Pokémon HOME October Premium Plan Update Expands Storage Capacity To 9,000 Pokémon
Pokémon HOME’s paid Premium Plan will increase its storage limit from 6,000 to 9,000 Pokémon when version 4.1.0 launches in October. The expansion coincides with planned Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen connectivity, giving players more room to manage collections as older games are integrated into the cloud storage service.
The Pokémon Company says the Premium Plan’s price will not change despite the additional 3,000 storage slots. October’s update will also allow Pokémon caught in Pokémon GO using Safari Balls to be transferred to HOME, where their ball will become a Strange Ball; separately, Pokémon Bank is due to end in the US on 25 February 2027.
- Premium Pokémon HOME storage rises to 9,000 in October.
- The plan’s price will remain unchanged.
- Safari Ball Pokémon GO transfers will become possible.
New here? Start with this
Pokémon HOME is a cloud-based service that lets players store Pokémon outside individual games and move compatible Pokémon between different titles. It is run by The Pokémon Company and works with games on Nintendo Switch as well as some mobile services, including Pokémon GO.
The service has a free version and a paid Premium Plan, which offers substantially more storage and other transfer features. Pokémon cannot always move freely between every game, as each title has its own rules about which species and items it supports.
Pokémon Bank is an older online storage service for Nintendo 3DS games, including Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen’s later-era descendants. As older games and services are phased out, HOME has become the main place for players to preserve and organise long-running collections.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters can reasonably see the unchanged price as added value for committed players, especially as FireRed and LeafGreen connectivity may encourage them to preserve and organise far larger collections across generations. Expanding capacity proactively can reduce the need for difficult decisions about which Pokémon to retain, while Safari Ball transfer support improves continuity between services. The policy reflects a value of long-term collection preservation and convenience.
The case against
Critics can reasonably argue that 9,000 slots chiefly reinforces a paid subscription for a function that many players regard as basic stewardship of creatures they have already collected. The need for more cloud capacity may become more pressing as older-game support is added, leaving dedicated collectors with little practical alternative to Premium, particularly as Pokémon Bank approaches closure. This view prioritises consumer ownership, affordability and durable access over subscription-dependent storage.
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