All Apple fans resign themselves to the fact that Apple is pricey. If you look around their website, you’ll see there’s never really a sale. Even after major shopping events like Black Friday, you won’t find many discounts.
The same thing goes for getting your Apple product repaired. It can be pricey. Even simple fixes at the genius bar can cost you hundreds of dollars. With such high prices, many of us are tempted to go the route of Applecare. For a long time, AppleCare was the only real warranty option for Apple products.
However, SquareTrade now offers warranties on all Apple products. And with SquareTrade, you can save big on both warranties and repairs. But how good is each service really? Let’s check out the differences in this SquareTrade vs AppleCare guide.
What is Applecare?
Applecare is Apple’s extended warranty for its products. You can find on iPhone, Apple Watches, Macs, and more. Most Apple products usually have a one-year limited warranty along with technical support.
Applecare boosts that to two years or more with coverage for manufacturing defects and accidents. It doesn’t cover everything. It’s cover a drop or spill, but not “full immersion” when the phone is completely submerged.
In addition, if your phone is lost or stolen, you need additional coverage that Apple does provide. And repairs aren’t free. On average, you pay $49 for each repair incident.
What is SquareTrade?
Squaretrade is an extended warranty company. They not only cover Apple products, but a wide array of consumer electronics including smartphones, computers, appliances, and more. For Apple products, Squaretrade insures your phone for 2-3 year terms. It also covers both drops and full immersion.
Although, it also doesn’t cover theft and loss and there’s no option for additional coverage. Squaretrade does have a slight advantage in covering more damage situations and can be used for all new Apple products along with refurbished ones.
SquareTrade vs. AppleCare: Cost of Coverage
2 year Applecare+ warranties start at $199 for iPhones. However, you can opt to pay a monthly cost for this instead of your Apple subscriptions. The price differs according to your Apple products. For example, MacBook Pro AppleCare starts at $349 to cover hardware damage and malfunction.
For SquareTrade, the warranty costs depends on the product. For example, as a 3-year warranty on a $1200 computer costs $159.99 However, one advantage is SquareTrade frequently has promotions and sales. So if you find a promo code, you can get some serious discounts.
Deductibles and Costs
Currently, AppleCare’s iPhone repair breakdown is as follows:
- Screen Damage: $29.00
- Other accidental damage: $99
- Theft or Loss: starting from $199 (with Theft/Loss Plan).
With SquareTrade, all repairs have a $50 deductible. That’s not a great deal for phone screens but works out for almost all other major repairs. Moreover, with SquareTrade, you can file up to four claims during a term compared to just two with AppleCare.
Redeeming Services
It’s bad enough your phone is broken, now how do you get the money for repairs. With AppleCare it’s easy. You can go to an Apple Store or authorized Apple repair center and they’ll take care of everything. Simple repairs can be done on the spot. Though more complicated fixes can take some time depending on the backlog.
Squaretrade is more flexible. It will reimburse for the costs of service and repair. You can go to the Apple Store or any store of your choice. You and also choose to overnight your phone for free to Squaretrade. They guarantee a 5-day turnaround for all repairs. In fact, they can actually repair over 80% of iPhone issues the day they receive them.
Customer Service
Customer service is a major part of the warranty process. Overall Apple provides fantastic customer service at its store. Sometimes, technical service on the phone, however, is a different story. If you go to a store and it’s not busy, you should be able to get things taken care of quickly. And you’re completely within the Apple ecosystem so repairs and possibly getting a loaner phone is easy.
SquareTrade has won numerous customer service awards. It’s grown to be one of the most successful third-party warranties not just for iPhones but all electronics. They offer 24/7 support through email, chat, and phone and have overall great reviews. Apple has great customer service, but SquareTrade edges them out overall.
SquareTrade Vs. AppleCare: Which Should I Choose?
You really can’t go wrong with either option. At the end of the day, you should have some form of cell phone insurance. With new phones now costing around $1000, you need coverage for repairs and other costs. Squaretrade offers better prices than Applecare especially if you’re lucky enough to find a good promo code.
And, you can still use the Apple Genius Bar and get repairs direct from Apple with them. However, it truly is a warranty only. It doesn’t cover theft and loss. For only $5 more per month, you can now get that with Applecare. So ultimately, Applecare has an advantage over SquareTrade.
The bottom line is price-sensitive customers should go with SquareTrade. If you have a little more room in your budget, get the added security of Applecare plus Theft/Loss Coverage.
Do You Have a Broken or Old iPhone?
Even with these great plans, repairs can still be pricey. This is doubly true for older phones that might not even be worth that much anymore. It often doesn’t make sense to pay $99 to fix an issue with iPhone 7 when you buy a new one.
Buyback Boss buys phones no matter what condition they are in. And we offer the highest price guaranteed. So instead of going through the hassle of repairing your phone and filing a claim, sell it easily to Buyback Boss instead.
Click here to get an instant quote. After you’re done, print off the free shipping label, and send it to us. You can get cash deposited in your Paypal account or check in the mail in less than a week. There’s nothing to lose so check it out now!
To discover even more about smartphones and technology, go the Buyback Boss Blog. Get more details on AppleCare. Learn how to recycle your iPhone. And learn about how long smartphones last. Buyback Boss has all the solutions you need to live in our digital world.
