Web vs iPhone billing in South Korea: which is cheaper? Calculated using actual receipts
The same subscription can cost different amounts depending on whether you pay in USD on the web or in KRW through the iPhone app. Since exchange rates change daily, we calculated 'how low the KRW price of 1 USD must be for web billing to be cheaper' without assuming a specific exchange rate.
Run on 2026-10-04
At a Glance
- Claude Max 20x: the web receipt shows $220 including VAT, while the South Korean App Store lists ₩449,000. Web billing is cheaper when 1 USD costs less than approximately 2,041 KRW.
- Claude Pro has the tightest margin, with a threshold of approximately 1,500 KRW. The exchange rate and card foreign transaction fees can change which option is cheaper.
- Google AI Pro costs ₩29,000 per month (including VAT), based on a Google Play receipt. Products with the same name are listed in the Korean App Store at ₩29,000 and ₩290,000 without billing periods, so they were excluded from this comparison table.
- Web payments in USD may incur card foreign transaction fees. These vary by card and are excluded from the calculations.
Web billing vs South Korean App Store prices
| Plan | Listed web price | Actual web charge (including tax) | Listed South Korean App Store price | Exchange rate at which web billing is cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Pro | $20 | $22 (Calculated (10% added)) | ₩33,000 | 1 USD < approximately 1,500 KRW |
| Claude Max 5x | $100 | $110 (Calculated (10% added)) | ₩199,000 | 1 USD < approximately 1,809 KRW |
| Claude Max 20x | $200 | $220 (Receipt) | ₩449,000 | 1 USD < approximately 2,041 KRW |
What we verified directly
- We verified actual web charges using Claude receipts. Max 20x totals $220: $200 plus $20 for 'VAT - South Korea (10%)'. The Google AI Pro receipt was for a Google Play payment, so it was excluded from the web payment comparison.
- We did not purchase Claude Pro or Max 5x directly, so these amounts are calculated assuming the same 10% tax shown on the Max 20x receipt.
- South Korean App Store prices are the listed amounts collected on 2026-10-04. Apple's listings do not specify the billing period, so we only compared products with 'Monthly' in their names as monthly subscriptions. We assumed the listed price was the final charge and did not verify it by purchasing on an iPhone.
- Exchange-rate threshold for cheaper web billing = South Korean App Store price in KRW ÷ actual web charge in USD. Web billing is cheaper when the actual exchange rate is below this value.