Things break — it’s just a simple fact of life. But when a critical piece of tech like your iPhone goes out of commission, it can feel downright catastrophic. Fortunately, a cracked screen, dead battery, broken home button, and even water damage aren’t the end for your device.
Keep reading to learn how to fix your broken iPhone, how much iPhone repair costs, how to back up your iPhone prior to repair, and whether fixing your broken phone is worth it.
Table of Contents
Can I fix my broken iPhone?
If your iPhone has taken a few too many drops, or if it simply won’t power on, it’s easy to think that it’s done for. After all, modern iPhones are extremely complicated devices with hundreds of components sandwiched between two thin panes of glass. Although this makes DIY repair next to impossible without adequate experience and expensive tools; most common iPhone problems such as cracked screens, water damage, and a dead battery can be fixed by a skilled repair shop in just a few hours.
How much does it cost to fix my iPhone
iPhone repair costs vary considerably depending on which iPhone model you own and what is wrong with it. Broken home buttons, stuck power buttons, loose charging ports, and dead batteries are generally cheap and easy for a skilled repair shop to fix.
On the other hand, cracked screen repair is often inexpensive on older iPhones with LCD screens — but it can get pretty pricey on newer iPhones with laminated OLED screens due to greater component costs.
Average iPhone repair costs on the Swappa Repair Network:
| Replacement | Screen Repair | Battery | Charging Port | Power Button | Water Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 6 | Starting at $75 | $40-80 | $30-70 | $20-70 | $35-70 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 6 Plus | Starting at $103 | $45-90 | $30-70 | $35-70 | $35-70 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 6S | Starting at $85 | $40-90 | $30-70 | $20-70 | $50-80 | $50-100 |
| iPhone 6S Plus | Starting at $129 | $50-100 | $30-70 | $20-70 | $30-80 | $50-100 |
| iPhone 7 | Starting at $105 | $50-100 | $30-70 | $20-90 | $50-100 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 7 Plus | Starting at $189 | $40-110 | $30-70 | $20-90 | $50-100 | $50-100 |
| iPhone 8 | Starting at $168 | $50-110 | $40-70 | $50-100 | $50-120 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 8 Plus | Starting at $230 | $50-120 | $50-70 | $50-100 | $50-120 | $59-100 |
| iPhone X | Starting at $285 | $70-200 | $50-80 | $20-110 | $60-150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone XR | Starting at $310 | $70-160 | $40-80 | $20-125 | $60-150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone XS | Starting at $348 | $70-300 | $40-80 | $20-125 | $60-150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone XS Max | Starting at $388 | $80-300 | $60-80 | $50-135 | $60-150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 11 | Starting at $454 | $100-425 | $59-100 | $50-150 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 11 Pro | Starting at $574 | $100-425 | $69-100 | $150 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | Starting at $645 | $100-450 | $69-100 | $175 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 12 | Starting at $689 | $150-475 | $59-100 | $50-150 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 12 mini | Starting at $600 | $100-425 | $59-100 | $50-150 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Starting at $922 | $150-475 | $69-100 | $150 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Starting at $1000 | $175-500 | $69-100 | $175 | $150 | $59-100 |
| iPhone SE | Starting at $71 | $35-90 | $30-70 | $30-60 | $30-70 | $59-100 |
| iPhone SE 2020 | Starting at $234 | $80-110 | $40-70 | $50-100 | $50-120 | $59-100 |
iPhone repair costs vary substantially. Oftentimes, it makes more sense to pick up a cheap replacement iPhone on Swappa instead. This is particularly true for older phones such as the iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, and iPhone 7, where you can often get a replacement for less than the price of iPhone repair.
Visit the Swappa Repair Calculator for a free iPhone repair cost estimate and to find out how much your phone is worth, so you can determine whether iPhone repair is right for you.
iPhone screen replacement
Cracked iPhone screens are the single most common type of cell phone damage. Every year, more than 50 million Americans crack their cell phone screens. Not only are cracked iPhone screens unsightly — they can also lead to other issues such as a loss of water resistance, greater susceptibility to future damage, and even cuts and scrapes when you actually try to use your phone.
Fortunately, a qualified repair shop can fix your cracked screen — and many can do the job in just a few hours. Here’s how much it costs to repair your cracked iPhone screen using the Swappa Repair Network, what Apple charges for out-of-warranty screen repair, and how that stacks up to getting a replacement phone on Swappa:
As you can see, iPhone screen repair typically costs $40 – 100 for older devices with LCD screens such as the iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 — as well as their “Plus” variants. Although this is relatively affordable — and certainly cheaper than what Apple charges for out-of-warranty iPhone screen repair — it doesn’t really make sense to sink more money into an older, broken iPhone when fully-functional replacement phones start around the same price on Swappa.
Pick up a newish replacement on Swappa instead, and give yourself peace of mind that you’re avoiding other potential points of failure from the drop that caused the cracked screen in the first place. Or for not much more, consider upgrading to something a bit newer while you’re at it. Find the right iPhone for you in our Top 10 iPhones list.
What if you own a newer iPhone with a laminated OLED screen? Screen repair typically costs $200 – 400 for newer iPhones such as the iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, and iPhone 12, depending on which specific model you own. While this is more money, it may still make sense if that’s the only thing wrong with your device. Learn more about iPhone screen repair in our comprehensive screen repair guide.
iPhone battery replacement
Battery replacement is the next most common type of iPhone repair. Batteries are considered a “wear item.” This means that after a few years and a few thousand charge-discharge cycles, your battery won’t last as long as it once did.
Fortunately, if your iPhone won’t hold a charge, battery repair is one of the simplest (and cheapest) types of repair — typically costing $69 or less for newer iPhones such as the iPhone X, iPhone 11, and iPhone 12, and as little as $49 for older models such as the iPhone 8, iPhone 7, and iPhone 6S.
| Replacement (Swappa) | Battery Repair (Swappa Repair Network) | Battery Replacement (Apple Out-of-Warranty) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 6 | Starting at $75 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 6 Plus | Starting at $103 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 6S | Starting at $85 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 6S Plus | Starting at $129 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 7 | Starting at $105 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 7 Plus | Starting at $189 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 8 | Starting at $168 | $40-70 | $49 |
| iPhone 8 Plus | Starting at $230 | $50-70 | $49 |
| iPhone X | Starting at $285 | $50-80 | $69 |
| iPhone XR | Starting at $310 | $40-80 | $69 |
| iPhone XS | Starting at $348 | $40-80 | $69 |
| iPhone XS Max | Starting at $388 | $60-80 | $69 |
| iPhone 11 | Starting at $454 | $59-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 11 Pro | Starting at $574 | $69-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | Starting at $645 | $69-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 12 | Starting at $689 | $59-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 12 mini | Starting at $600 | $59-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Starting at $922 | $69-100 | $69 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Starting at $1000 | $69-100 | $69 |
| iPhone SE | Starting at $71 | $30-70 | $49 |
| iPhone SE 2020 | Starting at $234 | $40-70 | $49 |
Similar to what we saw with screen repair, battery repair isn’t always worth it. Although battery replacement is fairly affordable — and often cheaper than buying a replacement phone — it doesn’t make sense to fix an older phone if you’re already planning on upgrading in the near future.
If you have an iPhone 8 or newer, battery replacement makes sense, since these phones are still capable of handling modern applications and can run the very latest version of iOS 15. On the other hand, if you own an older device such as an iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, or first-generation iPhone SE, you’re much better off upgrading to something more modern instead. Click the link below to find out which cheap iPhones have the best battery life.
Water damage and other types of iPhone repair
Cracked screens and dead batteries make up the vast majority of iPhone repair — but that’s not all that can go wrong with a phone.
Water damage is still fairly common — after all, no phone is truly “waterproof” — and there are other potential issues such as a broken home button, power button, charging port, or camera. Learn more about the most common types of cell phone repair by clicking below.
Here’s how much you can expect to pay to fix common iPhone issues such as water damage, broken ports, camera repair, and more.
As you can see, repair costs vary considerably depending on which phone you have and what’s wrong with it. Be sure to check out the Swappa Repair Calculator for a free iPhone repair cost estimate by clicking below.
Where can I get my broken iPhone fixed?
The first place many people turn to for iPhone repair is the Apple Store. But unless you paid extra for AppleCare+ when you originally bought your iPhone, be prepared to overpay for repairs. And with fewer than 300 Apple Stores spread across the entire nation, getting a same-day appointment at the Genius Bar can be next to impossible.
Independent repair shops can have faster turnaround times and typically perform similar repairs for a fraction of the price. However, finding a trustworthy repair shop can be complicated, since you’re essentially handing over your most personal piece of tech. Fortunately, Swappa is here to help.
The Swappa Repair Network connects you with local, trustworthy repair shops near you. Our nationwide directory features over 2,400 cell phone repair shops spread across 270 metropolitan areas, meaning you’re never far from iPhone repair. Rest assured knowing that all repair shops listed in the Swappa Repair Network are verified businesses, use quality replacement parts, and offer at least a 30-day guarantee on their work.
Getting ready for iPhone repair
Before you take your iPhone in for repair, you’re going to want to take a few precautionary measures. Although most types of iPhone repair don’t involve wiping your device’s storage, it’s never a bad idea to create a local iPhone backup in order to prevent data loss.
Here’s how to manually back up your iPhone to your Mac or PC:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes if you’re on Windows, or Finder if you’re running macOS 10.15 or later
- Locate your iPhone on your computer and enter your passcode if necessary
- Locate the “Backups” section within Finder or iTunes and click Back Up Now
- Once your backup is complete, a message will appear in the “Backups” section stating when you last backed up your iPhone
If you are unable to perform a manual backup, let your repair shop know. They might be able to help you recover your data. Click below for everything you need to know about iPhone repair.
Is it worth it to fix my broken iPhone?
The final piece of the puzzle is figuring out whether it’s better to repair or replace your broken iPhone. Deciding whether iPhone repair is worth it depends on a lot of factors, ranging from the age of your device to the type of damage it has sustained.
If you own a newer device such as an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12, repair makes senses as long as there’s not too much wrong with your phone. Just keep in mind that modern phones are extremely complex, so there might be multiple points of failure on your damaged device.
On the other hand, if you have an older phone such as an iPhone 8, iPhone 7 or below, you’re better off getting a replacement or upgrade instead. Not only does this give you the opportunity to upgrade to a newer device, but used iPhone prices constantly fall as time goes on, meaning that you’ll always find the best deals on Swappa.
Click the button below for the best deals on cheap iPhones, and then head over to the Swappa Repair Calculator for a free iPhone repair cost estimate, so you can figure out whether it’s better to repair or replace your broken iPhone.
Avoid costly repairs — get warranty coverage for just $5.99 per month
Next time, ditch the costly repair bill by getting a Swappa Used Phone Protection Plan. We teamed up with Warranty Life to get you full warranty coverage for just $5.99 per month.
Whether it’s a cracked screen, broken power button, or water damage; a used phone protection plan will save you money by making expensive out-of-pocket cell phone repair a thing of the past. Click below to sign up today.
