Both look really uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. I like option 2 better if I were forced to have one of them.

Option 2 and have a moveable (comfortable) sofa solution around a built in fire pit. Those stone benches are horribly uncomfortable even with cushions.

So do you think I should leave benches out? I was planning on using cushions but now worried if the will be uncomfortable. Should I leave the fire pit without benches?

Yes. Have the hardscaping done (and lighting) but leave the seating to freestanding. Ideally you will have selected your larger scale seating in conjunction with fire pit sizing so that everything fits.

I'm not understanding the pergola with the seating area. Is the pergola placed so that it shades anything or is it just a design feature? There may be an opportunity to have one long backless hardscaped bench between the pool and fire pit but not with the pergola. Pergola seems small to have any seating under it and it seems isolated w the fire pit grouping. I guess I just question the placement and size of the pergola with the location of the fire pit. Have you seen the work of your pool contractor? A lot of those companies know how to build pools but not how to design functional outdoor living rooms.

Or there is a way to design a bench (again backless so that it relates to the pool and the seating area) with the pergola. Something like this...

I mention lighting as you can see they incorporated lighting into the pergola. I'd have them take another stab at the layout and ideally you would give them the sizes of the furniture so everything is shown correctly. For instance you could do 6 lounge chairs instead of 2 sofas or 1 sofa and 4 lounge chairs....you get the idea.

Are those permanent concrete benches? I would do freestanding outdoor sofas and chairs. Much more comfortable and able to be repositioned. You won't get much shade from the pergola, if that's its purpose. We have one and it's virtually no shade. Just pretty out in a large yard.

concrete benches? no

@Edwards4four the Pergola will have a rain shower feature right over the pool side so it's mostly for design. I really like how the benches looked but now I'm rethinking because I never thought about the comfort issue.

At our previous house we had a pool with spa and a freestanding roofed ramada. Also built-in gas fire pit with built in semi-circle bench with tile top. The only time we used it was to warm up at night while drying off from swimming. It was not a good conversation area to enjoy drinks.

At our current home (just a jacuzzi) we are choosing an outdoor living area with sofas and freestanding firepit table where we can hang out with drinks ands and friends on cool evenings.

I would move the fire pit to the area between the pergola and the house, centering it from house to pergola &
From pergola to screen. Then move the bench against the house under the pergola facing the pool. Cover pergola with jasmine and wisteria for shade. Buy individual rocking chairs and place around fire pit in a circular pattern. Much more comfy than concrete benches and people can sit as close or as far away from firepit as they choose.

We ended up excluding the benches.