Repair or replace? How to decide on a broken phone

When a phone breaks, the first question is usually: is it worth fixing, or should I just replace it? A new flagship phone costs well over £800. A repair is often a small fraction of that. But it’s not always the right answer. Here’s how to think it through.

Lean towards repairing when

• The fault is a single common part — a cracked screen, a worn-out battery, a broken charging port. These are quick, affordable fixes. A screen from £24.99 or a battery from £24.99 is far cheaper than a new handset.
• The phone is otherwise fine. If it’s only a couple of years old and does everything you need, a repair buys you years more use.
• You like your phone. There’s nothing wrong with keeping a device that works for you. Repairing it is also the greener choice.

Lean towards replacing when

• The repair cost is creeping towards half the phone’s value and the device is already old.
• Multiple things are failing at once — screen and battery and it’s slowing down badly.
• It can no longer get security updates, which matters for older models.

The middle option: sell and upgrade

If you’re leaning towards a new phone, your old one may still be worth something — even broken. We buy iPhones in any condition, including cracked or water-damaged ones, so a “dead” phone can knock money off your next one. See Sell your iPhone.

Not sure? Ask first

The honest answer depends on your exact device and fault. We’ll give you a straight quote and tell you if we think a repair isn’t worth it — we’d rather you spent your money well. Get a quote and we’ll help you decide.