AppleCare, Apple's optional extended warranty and accidental damage protection scheme, has evolved from a simple flat-fee plan into a range of subscription and bundled options covering nearly every Apple device. The distinction matters because Apple's standard one-year warranty only covers factory defects, not accidental damage such as a cracked screen, which can otherwise cost hundreds of dollars to repair out of pocket. Deciding whether AppleCare is worthwhile depends largely on how accident-prone an owner is with their devices.

Pricing varies by device: AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss for an iPhone 17 Pro costs $13.99 monthly or $139.99 annually, dropping to $9.99 or $99.99 for the iPhone 17e, while AirPods Pro coverage costs just $1.99 a month. Subscribers still pay service fees for repairs, such as $29 for a cracked iPhone screen or $149 for theft or loss, but these remain far cheaper than a full out-of-warranty repair, which can run to $329 for an iPhone 17 screen. Apple also offers AppleCare One, covering three devices for $19.99 a month with additional devices at $5.99 each, available in the US, UK, France, Germany and Australia, while carriers like AT&T and third parties such as SquareTrade offer alternative, sometimes cheaper, coverage.