About a year ago, Google quietly changed the way One subscribers get credits when they make purchases from the Google Store, meaning you get access to all your accumulated credits immediately after your order ships.

Previously, Google Store credits could take up to a month to be applied to your account after purchase, so consider this a PSA, as it could be an incentive to grab the brand new Pixel 9 or even one of the other upcoming Made by Google hardware releases. You can see the full terms were added in December 2023, according to the Wayback Machine:

The credit earned will be applied to your account 24 hours after your purchase ships. You must still be an eligible Google One plan manager at this time to receive the credit. Google Store credit can be used for future Google Store purchases. Your credit will expire 365 days after issuance.

This change in duration is not as widely known as it should be and should apply to all global Google Store pages where the One benefits are available. However, this is only available in Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. We hope to get more regions where Google Store credit is available as the Pixel 9 series is now available in over 30 countries this year.

Google One members on 200GB plans get 3% back in store credit. Members on 2TB and above get 10% back on all purchases, including accessories and extras. Unfortunately, the credits expire 365 days after they’re issued, so you might not be able to use them on the Pixel 10 next year…

Pixel 9 pre-orders are already shipping, so if you have a Google One subscription and received store credit, now might be the time to check if it’s available. To check, go to the Google Store page > tap your profile picture > “Your Google Store credit.”

More about the Google Store: