Google is overhauling its device protection game with Pixel Care Plus, replacing the old Preferred Care plan—and yes, *free* screen and battery repairs are now included.
Pixel Care Plus keeps the monthly pricing familiar
Despite the upgrade in coverage, Google hasn’t shaken up the price tag too much. Pixel 9 owners are still looking at $8 per month, or $159 for two years. If you’re going bigger with a Pixel 10 Pro Fold, brace for a higher price: $18 monthly or $339 for the full two-year commitment. There’s also a new optional theft and loss add-on, running a few bucks extra, depending on your device.
Free screen and battery fixes set it apart
Here’s the standout shift: screen and battery repairs are now free under Pixel Care Plus. With Preferred Care, cracking your display meant a $29 repair fee. Now, a busted front screen or a tired battery dropping below 80% gets replaced without any cost. That’s a serious value shift—especially for accident-prone users. There’s a catch though. If you own the pricey Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and damage that foldable inner display, you’re out of luck. Internal screen repairs still aren’t covered.
Other service fees take a dive
For damage outside screens and batteries, costs depend on your Pixel model—but overall, fees are trending lower. Here’s how they stack up:
- $49: Pixel 8a, Pixel 9a
- $99: Pixel 10 Pro Fold
- $129: Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel Fold
So while not every repair is free, Google’s clearly trimming down the pain at checkout.
Pixel Care Plus now flirts with Samsung territory
This move brings Google closer to Samsung’s new extended coverage approach, which dropped screen replacement fees altogether earlier this year. With Pixel Care Plus, Google is finally shaking off its second-tier warranty feel—especially as competitors continue sweetening their protection plans.
Not all screens are equal—and that stings
The internal display exception on the 10 Pro Fold still feels like a glaring hole in the coverage. You’d expect the most expensive Pixel to have the broadest protection, but Google’s drawing the line there. And for those springing for the loss and theft upgrade, expect deductibles up to $149 depending on your model.
Repair coverage just got competitive
Google’s Pixel Care Plus isn’t perfect, but it’s a leap in the right direction. Free battery swaps and screen repairs are finally on the table, and the optional loss protection fills a gap users have asked about for years. For now, it seems Pixel owners have one less thing to crack under pressure.
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