Apple products have always been popular, but they’re also expensive, and dropping a lot of money on a new Apple device can feel like a big risk to take. Fortunately, with an extended warranty or product protection plan, you can protect your purchase so you can enjoy it for years to come.
If you’re an Apple customer or if you’ve spent any time looking into Apple products, you’ve probably heard of AppleCare and AppleCare+, two types of warranties offered by Apple. But what’s the difference, and how does the AppleCare price compare to AppleCare+ price?
And if you're looking for product protection that can cover all your Apple devices and accessories, subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited. You'll get coverage for all your online purchases under the same product protection plan for just $9.99 a month, which is significantly less than both AppleCare and AppleCare+. It's the ultimate affordable peace of mind.
What is AppleCare?
AppleCare is Apple’s limited warranty, and it comes with any Apple device you purchase. AppleCare includes 90 days of complementary technical support and one year of coverage for manufacturer’s defects and other internal hardware issues, such as mechanical failures or other defects that are not caused by you after purchasing your device.
While AppleCare might sound like a good deal (it’s free after all), it's important to know that standard AppleCare does not include coverage for accidental damage. This means that any drops, liquid spills, screen cracks, chips, or dents are not protected. If an accident occurs, you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket, which can be hundreds of dollars, depending on the damage and the type of device you have.
Plan at a glance:
- AppleCare price: Free
- Length of plan: One year
- Accidental coverage: No
What is AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ is Apple’s version of an extended warranty. Not only does AppleCare extend the time frame that standard AppleCare covers, it also adds additional coverage. With AppleCare+, you can extend your warranty for two years from the purchase date and cover incidents such as accidental damage, that standard AppleCare doesn’t cover.
Although AppleCare+ covers accidental damage, it’s helpful to know that you’ll still be required to pay a deductible every time damage occurs ($99 for typical iPhone repairs, for example). Although the deductible is significantly less expensive than the cost of most iPhone repairs out of pocket, spending $99 every time you file a claim can really add up. AppleCare+ customers can file unlimited claims.
Plan at a glance:
- AppleCare+ price: Varies based on your device and model (For example, the AppleCare+ price for an iPhone 13 is around $287).
- Length of plan: Two years
- Accidental coverage: Yes
AppleCare vs. AppleCare+
Because it's included with every Apple product, AppleCare is completely free. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t mean you won’t end up paying anything. AppleCare coverage is extremely limited, so if anything outside of manufacturer's defects or hardware issues happens to your device, you’ll have to cover the full price of the repair fees out of pocket. In other words, with AppleCare, you get what you pay for–which isn’t very much. However, it’s better than no coverage at all.
AppleCare+, on the other hand, does require an upfront cost to purchase the plan, but reduces the costs of future repairs. For example, the MacBook screen repair cost without AppleCare+ will likely cost you hundreds of dollars, while you’ll only have to pay $99 with an AppleCare+ plan (although with Mulberry Unlimited, screen repair won’t cost you anything–no deductibles or hidden fees, ever!).
Which is better for you?
Ultimately, the AppleCare vs. AppleCare+ debate comes down to your individual circumstances and how much risk you’d like to assume. While AppleCare doesn’t provide much protection outside of hardware issues and manufacturer’s defects, it’s free. AppleCare+, on the other hand, does offer some benefits (like coverage for accidental damage, for example), but the AppleCare+ price is a drawback, especially when you consider that you’ll have to pay a deductible every time you file a claim, too!
Wondering if there are other options out there for protecting your Apple products? With a Mulberry Unlimited subscription, you can get coverage for all of your Apple devices (and much more), at a fraction of the price, with no deductibles, extra fees, or fine print. For just $9.99 a month, you can have product protection for everything.
