Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: How does Google's affordable model stack up?

Google always releases a good, better, best line of phones, including, most recently, the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL. Usually, a few months later, the company launches an A series device, a more affordable model with a pared-down feature set. The Pixel 10 series launched in August 2025, and the Pixel 10a launched in February 2026 with a full release in March.

Should you go with the base model or wait for this more affordable alternative? As with previous-generation Pixel phones, the Pixel 10a gives you plenty of bang for your buck. It's not a massive step-up from the Pixel 9a, though, so your bigger question isn't whether to get the Pixel 10 or Pixel 10a, but whether to get (or upgrade to) the Pixel 10a versus the Pixel 9a.

Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: Design and basics

The Google Pixel 10a has been announced for pre-order, coming in March 2026, just as the previous generation Pixel 9a was announced in March 2025, before Google's usual I/O conference date in May.

The Google Pixel 10a looks similar to the Pixel 9a, with the same minimal back design and capsule camera module. It is, however, a smidge thicker, which means the camera sits flush into the body, and it's 3 grams lighter. It's also made with more recycled material than any other Pixel A series phone, worth noting if you care deeply about the environment. It comes in Lavender, Berry, Fog, and Obsidian, all colors revealed in earlier leaks.

It has a 6.3 inches pOLED display with adaptive 60-120Hz refresh rate and 2,424 x 1,080 resolution with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness. It also retains the same IP68 rating for protection against dust and water. It has newer Corning Gorilla Glass 7i cover glass with a fingerprint-resistant coating, along with a composite matte back and aluminum frame.

As expected, the battery is unchanged from the Pixel 9a at 5,100 mAh, lasting all day. The Pixel 9a supports only 23W wired charging, and the Pixel 10a is said to reach 50% in 30 minutes, alongside faster 10W wireless charging. Unfortunately, there's no Pixelsnap Qi2 charging built in, as with the rest of the Pixel 10 series, but it is Qi-certified for wireless charging. It's worth noting that you do get satellite SOS with this phone, the first for an "A" series device.

Storage is 128GB or 256GB, the same as the Pixel 9a, and it's not expandable, which is expected since no recent Pixel device has a memory card slot. As with other Pixel devices, Google supports this phone with seven years of software and security updates, alongside periodic Pixel Drops.

By comparison, the already available Pixel 10 looks virtually identical to the Pixel 9, with a polished back glass, satin finish, metal accents, and the same flat sides, rounded corners, and oval camera bar. It comes in Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian with a 6.3-inch OLED Actua display with 2,424 x 1,080 resolution and 60-120Hz refresh rate. With Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, you get up to 2,000 nits HDR and 3,000 nits peak brightness. In his review of the Pixel 10, Derrek Lee says the panel is much brighter than its predecessor.

Equipped with a 4,970mAh battery, you get 24+ hours of battery life, up to 100 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. It also supports fast charging with a 30W charger (sold separately) and wireless charging via Pixelsnap with Qi2 certification. It comes with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, seven years of software and security updates, and Pixel Drops with new features throughout the year.

Overall, the Google Pixel 10a stands up to the Pixel 10 in most respects, and even has a bigger battery. It's really a wonder why you would choose the Pixel 10 over the Pixel 10a when looking at these basic specs. But let's dive further.

Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: The specs

Let's consider how these phones might sit side by side in terms of specs based on what we can speculate about the Pixel 10a.

Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: Productivity, AI, and performance

When it comes to performance, the Google Pixel 10a runs Android 16, but it oddly retains the same Tensor G4 processor as the Pixel 9a, which is somewhat disappointing. You do still get some AI features, though, and these should run well on the G4 processor alongside the 8GB RAM for multitasking, light-to-moderate gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive activities.

So, the Pixel 10a has built-in Gemini and features like Circle to Search, productivity, and photo features that leverage AI, and more. This includes other features like Call Screen, theft detection, Live Translate, Call Assist, Gemini Live, and more.

The Google Pixel 10 has 12GB RAM, which, combined with the Google Tensor G5 chip, results in snappy performance, says Derrek Lee in his review. While this chip doesn't rival more powerful options like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it will do for most users. However, you won't be able to enjoy heavy gaming on this phone, so if that is a priority for you, you'll have to step up to the Pixel 10 Pro or Pro XL anyway. We haven't fully tested it yet, but it's likely the Pixel 10a isn't a device for serious gamers either.

Of course, the Pixel 10 comes with all the latest Google AI features as well, including deep Gemini integration, Voice Translate, and more. Derrek says Voice Translate in particular really impresses him: he can speak English while others hear his actual voice speaking in their native language. There are also new features like Magic Cue that offer proactive help as the phone essentially gets to know you. It's still a work in progress, but it has tons of potential. Magic Cue is not available in the Pixel 10a.

Overall, the Pixel 10a is a step down in performance from the Pixel 10, though not by much. You can still access AI features, multitask, get work done, and enjoy entertainment. But neither is the most powerful and feature-rich in the line.

Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: Camera and camera features

If taking photos is a priority, you'll be pleased to know that the Pixel 10a has a decent dual-camera system, including a 48MP wide lens and a 13MP ultra-wide lens, alongside a 13MP front camera. This isn't fantastic, but it's not bad either. The main Quad PD dual pixel 48MP camera has an 82° field-of-view (FOV), while the 13MP ultra-wide 120° FOV. Both have Super Res Zoom up to 8x.

You can also access fun photo editing and assist features, like Camera Coach (new for the Pixel 10 series), Add Me, Night Sight, Face Unblur, Magic Eraser, Best Take, Photo Unblur, and more.

By comparison, the Google Pixel 10 has a 48MP wide camera, 13MP ultra-wide, 10.8MP telephoto, and 10.5MP front selfie camera with autofocus. The only real difference here is the addition of a 5x telephoto lens with 20x Super Res Zoom, which might be worthwhile for those who love taking nature photos, scenic images, or shots of kids' sports games or concerts from afar. Of course, it has all those aforementioned AI-enhanced photo-capturing and editing features as well.

Derrek says the telephoto lens on the Pixel 10 feels more capable than the zoom sensors in other phones he's tested, like the Samsung Galaxy S25. Photos taken with the Google Pixel 10 are crisp with true-to-life colors, he adds. You can probably expect a similar experience with the Pixel 10a, but we can't say for certain just yet until we've tried it.

It's worth noting that the Pixel 10a has a better front camera, which could be worthwhile for content creators (and anyone who loves taking selfies!). Considering it has all the same photo capture and editing features, including ones like Camera Coach, the Pixel 10a is a pretty solid performer that doesn't make too many concessions when it comes to camera specs.

Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: Which should you buy?

Deciding between the Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10 will likely leave you with the same dilemma as with previous generation base-level Pixel phones versus the affordable a series. In most cases, it comes down to minor upgrades. Between the Google Pixel 9 vs. 9a, for example, the biggest differences are more RAM, faster charging, a more premium and durable design, and improved cameras. But the Pixel 9a is still a solid phone with impressive specs.

Similarly, the Google Pixel 10a pares some things down in terms of design and durability, RAM, and the chip. But it also has a bigger battery (albeit no Pixelsnap wireless charging) and a better front camera. It's also pretty similar in design.

Given this, you might find that it offers better value at the $499 price, the same price at which the Pixel 9a launched. By comparison, the Google Pixel 10 starts at $799, though there are plenty of Pixel 10 deals available. The upgrades probably won't be worth the extra $300 for most.

All that considered, if you aren't looking for the best of the best and all the top features, which you probably aren't if you're considering the Pixel 10 instead of the Pixel 10 Pro or Pixel 10 Pro XL, then it will be worth it to get the Google Pixel 10a. It probably has all the features and specs you need, at a much more palatable price, ranking it among the best Pixel phones.

If you already have the Pixel 9a, it isn't worth it to upgrade just yet. But if you're looking for an affordable Android device with decent specs, the Google Pixel 10a is it: skip the base Pixel 10 and go with this one instead.