- Understand the benefits of AppleCare+ For AirPods
- Decide if it’s worth it for you
- Get to grips with what it covers
- Also, check out our post on what to do if your AirPods have gone through the wash
You might be familiar with AppleCare if you’ve purchased any Apple products recently.
AppleCare is essentially Apple’s warranty for the products you buy, meaning you have extra protection for damages, failures, or breakages. More specifically, AppleCare+ is an optional plan you can purchase to extend and increase your coverage.
Think of it as an insurance policy taken out directly with Apple that covers your Apple products. Because it is a paid extra, you may wonder if it’s worth taking out AppleCare+ for your Apple products.
In this article, we’ll weigh whether AppleCare+ is worth it specifically for your AirPods. Before we get started, here is a summary of what you’ll receive if you take buy AppleCare+:
- Apple-certified service and support coverage
- 24/7 technical support
- Accidental damage protection
- Battery service coverage
But is Applecare+ worth taking out? Yes! The price is fairly minimal for the money you would save if you require your AirPods to be repaired, and as the fee is a one-off, you don’t need to worry about subscribing to a recurring monthly charge.
If you’re still on the fence, I’ll explain exactly why AppleCare+ is worth purchasing and what you get for your money.
What Is The Difference Between AppleCare and AppleCare+?
Like many tech purchases, a limited warranty will cover buying a pair of AirPods.
In this case, AppleCare is your warranty covering the AirPods for usually 90 days. During this time, you’ll have access to customer support (via telephone or in-store) and a one-year warranty on your AirPods if you have any problems with them.
The AppleCare+ option extends this and covers additional extras, such as damaged products. So, for example, if you drop your AirPods into your sink and get them wet, your standard AppleCare coverage wouldn’t cover any repairs.
AppleCare+ would allow you to send your AirPods in for repair at a fraction of the cost you normally pay. You can, of course, still book your AirPods (or any other Apple product) for a repair; however, you would be looking at a full-price cost for this.
What Do I Get With AppleCare+?
As I’ve mentioned, AppleCare+ offers many more benefits than your standard AppleCare coverage.
At the time of writing, taking out AppleCare+ will give you up to two years of technical support (whether for pairing issues, device faults, or any other troubleshooting), and you’ll also get unlimited incidents of damage covered. So if you’re the kind of accident-prone person who, more often than not, finds your tech getting damaged, you’re in safe hands!
You’ll also have access to 24/7 priority support from Apple experts if you need some troubleshooting help.
Finally, Apple will also cover your battery should the capacity start dwindling (meaning, if your AirPods are not retaining their charge, then Apple will look into a repair or replacement for you).
You’ll also be able to get help with software such as using Siri and Bluetooth connectivity.
How Much Is AppleCare+?
The cost of AppleCare+ will vary depending on what type of AirPods you have. If you have AirPods or AirPods pro, you’re looking at $29 (USD) for two years of coverage, while AirPods Max will be priced at $59 (USD).
It’s worth noting that if you own a pair of Beats, these fall under the same category and would be priced at $29 for two years of coverage.
However, keep in mind that repairing your AirPods will still cost you. So while $29 sounds like an excellent deal for unlimited repairs, you will still have to pay if you have a hardware fault or damage to your AirPods.
That said, this is still priced at a very reasonable $29 (plus applicable tax), and this is a flat price for your headphones, charging cable, and battery. Unlike many insurance policies, your premium won’t go up if you have to book your AirPods in for a repair.
How Much Are AirPod Repairs Without AppleCare+?
Prices will vary depending on the issue, but if you are considering taking out AppleCare+, it’s handy to know how much you’ll be looking at should you need to resolve a fault with your AirPods.
Let’s look at Apple’s repair estimator and weigh the costs of repairing various AirPods models and whether AppleCare+ is worth investing in per item.
Battery
If your battery becomes damaged, isn’t retaining its charge, or is completely faulty, then a replacement will cost you in the region of $79. In this case, if you take out AppleCare+, you will pay nothing!
Here’s how much battery replacement breaks down depending on which generation of AirPods you have if you don’t take out AppleCare+.
- AirPods (1st Gen): $49
- AirPods (2nd Gen): $49
- AirPods (3rd Gen): $49
- AirPods Max: $79
- AirPods Pro: $49
- AirPods Pro (2nd Gen): $49
Similarly, Apple will cover your charging case, which is $49.
If you decided to take out AppleCare+, you’d likely save $20 overall (based on your original $29 payment) if you have a battery fault. In this case, AppleCare+ wins!
Damage
Repairing damaged AirPods is one of the more attractive benefits of taking out AppleCare+.
If you do end up sending in your AirPods for repair and you haven’t taken out AppleCare+, you can expect to pay around the following amounts:
- AirPods (1st Gen): $69
- AirPods (2nd Gen): $69
- AirPods (3rd Gen): $69
- AirPods Max: $89
- AirPods Pro: $89
- AirPods Pro (2nd Gen): $89
Similarly, you will be covered for damages against your charging case, which would cost you the following:
- MagSafe Charging Case (AirPods Pro 2nd Gen): $89
- Lightning Charging Case (AirPods 3rd Gen): $59
- Wireless Charging Case (AirPods Pro): $89
- Wireless Charging Case (AirPods 2nd Gen and Earlier): $69
- MagSafe Charging Case (AirPods Pro): $89
- MagSafe Charging Case (AirPods 3rd Gen): $69
- Charging Case (AirPods 2nd Gen and Earlier): $59
Again, if you offset these costs based on the initial $29 AppleCare+ fee, even if you pay the cheapest tariff (in this case, AirPods 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gen), you’d save $30. If the issue lies with your charging case (the cheapest repairs being the Lightning charging case for 3rd gen AirPods or the Charging case for 2nd gen and earlier), you’d still save $20.
If we look at it purely from a cost point of view, AppleCare+ wins in this category!
Lost Items
Keep in mind that AppleCare+ won’t cover you for lost items. You would still have to pay the total price for anything that needs replacing. So if you’re likely to throw your AirPods into a rucksack or your pockets and lose them, AppleCare+ won’t cover you for this.
Check out our article on locating your lost AirPods.
Is AppleCare+ Worth It For AirPods In 2023?
The big question! If we look at the benefits from purely a cost point of view, even if you were to book your AirPods in for a repair once, you’d be saving money based on the $29 you originally paid out.
However, where AppleCare+ becomes beneficial is when you have multiple faults. For example, if you were to diagnose an issue with both AirPods over your AppleCare+ cover, you could save over $100.
That said, it’s essential to factor in that Apple AirPods are premium products, so realistically, you shouldn’t suffer too many faults.
Overall though, $29 is quite a minimal outlay for the cover you get, so I would say that AppleCare+ is completely worth it in 2023.
It’s also worth considering how this differs from a typical insurance policy. This cover will allow you multiple repairs for various faults, which often an insurance policy wouldn’t without hiking their price up.
So if you are considering purchasing a set of AirPods in the near future, make sure to look into AppleCare+.
FAQs
Can I Still Get AppleCare+ If I’ve Already Bought My AirPods?
Yes, you can. You can purchase AppleCare+ at the point of sale; alternatively, you have 60 days from the date of purchase to buy AppleCare+.
If you have already bought your AirPods, you can either head to an Apple store with proof of purchase to take out AppleCare+ or do it through your paired iPad or iPhone. Just follow these instructions:
- Open ‘Settings’
- Tap on Bluetooth
- Click on the ⓘ button for your headphones and follow the instructions to purchase.
How Do I Get My AirPods Repaired With AppleCare+?
The easiest way is to head to your nearest Apple store with your AirPods to book a repair (or this can be pre-booked online).
You will also be able to mail in your AirPods and, in some cases, receive a replacement pair to keep you going while repairs are being carried out. Refer to your AppleCare+ agreement or speak to an Apple rep for more information.
How Do I Know If My AirPods Battery Is Eligible For Repair?
There is no black-and-white way to do this. However, if your AirPod batteries are draining much quicker than normal, it’s worth contacting Apple for a complete diagnosis. AppleCare+ states that batteries are eligible for a replacement if their capacity is under 80%.
Need to reset your AirPods? Check out our guide here.