Is iPhone Screen Repair Worth It? A Cost Analysis

A customer walked in last month holding an iPhone 14 Pro with a cracked screen. "I'm thinking of just buying a new phone," she said. "This one's two years old anyway."

I asked her to wait while I did a quick calculation. Her phone: worth about £550 on the used market. The repair: £149 for a Soft OLED screen. Twenty minutes later, she left with a phone that looked brand new—and £400+ still in her pocket compared to buying the iPhone 16.

This happens every week. People assume that a cracked screen means it's time to upgrade. Sometimes it is. But more often, repair makes dramatically more financial sense.

Pro Tip

The quick answer: If your iPhone is worth 3x or more than the repair cost, repair wins. Most iPhone 12 and newer models fall firmly in this category.

The Real Numbers

Let's look at what you're actually choosing between:

The pattern is clear: repair costs 10-15% of what replacing would cost. Even on older iPhones, you're saving 85-90% compared to buying new.

When Repair Makes Sense

Repair is almost always the right choice when:

• Your iPhone is 4 years old or newer — iPhone 12 and later still have years of software support ahead
• Everything else works fine — Battery good, camera works, no other issues
• You're happy with your phone — It does everything you need
• You want to keep your data exactly as it is — No backup/restore hassle
• You care about the environment — Repair generates far less e-waste

When Upgrading Makes Sense

Sometimes upgrading is the better choice:

• Your phone has multiple issues — Cracked screen AND bad battery AND slow performance
• It's an iPhone X or older — Software support has ended, parts are harder to source
• The repair cost exceeds 50% of the phone's value — The maths stops working
• You genuinely need new features — Better camera, USB-C, Action button

Did You Know?

Honest advice: If you bring us an iPhone 8 with a cracked screen, we'll tell you it might be time to upgrade. We'd rather give you honest advice than take your money for a repair that doesn't make sense.

The Hidden Costs of Replacing

The sticker price of a new iPhone isn't the whole story:

• Setup time: 2-4 hours transferring data, logging into apps, re-downloading everything
• Lost data: Things that didn't back up properly—voice memos, some app data, login sessions
• New accessories: Cases, screen protectors (£30-50)
• Learning curve: New gestures, button locations, features to figure out
• Environmental impact: 70kg of CO2 for a new iPhone vs nearly zero for repair

With repair, you walk in with a cracked phone and walk out 30 minutes later with everything exactly as it was—just with a perfect screen.

Quick Decision Framework

Still not sure? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is my phone working well apart from the screen? Yes = lean towards repair
2. Is my phone less than 5 years old? Yes = lean towards repair
3. Is the repair less than 30% of what a new phone costs? Yes = definitely repair
4. Do I actually need features my phone doesn't have? No = repair

If you answered "yes" to the first three and "no" to the last one, repair is almost certainly the right choice.

Ready to Get Your Screen Fixed?

Bring your iPhone in for a free assessment. We'll tell you honestly whether repair makes sense for your situation—no pressure, no sales tactics.

Most screen repairs take just 30 minutes. Your photos, apps, and data stay exactly where they are.