Geek Squad is the protection plan offered by Best Buy.
Apple provides its users with a protection program known as AppleCare.
If you had to choose between these two, which one would you select?
We are committed to ensuring that you receive the best protection plan that will also provide value for money.
Why is Best Buy’s Geek Squad better than AppleCare?
The Geek Squad at Best Buy has knowledgeable representatives conveniently located throughout their stores, but they do not always possess the expertise of Apple’s Gurus when it comes to servicing Apple products. You can ensure the highest level of service by using Apple Care.
You can read on to find out how Best Buy’s Geek Squad compares to AppleCare’s Geniuses.
The Best Buy Geek Squad
Best Buy has introduced a protection plan called Geek Squad.
Your electronic devices, such as laptops, TVs, and gaming systems, will remain in good working order with this plan.
Three options are available to customers through Geek Squad Protection.
You can choose between “Retail Replacement”, “Accident Protection”, and “Lifetime Protection.” If you are unsure about the differences between these plans, the following paragraphs will give you a brief overview.
Customers who have purchased items from Best Buy can purchase the “Retail Replacement” plan.
We will only replace these items if they exhibit technical problems that cannot be resolved.
Best Buy offers the highest plan, entitled “Accident Protection”.
With this plan, Geek Squad will assist you with repairing your computer or device, as well as assist you in troubleshooting, if any problems arise.
Pros:
- Covers almost all devices
- with no deductible
- so you can upgrade
Cons:
- Your protection plan money cannot be refunded if you are not satisfied with the services of Geek-Squad.
If you buy a protection plan after a month of purchase, Best Buy will accept it as a return; that is because Best Buy policy stipulates that as long as the customer is not satisfied within 30 days, then Geek-Squad must refund the total amount including tax and shipping fee to the credit card that was used for the purchase.
About AppleCare
It is important to consider purchasing a protection plan even if Apple products have been rated as high-quality and durable since all electronic devices are prone to malfunctioning.
Apple’s AppleCare Protection Plan is one of the company’s most well-known protection plans.
The plan provides coverage for Macs and iPods for two years.
The “AppleCare Protection Plan” provides coverage for repairs related to covered hardware.
This plan does not cover devices that are no longer supported by Apple.
Depending on your choice of options, the price of the AppleCare Protection Plan varies.
Below you will find a list of factors to consider when choosing between AppleCare and Geek-Squad protection plans:
Best Buy locations nationwide offer the Geek-Squad Protection Plan.
Only Apple customers can purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan, although laptops and iPads can also be brought into an authorized Apple Store.
The AppleCare Team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The service period varies according to the model of your laptop or iPad.
Pros:
- You have up to 60 days to decide
- Between 3 years of technical support
- And a limited-time money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Requires technical expertise to use
- You will need to pay $99.95 plus tax upfront if you choose the full replacement option.
How Do AppleCare and Best Buy Geek-Squad Compare?
Here are the differences between these two payment platforms.
Signing Up
If you purchase Apple products, you are eligible for AppleCare.
When you purchase Apple products, you will automatically receive one year of AppleCare for free. The plan does not cover repairs outside the warranty period.
Call your local office or retail store to schedule a service appointment if you purchased your computer from Best Buy.
Support
AppleCare offers the following 24-hour support for those who purchase Apple products:
- Telephone support for AppleCare
- Providing online chat support for AppleCare customers
This service is not offered by Best Buy.
Getting access to this service would require more effort on your part, and you would have to wait longer to have your device repaired.
If you are unsure of what you will need to file your claim, for example, Best Buy does not have an onsite service center where you can get assistance from experts.
Eligibility
Are Apple products covered by Geek Squad? Both AppleCare and GeekSquad are available exclusively for Mac devices.
These protection plans do not cover devices from other brands.
Both parties will provide repair services if the device has a hardware fault covered by the guidelines.
We cover issues such as cracked screens, liquid damage, electrical surges, etc.
Which one should you choose between AppleCare and Best Buy Geek-Squad?
You may compare the additional features offered by Geek-Squad with those of AppleCare.
Most people determine which plan to choose based on the price of AppleCare.
What is the cheaper price of the iPhone 5C or the iPad mini 3 with 64 GB of storage, for example?
Depending on the model and storage space, AppleCare has different pricing levels.
Because these phones and tablets share most of these characteristics, we can state that their prices are almost identical.
Those who plan to purchase devices for long-term use (e.g. iPad and Mac) are more likely to opt for AppleCare as opposed to Geek-Squad’s protection plan.
FAQs
How does Best Buy Geek Squad handle physical damage?
You are not covered for physical damage to the device by Best Buy.
How much does it cost to sign up for Geek-Squad?
If you purchase an eligible product from Best Buy, you will be eligible for free protection.
As a consequence, there may be a charge to cover your product under such a plan; the cost is applied to ensure your product is covered. If an accident occurs within the specified period, the Geek-Squad will repair or replace the device without question.
What are the limitations of the protection plan?
You are eligible for a claim only if one of the following conditions exist: Your device has been stolen or is damaged beyond repair, or if your device requires service, it was not available at the time.
You should not try to claim accidental damage through the Geek-Squad plan (including dropping your phone while on a call) since it would have been an accident by definition.
Is there a maximum number of claims allowed?
Yes, your plan covers up to two claims in the first year.
After that, you are permitted to make four claims each year.
Thereafter, the coverage will be extended for another two years, and after that, you will be able to submit four additional claims as long as you continue to use the same device; this also applies if your device requires more repairs than are covered by the plan.
Is there anything free with the Geek-Squad plan?
You are entitled to take advantage of free shipping if the device needs to be shipped to a third-party service provider or if it needs to be shipped outside of the country.
If you are unsatisfied with the repair work, there is no risk and no deductible.
In addition, you may purchase additional coverage for loss and theft.
The cost will depend on the device you select.
