diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
index 281a61a66a..b4d34a257f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
@@ -9,12 +9,16 @@ static const char *const TAG = "pulse_counter";
 const char *const EDGE_MODE_TO_STRING[] = {"DISABLE", "INCREMENT", "DECREMENT"};
 
 #ifdef HAS_PCNT
-PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(bool hw_pcnt) {
-  return (hw_pcnt ? (PulseCounterStorageBase *) (new HwPulseCounterStorage)
-                  : (PulseCounterStorageBase *) (new BasicPulseCounterStorage));
+PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(Storage storage) {
+  switch (storage) {
+    case Storage::basic:
+      return new BasicPulseCounterStorage;
+    case Storage::pcnt:
+      return new HwPulseCounterStorage;
+  }
 }
 #else
-PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(bool) { return new BasicPulseCounterStorage; }
+PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(Storage) { return new BasicPulseCounterStorage; }
 #endif
 
 void IRAM_ATTR BasicPulseCounterStorage::gpio_intr(BasicPulseCounterStorage *arg) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
index ef9f73f95c..9978ddc9db 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ enum PulseCounterCountMode {
   PULSE_COUNTER_DECREMENT,
 };
 
+enum class Storage { basic, pcnt };
+
 #ifdef HAS_PCNT
 using pulse_counter_t = int16_t;
 #else
@@ -58,11 +60,12 @@ struct HwPulseCounterStorage : public PulseCounterStorageBase {
 };
 #endif
 
-PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(bool hw_pcnt = false);
+PulseCounterStorageBase *get_storage(Storage storage = Storage::basic);
 
 class PulseCounterSensor : public sensor::Sensor, public PollingComponent {
  public:
-  explicit PulseCounterSensor(bool hw_pcnt = false) : storage_(*get_storage(hw_pcnt)) {}
+  explicit PulseCounterSensor(Storage storage = Storage::basic) : storage_(*get_storage(storage)) {}
+  explicit PulseCounterSensor(int storage = 0) : PulseCounterSensor(Storage(storage)) {}
 
   void set_pin(InternalGPIOPin *pin) { pin_ = pin; }
   void set_rising_edge_mode(PulseCounterCountMode mode) { storage_.rising_edge_mode = mode; }