Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max now cost more to fix once the battery wears out. The company raised its out-of-warranty battery replacement fee to $129 for both models in the United States. That’s a $10 jump over the $119 Apple has charged for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro since those models launched, according to Apple’s support page.
Apple ties the higher fee to the size of the battery inside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, both of which pack larger cells than their predecessors. Here’s how the current lineup compares: The fee covers a battery swap for anyone outside of Apple’s one-year limited warranty and without AppleCare+. Given the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s battery life gains this generation, the bigger cell explains the extra cost.
| iPhone Model | Out-of-Warranty Battery Fee |
|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro | $119 |
| iPhone 17 Pro | $119 |
| iPhone 18 Pro | $129 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | $129 |
AppleCare+ Still Covers a Free Swap Below 80 Percent Health
Owners with AppleCare+ don’t pay anything extra for a battery replacement once its maximum capacity drops below 80 percent. That threshold hasn’t changed with this year’s models.
To check where an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max stands, open Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health. Apple lists the exact capacity percentage there, along with any usage limitations flagged by the phone’s own diagnostics.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Battery
- Tap Battery Health & Charging
- Check the Maximum Capacity percentage
Full details on what each AppleCare+ tier covers for the iPhone 18 Pro, including battery service, are in our AppleCare+ pricing and coverage breakdown.
Our Take
A $10 increase isn’t going to change anyone’s decision to buy an iPhone 18 Pro. What matters more is the 80 percent threshold for free AppleCare+ replacements. Batteries degrade faster than most people check for, so it’s worth glancing at that Battery Health screen every few months, especially once your AppleCare+ coverage has a clock on it.
