| Device | AppleCare+ Price | Common Repair | Out-of-Warranty Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | $269/2yr or $13/mo | Screen replacement | $379 |
| iPhone 17 | $199/2yr | Screen replacement | $329 |
| iPad Pro M5 13" | $149/2yr | Screen replacement | $649 |
| iPad Air M3 | $79/2yr | Screen replacement | $299 |
| iPad mini 7 | $69/2yr | Screen replacement | $249 |
| MacBook Pro M4 16" | $399/3yr | Liquid damage | $799-$1,500 |
| MacBook Air M4 | $249/3yr | Liquid damage | $599-$999 |
| Mac Studio | $169/3yr | Logic board | $799+ |
| Apple Watch Series 10 | $79/2yr | Screen replacement | $229 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | $129/2yr | Screen replacement | $329 |
| AirPods Pro 2 | $29/2yr | Single AirPod replacement | $89 |
| AirPods Max | $59/2yr | Ear cushion / driver | $129+ |
| Apple Vision Pro | $499/2yr | EyeSight display | $2,400+ |
| Apple TV | $29/2yr | Various | $49-$129 |
One cracked screen costs $329-$379. AppleCare+ covers it for $29. The math says one drop pays for the entire policy. Phones get dropped. Get it.
Shop iPhone Pro Max →iPad Pro M5 screen replacement out-of-warranty is $649. AppleCare+ at $149 covers two incidents at $29 each. Pay for the policy with one repair, still have one left. iPads get dropped more than MacBooks because they're held in hands.
MacBook Pro liquid damage runs $799-$1,500 out-of-warranty. AppleCare+ covers liquid damage at $299/incident. One spilled coffee, AppleCare+ has paid for itself. For laptops that travel, this is the highest-leverage Apple insurance.
Apple Vision Pro repairs are wildly expensive — EyeSight display replacement alone is $2,400+. AppleCare+ covers two incidents at $299 each. If you'll wear/use it actively, the math is overwhelming.
Screen repair is $299. AppleCare+ deductible is $29. The math says yes — IF you'll actually drop it. iPad Airs that live on a desk rarely get damaged. iPad Airs that travel daily? Get AppleCare+.
Buy AppleCare+ if: you commute with the iPad, take it to coffee shops, lend it to your kids, or carry it on planes. Skip if: it lives at home on the same surface all day.
Screen repair is $229. AppleCare+ for $79 covers two incidents at $69-$79 each. Math is marginal — one screen repair brings the total to $148 vs $229 without insurance.
Buy AppleCare+ if: you do active sports, manual labor, or have a history of cracking watch crystals. Skip if: the watch lives in office contexts.
Apple Watch Ultra users are exactly the people who'll bang it against rocks while hiking. $129 AppleCare+ vs $329 screen repair — math heavily favors AppleCare+ for Ultra users specifically.
Liquid damage on MacBook Air is $599-$999 out-of-warranty. AppleCare+ at $249 + $299 incident deductible = $548 total vs $599-$999 without. Math is borderline.
Buy AppleCare+ if: you use the MacBook around food, drinks, kids, or any high-spill environment. Skip if: it lives in a clean office desk situation.
Base iPhone 17 screen repair is $329. AppleCare+ for $199 makes the breakeven about one full screen + the deductible. If you've never broken a phone before, you're paying $200 for protection you won't use. Self-insure (set aside $200 in a savings account) instead.
iPad mini screen repair is $249. AppleCare+ is $69 plus $49 deductible. Total = $118 vs $249 if you crack it once. Math favors AppleCare+ only if you actually crack it. iPad mini lives in hands more than other iPads but the screen is smaller and harder to break.
$29 is cheap so people add it casually. But: out-of-warranty AirPod replacement is $89 each. AppleCare+ deductible is $29 each. Total cost to make one claim: $58 vs $89 without. You SAVE $31 if you claim once. AppleCare+ is borderline-worth-it only if you're sure you'll claim once.
The real catch: you can't get AppleCare+ AFTER damaging an AirPod. You have to commit upfront. For most users, the $29 is fine peace-of-mind. We say "skip" because the dollar advantage is small unless you specifically know you'll lose one.
Apple TVs sit on shelves. They don't get dropped, spilled on, or break. AppleCare+ is unnecessary.
Similar to Apple TV — HomePods are stationary. They rarely break. AppleCare+ is unnecessary for the use case.
If you buy your device on Apple Card monthly installments, AppleCare+ rolls into the monthly payment automatically. You don't have to make a separate buying decision. The cost just spreads over 24 months.
You can add AppleCare+ up to 60 days after purchase. Many people do this — wait two months to see if they're being careless with the device, then decide. Apple may require a remote diagnostic check before adding.
Monthly AppleCare+ ($13/mo for iPhone Pro Max) is "rented" — you pay forever. The 2-year upfront ($269) ends after 2 years. For devices you'll keep 2 years, upfront is cheaper. Monthly only wins if you upgrade phones every year (then you cancel and start fresh on the new device).
For an extra $5/mo (about $120 more for 2 years), AppleCare+ with Theft & Loss covers stolen or lost phones. Math: one lost iPhone Pro Max = $1,199 retail vs $149 deductible. If you've ever lost a phone, the extra is overwhelmingly worth it.
If you own multiple Apple devices, here's the priority order for AppleCare+ spending:
Skipped AppleCare+ and now need a repair? We offer board-level repair on iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and AirPods — often faster and cheaper than Apple's out-of-warranty pricing. Mail it in for diagnosis.