Rakuten Mobile review

Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

Rakuten Mobile suits readers in Japan who want a network run plan on rolling billing with no fixed term and a low entry price of ¥968 a month. It falls short for anyone needing service beyond JP or a prepaid structure, and roaming runs on fair use terms.

Key facts

Best for
A low entry network plan in Japan with rolling monthly billing and no fixed term.
Seller type
Network (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
SIM-only
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price from
¥968 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Reference plan prices
Rakuten Saikyo Plan: 968 JPY/mo, 3GB, no fixed term; Rakuten Saikyo Plan: 3168 JPY/mo, unlimited, no fixed term; Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT: 4378 JPY/mo, unlimited, no fixed term (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Unlimited plan price
¥3,168 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
5G
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
eSIM
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
EU roaming
Fair use (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Roaming countries
107 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Multi-line discount
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
JP (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
Rakuten Mobile, Inc. (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Chat, Phone, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Billing
Rolling
Contract length
1
Official website
rakuten.co.jp

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App StoreGoogle Play
Elsewhere
Xfacebook.comyoutube.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Low entry point for a network run plan: the Rakuten Saikyo Plan starts at ¥968 a month on sim only service, with no handset folded into the bill.
  • Billing runs on rolling and plan contract terms stand at 1 month, so nothing long has to be signed.
  • An eSIM is available alongside sim only service, so an existing handset can move across without buying a new device.
  • Roaming spans 107 countries on fair use terms, which covers travel without a local SIM.
  • A multi line discount applies, and support runs through chat, phone and help centre with phone and chat included.

Cons

  • Service runs in JP only, so anyone living or working outside Japan cannot use the plan.
  • Billing runs on rolling alone, so readers who want prepaid or contract billing have to look at another brand.
  • Roaming runs on fair use terms rather than being bundled into the monthly fee, so frequent travellers should read the caps first.
  • The entry price ranks at position 109 of 258 on price from, so it is not the lowest entry figure in the data.
Rakuten Mobile

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Scored 9.2 / 10 by TariffCue.

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Who it suits

  • Readers in Japan who want coverage from the operator itself at an entry price of ¥968 a month.
  • Households running several lines, since a multi line discount applies across the account.
  • Travellers who want eSIM roaming across 107 countries while keeping a Japanese number.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Readers who want prepaid or contract billing rather than rolling: Lonestar Cell MTN bills on contract and prepaid, which adds both.
  • Readers who prefer a contract plan: GETESA bills on prepaid and contract, which includes a contract option.
  • Shoppers weighing a prepaid top up structure against rolling billing: yesss! bills on contract, rolling and prepaid and covers prepaid, contract and rolling.

Core features

Rakuten Mobile sells network access rather than a phone, and the plan set is built around sim only SIMs. An eSIM is available, so a handset bought elsewhere can join the network without changing device. Access to the latest generation of mobile data is available across the service. Roaming reaches 107 countries, which covers most short trips out of the country without swapping to a local SIM. A multi line discount applies, so a household running several lines pays less per line than a buyer on their own.

Plans and prices

The Rakuten Saikyo Plan has an entry tier at ¥968 a month carrying a capped data allowance, and an unlimited tier on the same plan at ¥3,168 a month. Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT is a further plan with unlimited data priced above ¥3,168. Every plan runs with no fixed term, so the entry figure and the renewal figure are identical and there is no introductory step to climb through. Buyers who top up occasionally can stay on the capped tier; buyers who stream constantly should look at the unlimited tiers.

How it compares on our data

On price from, Rakuten Mobile sits at position 109 out of 258 brands in the data, so the entry price is competitive without being the lowest in the set. On unlimited price the picture is stronger: the brand ranks at position 64 out of 173. Readers who start on a capped tier and expect to move to an unlimited one should weight the second ranking more heavily than the first.

The company behind it

Rakuten Mobile trades as Rakuten Mobile, Inc.. It is a network operator rather than a reseller or a virtual network provider, so the radio network, the SIM and the bill all sit with one company. Support runs through chat, phone and help centre, covering chat and phone alongside the help centre and community boards, and the service is sold directly. The network operates in Japan, which keeps the proposition focused on a single market rather than a multi country footprint.

How Rakuten Mobile compares

Where Rakuten Mobile is available

Available
Japan

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does the cheapest Rakuten Mobile plan cost a month?+

The Rakuten Saikyo Plan has an entry tier at ¥968 a month with a capped data allowance, and an unlimited tier on the same plan at ¥3,168. A further plan, Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT, adds unlimited data at a higher figure. All of them run without a fixed term.

Does the price rise after an introductory period?+

Billing runs on a rolling monthly basis (rolling) and every plan carries no fixed term, so the entry figure of ¥968 and the unlimited figure of ¥3,168 are the same at entry and at renewal. There is no introductory price to climb to a higher renewal rate, so the monthly bill stays stable.

Am I tied into a long contract?+

Plan contract terms run at 1 month and billing is on a rolling basis (rolling), so there is no long commitment to sign. That suits anyone who wants to test the network first, or who expects data needs to change during the year.

Can I use my own handset with Rakuten Mobile?+

Yes. Sim only service means you bring your own handset and keep the number you already have, and an eSIM is available for phones that support it. You are buying network access rather than a subsidised phone, which keeps the entry figure at ¥968 a month.

Where does Rakuten Mobile work, and what happens abroad?+

The network runs in Japan (JP) only, so the plan is aimed at residents rather than travellers. Abroad, roaming reaches 107 countries and runs on fair use terms, so sustained use overseas is metered rather than folded into the monthly fee.

How do I get help when something goes wrong?+

Support runs through chat, phone and help centre, so help is available by chat and by phone as well as through the help centre and community boards. The provider is Rakuten Mobile, Inc., and because Rakuten Mobile is the network itself (network) the same company handles the line, the SIM and the bill.

Does Rakuten Mobile sell the phone as well as the SIM?+

Rakuten Mobile is a network operator rather than a reseller (network), and its plans are sim only, so the handset is bought separately from the service. That keeps the monthly figure at ¥968 for the entry tier, with the unlimited tier at ¥3,168.

Is there a discount for households with several lines?+

A multi line discount applies, so extra lines on the same account cost less than the first line does. The entry tier starts at ¥968 a month for a single line, which makes Rakuten Mobile worth pricing against yesss! and GETESA for a family group.

Sources

Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Rakuten Mobile

Rakuten Mobile

A low entry network plan in Japan with rolling monthly billing and no fixed term.

9.2/10See alternatives

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