Samsung's FAQ says the device is accepted with no questions as long as it turns on and has not been tampered with.
Galaxy Z Fold8 12/256: BytePe vs Galaxy Forever side by side
The Fold8 is the one phone where you can pick either route, so it is the fairest comparison. Prices were read on 8 October 2026.
Galaxy Z Fold8 plan comparison as of 8 October 2026. GST on interest and plan conditions apply.
| Option | BytePe subscription | Samsung Galaxy Forever |
|---|---|---|
| Phone price | ₹1,59,999 (MRP ₹1,84,999) | ₹1,79,999 |
| Plan price | ₹1,59,999, or ₹1,64,998 with the ₹4,999 device protection add-on | ₹1,79,999 + ₹25,999 programme fee |
| Monthly payment | From ₹7,607 x 24 on credit card EMI | ₹8,583.25 x 24 |
| Total of listed instalments | ₹1,82,568 | ₹2,05,998 |
| Programme fee | None | ₹25,999, spread across the EMIs |
| Damage cover | Optional add-on: ₹4,999 BytePe Secure by Acko, 12 months, 1 claim | Included: Samsung Care+ worth ₹32,999, 25 months, once a year |
| Earliest return or upgrade | Month 12 | Month 10 |
| Buyback at month 12 | ₹72,000, paid towards your card outstanding | 50% of invoice, about ₹90,000, paid to your account |
| Buyback at month 24 | ₹54,000 | 40% of invoice, about ₹72,000 |
| What happens to your loan | BytePe pays the buyback towards your card outstanding and foreclosure charges (BytePe FAQ) | You keep paying the EMIs or close the loan with your lender |
| No credit card? | Cardless EMI: ₹8,179 a month plus ₹8,176 upfront | Samsung Finance+ loan: age 22+, PAN and KYC |
| Bank offer shown on the product page | ₹5,000 off with an ICICI Bank or Axis Bank credit card on EMI, until 31 October 2026 | ₹7,000 bank discount is for full payment only, shown as an alternative to Galaxy Forever |
Two things to keep in mind when you read the table. Both plans are loans, and the listed instalments do not include the 18% GST your bank or lender charges on the interest part of each EMI. On the BytePe card EMI that GST comes to roughly ₹4,100 over 24 months. And Samsung's 40% figure for months 19 to 25 appears as 35% in the page footnote, so the month-24 value could be lower.
The short read: on the Fold8, BytePe costs less each month and Galaxy Forever gives more back. BytePe's phone price is ₹20,000 lower, its listed instalments add up to ₹23,430 less over 24 months, there is no programme fee, and BytePe picks up the old phone and delivers the new one on the date you choose, with the buyback paid towards your card outstanding. Galaxy Forever pays about ₹18,000 more at month 12, lets you exit from month 10 and includes 25 months of Samsung Care+, where BytePe's 12-month protection is a ₹4,999 add-on. If you drop phones often, Samsung Care+ is worth weighing. If you want the lower monthly and a simple handover in a year, BytePe fits better.
Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26 and Z Flip8: no Galaxy Forever, but a BytePe subscription
Samsung no longer offers Galaxy Forever on the S26 series, and never offered it on the Z Flip8. On BytePe these phones come with the same subscription as the Fold8: one monthly payment, an assured buyback after 12 months and optional device protection.
12/256 variants and listed credit-card EMI, as of 8 October 2026. GST on interest is additional.
| Option | BytePe price | Subscription a month (24 mo) | Device protection add-on | Buyback at 12 months | Buyback at 24 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | ₹1,34,999 (MRP ₹1,39,999) | ₹6,418 | ₹1,999 (usually ₹9,999) | ₹49,000 | ₹35,000 |
| Galaxy S26 | ₹87,999 (MRP ₹1,17,999) | ₹4,184 | ₹999 (usually ₹12,000) | ₹30,800 | ₹22,000 |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 | ₹1,06,999 (MRP ₹1,34,999) | ₹5,087 | ₹999 (usually ₹12,499) | ₹50,000 | ₹37,500 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | ₹1,80,999 (MRP ₹2,04,999) | ₹8,605 | ₹1,999 (usually ₹21,499) | ₹80,000 | ₹60,000 |
See each phone's live price and buyback chart: Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.
The gap to samsung.com is ₹15,000 to ₹20,000. On 8 October samsung.com listed the S26 Ultra 12/256 at ₹1,54,999, the S26 12/256 at ₹1,02,999 and the Z Flip8 12/256 at ₹1,24,999, against ₹1,34,999, ₹87,999 and ₹1,06,999 on BytePe. The BytePe S26 Ultra page also shows ₹5,000 off with an ICICI Bank or Axis Bank credit card on EMI and ₹3,000 off with an HDFC Bank credit card; the final price is confirmed at checkout.
The Galaxy S26 FE, A57, A37, M47 and F70 Pro are sold on BytePe as an outright purchase or EMI only, without the subscription.
What about Flipkart Smart Upgrade?
Flipkart Smart Upgrade gives you up to 30% of the phone's price as an advance, paid on a credit card or Bajaj Finserv EMI card. After 12 months you either buy a new phone on Flipkart and hand the old one back, or repay the advance. If you do neither, the phone is locked. Flipkart can refuse the pickup for cracks, dents or a missing box, in which case you repay the advance. Each customer can use the plan twice for phones.
Which one should you pick?
You want an S26, S26 Ultra or Z Flip8 and a new phone next year: Galaxy Forever is not available on these models, and BytePe's subscription is, with an assured buyback from month 12.
You want a Z Fold8 and the lowest monthly instalment: BytePe, from ₹7,607 against ₹8,583.25, with no programme fee.
You want a Z Fold8 and the most money back at month 12: Galaxy Forever, at 50% of invoice.
You do not have a credit card: both work. BytePe's cardless EMI and Samsung Finance+ are both loans from a lender, so check the upfront amount and the total before you sign.
You plan to keep the phone for three years or more: skip upgrade plans and buy outright. On BytePe, Buy Upfront is the same price paid in full or on EMI, without the buyback.
Compare your intended phone and ownership period with the available plans.
Frequently asked questions
Is Samsung Galaxy Forever available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
No. Galaxy Forever launched in March 2026 for the S26 Ultra and S26+, but as of 8 October 2026 the only phones on Samsung's programme page are the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra. BytePe offers an assured buyback subscription on the S26 Ultra from ₹6,418 a month.
Can I upgrade my Samsung phone every year on BytePe?
Yes. After 12 months you can upgrade to the newest model, return the phone for its assured buyback value or keep paying to own it at month 24. BytePe collects your old phone and delivers the new one on the date you choose.
What is the buyback value of a Galaxy S26 Ultra on BytePe?
For the 12/256 model the assured buyback is ₹49,000 at 12 months and ₹35,000 at 24 months. The 512GB model is ₹56,000 and ₹40,000, and the 1TB model is ₹66,500 and ₹47,500.
Does the BytePe Samsung subscription include damage protection?
It is an add-on. You can add 12 months of BytePe Secure by Acko on the product page, covering accidental and liquid damage with one repair claim at a brand-authorised service centre. On 8 October 2026 it cost ₹999 on the S26 and Z Flip8, ₹1,999 on the S26 Ultra and Z Fold8 Ultra and ₹4,999 on the Z Fold8.
Do Jio, Airtel or Vi offer Samsung phone subscriptions?
Not that we could find. Airtel's handset offers page dates from 2019, and Vi's EMI page lists 2020 models. In India, upgrade plans for Samsung phones come from Samsung, from retailers such as Flipkart and from subscription stores such as BytePe.
Can I buy a Samsung phone on subscription without a credit card?
Yes. BytePe's cardless EMI, marked "No Card Needed", is available on the subscription. For a Galaxy S26 Ultra 12/256 it is ₹6,901 a month plus ₹6,898 upfront. Samsung's alternative is a Samsung Finance+ loan, which needs you to be 22 or older with a PAN.
Is a scratched or dented phone accepted for buyback?
On BytePe, yes: the phone needs to power on, be signed out of all accounts and be factory reset. On Galaxy Forever, Samsung's FAQ says the phone is accepted as long as it turns on and has not been tampered with, and the Fold8 must come back with its S Pen or you pay ₹4,399.
