Google’s Pixel Care Plus includes free screen and battery repair

Google is phasing out its Preferred Care extended warranty plan for the Pixel Care Plus program. Pricing between the two is pretty similar. You’ll still pay $8 per-month, or $159 for a two-year plan on a Pixel 9. For a Pro Fold, that jumps up to $339 for two years, or $18 per-month, with the optional loss and theft package for a small extra charge.

The big changes here are that screen and battery repairs are free, and service fees for other accidental damage are much lower. Under the old Preferred Care program, replacing a cracked screen would run you $29. Under Pixel Care Plus a cracked front screen or battery running at under 80-percent capacity will get swapped out for $0. Unfortunately, if you happen to mess up the internal screen on your 10 Pro Fold, it’s not covered for free, so you would need to pay a $99 deductible.

Other accidental damage fees vary depending on model, ranging from $49 on some older models like the Pixel 8a and 9a, to $99 on the Pixel 10 Pro. On average they’re lower though, with service fees reaching $129 for the Pixel 9 Pro and Fold models. The new loss and theft option, which adds $1 or $2 a month to the plan, also varies per model with deductibles ranging up to $149 on the high end.

The new plans bring Google more inline with the likes of Samsung, which ditched screen replacement fees under its new extended coverage plans back in January.

Update, August 29th: Added detail about repair fee for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s internal screen.