Is AppleCare really worth it for Apple Watch SE?

AppleCare+ is relatively inexpensive for the Apple Watch SE 3: $2.99 ​​per month or $29.99 per year for the Theft and Loss plan. That’s far less than the average streaming subscription. The plan includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, as well as battery service and up to two theft or loss claims per year.

But AppleCare+ is not a comprehensive coverage option because there are additional requirements and costs. Whether it’s worth it depends on your usual daily life. There’s a big difference between wearing an Apple Watch while working from home and welding for a living. Accidental damage service for the SE 3 will still cost you $69 per incident, and a replacement in the event of theft or loss comes with a $119 deductible. There is no additional charge for battery maintenance, but that’s only if your battery retains less than 80% of its original capacity.

For more context, an Apple Watch comes with a one-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects. AppleCare+ is therefore an addition to this standard warranty. In the event of theft or loss, AppleCare+ will only cover you if Find My is enabled when the watch is stolen or lost, and it must remain enabled throughout the claims process.

If you have a trade, work in construction, play sports, or regularly wear your watch in other situations that could cause it significant damage, it’s much easier to justify coverage. If you’re an adrenaline minimalist and the most dangerous part of your day is a run to the convenience store, not so much. Remember, coverage is a protection against a potential expense and far from a guarantee that you will save money in the long run.

If you can easily replace the watch and prefer to save money, AppleCare+ is not essential. At Apple’s current annual rate, three years of premiums amount to just under $90. If you add just one accidental damage claim, you get $159. With just one theft or loss claim, you’ve spent $209. Regardless, that’s a significant portion of the Apple Watch SE’s $249 starting cost. And depending on how long the device lasts, the damage occurs, you may prefer to spend the money on the next generation rather than repairing an older device.

Getting a new battery is another reason to have potential coverage, but only if you plan to own and use the same Apple Watch for years. There’s basically no point in upgrading annually or every two years because the battery isn’t likely to degrade as quickly. If the device health is above 80% when you decide to replace the watch battery, it is not covered.

Prices for non-AppleCare repairs are also worth keeping in mind. For the Apple Watch SE 3 GPS model, you’ll pay $99 for battery service and $199 for other damage (there’s no theft option without coverage). If you have the cellular model, damage repair increases to $229. Your tolerance for these prices affects the value of AppleCare.

AppleCare+ with theft and loss for a single Apple Watch SE 3 is the cheapest option among Apple’s current Apple Watch models, at $2.99 ​​per month or $29.99 per year. Coverage renews until canceled, and annual billing costs a little less than the total $35.88 you’ll pay if you opt for monthly billing. At three years, the difference totals $107.64 for monthly payments versus $89.97 for annual payments.

AppleCare One is a potential alternative for those who own multiple Apple devices because it bundles them all into one payment plan, starting at $19.99 per month for someone with up to three devices. Add $5.99 per month for each additional device. If you already own three Apple devices, adding an SE 3 will cost more than its $2.99 ​​per month. This only makes sense if you’re already paying for AppleCare One and don’t have a more expensive device to protect.

Finally, AppleCare One Family is the newest option. It costs $49.99 for up to six family members and covers all of their eligible devices. New Apple products are automatically added to the plan when purchased.

For the basic plan, you will need to sign up for AppleCare+ within 60 days of purchasing your watch. With the other two plans, you can generally add any devices less than four years old to an active plan, although they will likely require verification to ensure they are in good condition.