iPhone 17 — Is getting AppleCare+ worth it?

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Here's how much it will cost to fix your new iPhone with and without AppleCare+

Apple iPhone 17 hands-on.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

Yesterday, Apple announced its latest generation of iPhones - the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, the latter of which is the thinnest iPhone to date. While Apple touted the improved durability of the phones — the Air features a Ceramic Shield 2 display with 3x the scratch resistance, while the back uses original Ceramic Shield for 4x crack resistance — it's still fair to say you should probably protect your phone with a case.

While the prices for the three iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air are pretty much in line with previous models — $799 for the iPhone 17, $999 for the iPhone Air, $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro and $1,199 for the Pro Max — they're still not cheap.

If you want to live dangerously — or simply want some more insurance — Apple also offers AppleCare+, which covers your phone from damage and loss, albeit for a monthly fee. Here's how much AppleCare+ costs for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, to help you decide if it's worth the expense.

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AppleCare+ cost

Apple offers two versions of AppleCare: AppleCare+, which covers one device, and AppleCare One, which covers up to three devices.

For the iPhone 17, AppleCare+ costs $1.99/month or $119.99/year. If you purchase the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, or iPhone Air, it will cost $13.99/month or $139.99/year, and includes unlimited repairs, theft and loss coverage (up to twice in 12 months), and 24/7 priority support.

AppleCare One costs $19.99/month, and includes everything in AppleCare+, plus theft and loss coverage for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you have more than three Apple products, you can add more for $5.99 each per month.

Of course, even with an AppleCare+ subscription, you'll still have to pay some amount when it comes to repairing or replacing parts on your iPhone. Apple has yet to update its repair estimate page with the iPhone 17, but we do have information for the iPhone 16, which shouldn't be too dissimilar.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
iPhone 16 Pro Max repair costs
Row 0 - Cell 0

With AppleCare+

Without AppleCare+

Cracked screen (front)

$29

$379

Back glass damage

$29

$159

Battery

$0

$119

Rear camera

$99

$249

Other damage

$99

$749

Theft or loss

$149

Replacement cost of phone

Is AppleCare+ worth it?

If you're especially accident-prone, or simply want to show off your iPhone 17 or iPhone Air unencumbered by a case, then getting AppleCare+ could be worth the added annual expense, as repairing a cracked screen is not cheap.

Of course, there are plenty of third-party services that will replace an iPhone screen for less than what Apple charges.

You'll also want to compare the cost of AppleCare+ with the cost of insurance offered through your phone carrier. For instance, Verizon offers multiple protection plans; its Wireless Protection Plan ($7.95/month) has a $0 deductible for a cracked screen, and a $99 damage deductible.

So, AppleCare+ could be worth it, but you should investigate your other options first.

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Mike Prospero
Mike Prospero
U.S. Editor-in-Chief, Tom's Guide

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.

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