If your Galaxy A is inside Samsung's warranty and has a fault rather than damage, use Samsung: the repair is free, and an independent repair would end your warranty. Samsung is also the safest choice for a screen on the models with an under-screen fingerprint reader. For accidental damage or an out-of-warranty phone, an independent repairer using genuine parts is usually cheaper for the same part.
I run an independent mail-in repair service, so I'm not neutral. I'll set out both sides as fairly as I can, including where Samsung is the better choice.
What Samsung's repair service offers
A warranty that covers faults
Samsung phones come with a warranty that covers faults, which Samsung UK states as 24 months. Accidental damage such as a cracked screen, and liquid damage, aren't covered. A repair attempt by anyone other than Samsung or one of its authorised repair partners ends the warranty. If your phone is within its warranty and something has failed on its own, Samsung should be your first call.
Published prices for screens and batteries
Samsung publishes recommended prices. For the Galaxy A range in September 2026, screens were £114 to £164 depending on the model, and batteries a flat £79. It calls them recommended prices that can change if more work is needed, and it lists a £30 inspection fee for out-of-warranty devices. Charging ports and back glass have no published price: they're quoted after inspection.
Genuine parts and calibration
Samsung's repairers use genuine parts and Samsung's own equipment. That matters most on the Galaxy A models with an under-screen fingerprint reader, such as the A33 to A37, the A51 to A57 and the A71 and A72, where the reader has to be calibrated after a new screen. Samsung's repairers do that as part of the job.
Several ways to get it repaired
Samsung's authorised partners offer in-store repairs, collection by courier, and on some repairs a doorstep service. Availability depends on where you live and what's wrong.
Care+
If you bought Samsung Care+ with your phone, it covers accidental damage for an excess, and includes a battery replacement once battery health drops below 80%. Care+ has to be bought within a short window after you buy the phone, and the price and excess depend on the model, so check your own plan.
What an independent repairer offers
Lower prices for the same genuine part
A good independent repairer can fit the same genuine Samsung part for less. For example, my genuine screen replacement is £79 on the A16 against Samsung's £119, and a genuine battery is £49 to £59 against Samsung's £79. The full list is in my Galaxy A screen cost guide and battery cost guide.
A fixed price you see before you book
My prices are fixed and shown on each model page, with no inspection fee. If I can't repair the phone, there's no repair fee and I refund what you paid, less return postage.
The catch: not all independents are the same
The cheapest quotes often use copy screens and batteries rather than genuine Samsung parts. Some repairers also fit screens on under-screen fingerprint models without calibrating the reader. Before you book anyone, ask two questions: is the part genuine Samsung, and, on the under-screen fingerprint models, do you calibrate the fingerprint reader afterwards?
The honest downside
An independent repair ends Samsung's warranty. If your phone is still inside it and the fault isn't damage, that's a real cost, and it's why I'd send you to Samsung first.
When to pick which
Use Samsung if:
- the phone is inside Samsung's warranty and the fault isn't damage;
- you have Care+ and the repair is covered;
- you need a screen now on an under-screen fingerprint model such as the A33, A34, A51, A52, A52s, A53, A54, A71 or A72, where calibration is only available through Samsung;
- you'd rather drop the phone in at a store near you.
Use an independent repairer if:
- the phone is out of warranty, or the damage is accidental;
- you want a genuine part at a lower, fixed price;
- the repair is a battery, charging port or back, where fingerprint calibration doesn't come into it;
- you've checked the part is genuine and, for a screen on the under-screen fingerprint models, that the reader will be calibrated.
How it works with me
You book and pay online, post the phone to me, and I repair it with genuine Samsung parts, test it and send it back insured and tracked. You pay the postage to me; the return is included. Every repair has a 12-month warranty. Every model and price is on the Samsung Galaxy A repair page.
Frequently asked questions
Does an independent repair void my Samsung warranty?
Yes. Samsung's warranty ends if the phone is repaired, or a repair is attempted, by anyone other than Samsung or its authorised partners. If your phone is inside the warranty and the fault isn't damage, use Samsung.
Is a cracked screen covered by Samsung's warranty?
No. A cracked screen is accidental damage, which the warranty doesn't cover, so it's a paid repair from Samsung or anyone else, unless you have Care+ or insurance that covers it.
Does Samsung use genuine parts?
Yes. So do I. The difference is price, and whether you want Samsung's own service. Not every independent repairer uses genuine parts, so ask.
Can I repair my Galaxy A myself?
For some models, Samsung sells genuine parts and repair guides through its Self-Repair programme, including the A15, A16, A25, A26, A35, A36, A55 and A56. Screens and backs are glued, and the fingerprint models need calibrating after a new screen, so it's a careful job.
