Google Play Pass Vs. Apple Arcade: Which App Subscription Is Better?
Subscriptions are all the rage, and it’s easy to see why. Everyone loves the content buffet model – seeNetflix et al – where you can simply pay a single reasonable monthly fee for unlimited body access to your content, be it documentaries, 90s TV shows, etc. or (now) applications.
Soon, you will be able to subscribe to major Apple and Google services, which will allow you to pay a one-time monthly fee of $ 5 to access a wide range of apps, purchase or subscription to which will usually cost you money individually, and even play the games you not found in competing smartphone app stores.
Along with the recent releases of iOS 13 and Android 10 and major new device launches on the horizon, these two services will add extra heat to the smartphone war being waged this fall. Both suggestions are incredibly good reasons to choose one platform over the other, but which one do you go for? Let’s take a look at everything we know about these subscription services so far:
Apple arcade
Despite our initial doubts that Apple would lower the price of the service this way, Apple Arcade costs $ 5 a month. This makes it one of the cheapest Apple subscription services available and more affordable than video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Disney + and gaming services like PlayStation Plus, Humble Bundle, and Xbox Games Pass, but on par with its direct competitor is Google Play Pass. More on this later.
It’s important to note the $ 5 price tag, as that’s the only thing you pay for with Apple Arcade. First of all, the most compelling reason to choose Apple Arcade – aside from the list of games I’ll jump to in a second – is that these games won’t have such bullshit as in-app purchases to bypass progress, which is annoying. timers that block your gameplay, or annoying video ads. If you’re tired of seeing this in every game you play, the $ 5 price tag makes Apple Arcade an easy sell. What’s more, all games on the service can be played offline, and you can even share an account with up to six family members via Apple Family Sharing.
In terms of the games themselves, there are now 50 games at launch, and Apple claims there are over 100 more in development by renowned studios and developers. The launch library includes:
- Redemption: Heart of the Ancient Tree
- Beyond the steel sky
- Box project
- Cardpocalypse
- Doomsday Asylum
- Down in Bermuda
- Enter Construct
- Fantastic
- Frog in a toy town
- Hitchhiker
- Hot lava
- Castle Kings
- Lego Arthouse
- Lego brawls
- Realistic
- Little Orpheus
- Mister turtle
- Monomals
- No way home
- Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Kingdom
- By land
- Projection: First Light
- Repair
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
- Shants 5
- Sneaky Sasquatch
- Sonic Racing
- Arachnids
- Skillful escape
- Off road
- Bradwell’s conspiracy
- UFO on Film: First Contact
- Where the cards fall
- Winding worlds
- Yaga
It’s worth noting that while Apple claims some of these titles are “exclusive” to Apple Arcade (Google makes similar claims for many apps and games on its service), this only applies to mobile versions of these editions – many are also available on PC. or console now or will be in the future . However, Apple Arcade exclusives will not be available for separate purchase from the App Store.
Google play pass
The $ 5 Google Play Pass gives subscribers access to over 350 premium apps and games available on the Google Play store, all delivered without annoying in-app purchases or ads. But despite the same price, Play Pass differs from Apple’s subscription in some important ways. First, and most importantly, notice the use of the word “application” instead of “game.” This is intentional, as Google Play Pass will give you access not only to the games on your device, but also to many applications such as Accuweather, Pic Stitch image editor, etc.
All apps in the service can be accessed on all your Android devices and can even be shared with 5 other users, provided they have a Google account.
It’s important to note that the first batch of 350 consists of apps and games that are already available on Google Play and iOS, for that matter. For example, games like Stardew Valley , Terraria, and Monument Valley are included with the Play Pass, but have been available on Google Play for quite some time, which means that at least some of the apps in the service can be purchased separately. As such, it appears that Google is paying slightly less attention to the exclusivity of its subscription service than Apple, and is instead promoting a huge number of free apps as the main argument for Play Pass.
Although the service will cost $ 5, Google is offering a special introductory offer that lowers the monthly fee to $ 2 for the first twelve months of the subscription, but the offer is only available until October 10, 2019.
Wait to use these services before making your next major smartphone purchase.
For those who have doubts about choosing Android or Apple for their next smartphone, Google’s subscription service can be a pretty compelling argument in favor of switching to the new Samsung or the upcoming Pixel 4, simply because it includes both games and apps. However, if you’re a big gamer, the exclusivity of Apple Arcade could be more tempting.
Can we make the decision for you? Probably not. Since Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade are still in their early stages of development, I would definitely make it a rule to check the status of both services before picking up a new smartphone this fall. And I would even recommend deferring that purchase to see if a competing platform’s subscription service offers a great deal for your favorite apps or games you’re most interested in.
The battle for your subscriptions is just beginning. If you’re not an Android or iOS supporter, you should wait for the dust to clear up a bit before choosing a side – you can save some serious money on your apps and games, even with this monthly subscription.
This story was originally published on 08/02/19 and updated on 09/25/19 with full details on Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade now that both services have been launched.