I can relate. I hope you'll like Graphene. I don't want to go back to any other system. Graphene + minimal launcher is simply the best.

Just make sure to not get a former Verizon or AT&T variant of whatever Pixel you're getting. Their bootloaders are not unlockable even after SIM unlock. Learnt that the hard way.

After about 2 solid years of GrapheneOS, on a pixel 6 and now an 8, I love it. Bought an 11pro mainly for a work phone an running minimal apps on stock for now, but hope to flash it to Graphene in a few months. If it never pans out, will give it to the wife and go get a 10pro...

Irrelevant. Network fee is 1 sat/vB. A 141-vB transfer costs ~141 sats (~$0.00015). iOS UI friction is the real bottleneck, not L1 economics.