Google Play Pass: 350+ Premium Apps & Games for $1.99/Mo (limited time)

The subscription services which took over music and movies is now coming to games and apps too. Following the well-received launch of Apple Arcade, Google officially introduces its own take on subscription-based access to premium mobile apps and games.

The new Google Play Pass subscription, arriving this week, will offer more than 350 apps and games that are completely unlocked, with no upfront fees, in-app purchases or advertisements. And the initial price point is something of a no-brainer — it’s just $1.99 per month for the first year, Google says.

The discounted price will no longer be available if you cancel your subscription midway and want to renew it later and the price will increase to $4.99 per month after the first 12 months have passed, which is the same price as Apple Arcade at launch.

This launch promotion is only available until October 10, 2019. There is a catalog of apps under the Play Pass, which includes games like Monument Valley, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, LIMBO, Old Man’s Journey, and Lumino City. There are also paid apps such as AccuWeather. Google says there will be new additions every month.

The Play Store will have a Play Pass Tab to make finding apps easier. Supported apps and games will also have the Play Pass ticket if you decide to search instead. The service can also be shared with up to five family members by family managers and individually downloaded games don’t affect the experience of others.

Difference Between Apple’s Arcade and Google Play Pass

The two services are similar in concept, as both are providing a large library of premium content for a monthly subscription. But there are some differences between the two. For starters, Apple Arcade is filled with exclusives — meaning its games will not be found on Android. The reverse is not true for Google Play Pass. Instead, the Play Pass catalog includes many cross-platform titles, including some that even found their fame first on iOS, like ustwo’s Monument Valley.

In addition, Play Pass’s launch titles aren’t all games. There are also ad-free versions of popular mobile apps, like AccuWeather, Facetune and Pic Stitch, for example. The service will roll out in the US starting this week and coming to countries outside the US soon.