Is AppleCare+ Worth Buying for Your iPhone? – Consumer Reports
You can buy an AppleCare+ plan for an iPhone 14 as well as models like the iPhone 12 that have been in the lineup for a few years. The prices are below.
iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
• Standard AppleCare+: a one-time fee of $199 (for two-year coverage) or $9.99 per month.
• AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection: $269 (for two-year coverage) or $13.49 per month.
iPhone 14 Plus
• Standard AppleCare+: a one-time fee of $179 (for two-year coverage) or $8.99 per month.
• AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection: $249 (for two-year coverage) or $12.49 per month.
iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12
• Standard AppleCare+: a one-time fee of $149 (for two-year coverage) or $7.99 per month.
• AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection: $219 (for two-year coverage) or $11.49 per month.
iPhone SE (3rd Generation)
• Standard AppleCare+: $79 (for two-year coverage) or $3.99 per month.
• AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection: $149 (for two-year coverage) or $7.49 per month.
Whether those prices are worth it depends on what kind of phone you have and how much risk you’re comfortable with.
Let’s say you lose your iPhone 14 Pro and have theft and loss coverage. Your replacement costs are going to total $418 ($149 deductible plus the $269 you paid for the Apple Care+ plan). That’s a substantial amount to save when you’re talking about a $1,000 phone.
But the savings aren’t as great in some other circumstances. If you get Apple Care+ for an iPhone 12 and then crack the screen, you’ll have to pay $29 as your deductible. Add the $149 fee for Apple Care+ and your total cost will be $178. If you don’t have the protection plan and need that repair, you’ll be paying $279. That’s a difference of about $100.
In CR’s annual smartphone survey, members reported that the most common reason they had their iPhones repaired was to replace the battery. For the iPhone 14 models, that cost without AppleCare+ is $99; for iPhone 13, 12, 11, and X models, battery replacement costs $69 until the end of February and $89 from March on. A new battery for the models that preceded those costs $49 until the end of February and then $69 after that. These prices are much less than the $149 fee for AppleCare+, so if your main concern is the battery wearing out, it’s cheaper to just have the battery replaced without the plan.
AppleCare+ has some restrictions. The plans don’t cover damage caused by “reckless, abusive, willful, or intentional conduct.” So if you were planning to test out your new phone’s toughness by running it over with a car, don’t. You also can’t collect on a theft or loss claim if you don’t have Find My iPhone activated at the time your device disappears.
Also, the repair costs we’re citing here are for work done by Apple. You might be able to get cheaper battery or screen replacements, for instance, at an independent shop. And if you’re not afraid of taking apart your expensive phone, Apple now offers a self-service repair option that gives you access to genuine Apple parts, the repair manual, and rental tools, but the process is . . . difficult. Most people are better off leaving the repairs to professionals.
