Pokemon Bank vs Pokemon HOME
Two cloud services, two eras, one big one-way door between them.
Both Pokemon Bank and Pokemon HOME are cloud storage services, and new collectors often confuse them. They belong to different eras and play different roles.
Pokemon Bank - the 3DS hub
Bank launched in 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS. It exchanges Pokemon two-way with the Gen VI and VII games, and it receives Pokemon from Gen V and the Virtual Console releases through Poke Transporter. It requires a paid annual subscription and stores up to 3,000 Pokemon.
Pokemon HOME - the Switch hub
HOME launched in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch and mobile. It connects to the Switch games and to Pokemon GO, and it has a free tier and a premium tier. It is the modern center of gravity for the whole franchise.
The door between them
Bank can send Pokemon up into HOME, but only in one direction. This single link is how the entire 3DS-and-earlier collection finally reaches the Switch era. Once a Pokemon crosses from Bank to HOME, it is in the modern world to stay - it can never return to Bank.
The practical takeaway: Bank is the past, HOME is the present, and the bridge between them only opens outward.
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