How we check prices
Last updated: October 2026
Every price on TopRepairShop is a typical range, checked by our editorial team, TRS Gurus, led by our lead editor, Amir S. Here is where the numbers come from and how we keep them current.
Where the prices come from
- Manufacturer prices. When Apple, Samsung or Google publish an out-of-warranty repair price, we use it as the official price for that repair.
- Independent shop prices. For independent repair shops, we start from current wholesale prices for the replacement part and add typical shop labor: about $60 for simple jobs, about $120 for screens, and about $150 for the hardest phones and laptops.
- Calls to local shops. We regularly call local repair shops anonymously, the same way any customer would, and ask what they charge for common repairs. These real quotes help us check that our ranges match what shops actually charge today. We never name or rate a shop based on a call.
- Car repairs. Car prices are based on national repair-cost data for parts and labor, adjusted for the specific repair and vehicle.
Every guide shows a “checked” date
Near the end of each guide you will see “Prices and details checked” with a date. That is the last time our team checked the guide's prices against the sources above, including shop quotes.
How often we re-check
We re-check prices regularly and update a guide as soon as a manufacturer changes its published price or a reader reports a price that looks wrong. If a guide's checked date is several months old, treat the range as a starting point and confirm with a shop.
Why we show ranges, not one number
The same repair rarely costs the same everywhere. Prices change with your exact model, original versus third-party parts, local labor rates, and whether the shop finds extra damage once the device or car is opened. A range shows what most people should expect to pay. It is not a quote.
What we don't do
- We don't sell repairs, and we are not a repair shop.
- We are not paid by repair shops to list or recommend them, and shops cannot pay to change a price.
- Advertising is clearly labeled and has no say in our prices or guides.
Readers' prices
Some guides also show what readers say they paid or were quoted. Those prices are shared anonymously and are shown separately from our checked ranges. You can share your repair cost too.
Spotted a wrong price?
Please contact us and choose “Correction”. Tell us the guide, the price you saw and what you were charged or quoted. We review every report and update the guide when it is warranted.
Read more in our editorial policy or about our editors.