HTC offers unlocked One for $0 down with financing

HTC is now offering a financing option for the unlocked HTCOne for those who don’t want a carrier-locked and -branded device but can’t afford to pay $600 upfront.

The new HTCfinancing plan lets users get the unlocked 32GB HTC One for $0 down, provided they have qualifying credit. After passing the credit check users can pay off the $600 phone by paying $25 a month over 24 months. As long as they make every payment in time they’ll pay the full $600 for the unlocked phone at the end of two years, the same length of a typical phone contract.

HTC won’t charge interest for the unlocked HTCOne as long as the payments are made on time. Miss a payment, however, and users will have to pay quite a bit more than $600. After a single missed payment HTCwill charge 29.99 percent interest on the financing plan. The interest seems to be the only catch to the financing plan.

The unlocked HTCOne will work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S., and should wok with any other GSM network in the country as well.

HTC’s financing plan is very similar to buying the HTCOne from T-Mobile, though the payment structure is different. T-Mobile asks for $50 upfront for the HTCOne, but only asks for monthly payment of $20 for 20 months. Both financing plans cost the same amount of money after every payment is made. Of course, T-Mobile’s plan gives you a carrier-branded phone that comes preloaded with T-Mobile apps, while HTC’s unlocked phone only comes with HTC’s preloaded apps.

Bringing the unlocked HTCOne to AT&T makes more sense now thanks to the carrier’s new Mobile Share Value plans. The phone will actually cost more each month when you combine the phone bill and financing plan payments. AT&T’s new plans save users $15 a month when they bring an unlocked phone to the network. But with monthly payments of $25 per month, it doesn’t make much financial sense to bring the unlocked HTCOne to on of the new plans unless you vehemently oppose carrier-branded phones and want to make sure you always have the latest software updates as soon as possible.

Are you interested in buying an unlocked HTCOne with the new financing plan? Or are you more interested in another unlocked phone?