The Pixel 10 Pro is technically cheaper than the Pixel 10, at least for me

I’m in the market for a new phone, and while I told myself I wouldn’t spend more than $500 on it, I’m a tech nerd and have to say that the latest Pixels look very appealing. I prefer smaller phones, and the entry-level Pixel 10 has all the features I want and need, and then some. I don’t see myself spending an extra $200 on the similarly sized Pro model, as the price difference isn’t worth it for me.

But here’s the kicker: The Pixel 10 Pro is actually cheaper for me in the long run. So, if I were to buy one of Google’s new phones, the Pixel 10 Pro makes the most financial sense.

You’re probably thinking this doesn’t make sense, but it does for my personal situation. I’m subscribed to the Google AI Pro plan, which gives me 2TB of cloud storage, access to Gemini 2.5, and a bunch of other benefits. I’ve been on this plan for almost a year because I need the extra space in Drive and use Gemini daily for both work and personal tasks.

If I buy the Pixel 10 Pro, I get a yearly subscription to this plan for free. The plan costs $20 per month, which means this included perk is valued at $240. This same perk is not included with the standard Pixel 10, which only comes with a six-month subscription to Google’s One 2TB plan, which doesn’t provide me with the value I need.

The price difference between the two phones is $200, and the value of the included yearly plan is $240 if paid on a monthly basis. This means that, technically speaking, I’m better off buying the Pro model when you factor in the cost of the Google AI Pro plan. While the Pixel 10 Pro costs more upfront, I’d actually spend more in the first year with the Pixel 10 since I would have to pay $240 for the subscription.

To break it down with numbers, here is a simple comparison of the first-year costs:

This means I’m saving $40 over the course of one year while getting a better phone at the same time. The Pro comes with a brighter display, more RAM, and improved cameras compared to the Pixel 10, making it a more suitable option for demanding users.

Well, not really. This logic only applies to people like me who are already subscribed to the Google AI Pro plan and will keep the subscription active for at least a year. If you don’t have a subscription and didn’t plan on getting one, then this calculation doesn’t apply to you. You’re better off with the Pixel 10 if that’s the one you truly want, as there are no real savings if you buy the Pro and don’t genuinely care about the free subscription. But if you want the Pro just for the extra features you’re getting and don’t care about money, that’s another story.

For me, the Pixel 10 Pro makes more sense to buy than the Pixel 10 from a financial standpoint, although I am still looking at something like the Pixel 9 or even the 9a for the savings alone. I could get the Pixel 9 for around $500 in my part of the world at the moment, saving $260 compared to the Pixel 10 Pro when taking the value of Google’s AI Pro plan into account.

Honestly, the phone has everything I need, and I’m sure I’ll be happy with it. Common sense tells me this is the way to go, but the tech lover in me that likes to play with all the latest features, even though I may not use some of them on a regular basis, is nudging me towards the Pixel 10 Pro.

What do you think I should do? Get the latest Pixel 10 Pro, opt for the Pixel 9 or even the cheaper 9a for the savings, or buy something else completely? Let me know via the poll below and explain your reasoning in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.