Subscriptions are all the rage, and it’s easy to see why. Everyone loves a “buffet” model for content—see Netflix, et al—where you can just pay a single reasonable monthly fee for unlimited access to a body of stuff you’re interested in, be it documentaries, 90s-era TV shows, or (now) apps.
You’ll soon be able to subscribe to major services from Apple and Google, which will let you pay a single $5 monthly fee to access lots of apps that would normally cost you money to buy or subscribe to individually, and even play games that you won’t find on competing smartphone app stores.
Along with the recent releases of iOS 13 and Android 10 and big new device releases on the horizon, these two services will add some extra heat to the smartphone wars waged this fall. Both offerings are incredibly compelling reasons to pick one platform over the other, but which do you go with? Let’s examine everything we know about these subscription services so far:
Apple Arcade
Despite our initial doubts that Apple would price the service so low, Apple Arcade is, in fact, $5 per month. That puts it as one of the cheaper Apple subscription services available, and more affordable than the likes of 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, Google Play Pass. More on that in a bit.
The $5 price tag is important to note as it’s the only thing you pay for with Apple Arcade. Above all else, the most compelling reason to pick up Apple Arcade—beyond the list of games, which I’ll get to in a second—is that these titles will be free of bullshit mechanics like in-app purchases to bypass progress, annoying timers that gate your gameplay, or irritating video advertising. If you’re tired of seeing these in every title you play, the $5 price point makes Apple Arcade an easy sell. Even better, all games on the service can be played offline, and you can even share an account with up to six family members via Apple’s Family Sharing service.
As for the games themselves, there are 50 games at launch, and Apple claims that over 100 more are in development from high-profile studios and developers. The launch library includes:
Atone: Heart of the Elder Tree
Beyond a Steel Sky
Box Project
Cardpocalypse
Doomsday Vault
Down in Bermuda
Enter The Construct
Fantasian
Frogger in Toy Town
Hitchhiker
Hot Lava
Kings of the Castle
Lego Arthouse
Lego Brawls
Lifelike
Little Orpheus
Mr Turtle
Monomals
No Way Home
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
Overland
Projection: First Light
Repair
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Shantae 5
Sneaky Sasquatch
Sonic Racing
Spidersaurs
The Artful Escape
The Pathless
The Bradwell Conspiracy
UFO on Tape: First Contact
Where Cards Fall
Winding Worlds
Yaga
It’s worth noting that while Apple is claiming some of these titles are “exclusive” to Apple Arcade (Google makes similar claims about many of the apps and games on its service), this only applies to the mobile versions of these releases—many are also available on PC or console now, or will be in the future. However, Apple Arcade exclusives will not be made available for separate purchase on the App Store.
Google Play Pass
Google’s $5 Play Pass service gives subscribers access to over 350 premium apps and games available on the Google Play store, all of which come without annoying IAPs or ads. But despite their identical price points, Play Pass differs from Apple’s subscription in some important ways. First, and most importantly, note the use of the word “app” instead of “game.” That’s intentional, as Google Play Pass will give you access to a lot more than just games on your device, with a host of apps also included—such as Accuweather, Pic Stitch image editor, and more.
All apps on the service can be accessed on all your Android devices, and can even be shared with up to 5 other users, provided they have a Google account.
Importantly, this first batch of 350 is comprised 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 in the Play Pass subscription but have been available on Google Play for quite some time—which indicates that at least some of the apps on the service can be purchased separately. So it appears that Google is focusing a little less on the exclusivity of its subscription service than Apple is, and instead is pushing the sheer quantity of free apps as Play pass’s major selling point.
While the service will cost $5, Google is offering a special introductory deal that knocks the monthly fee down to just $2 for the first twelve months you subscribe—but the offer is only available through October 10, 2019.
Consider waiting on these services before you make that next big smartphone purchase
For those on the fence about going Android or Apple for your next smartphone, Google’s subscription service could be a pretty compelling argument to hop over to a new Samsung or the upcoming Pixel 4 simply because its scope includes both games and apps. If you’re a big gamer, though, the exclusivity of Apple’s Arcade could be more enticing.
Can we make up your mind for you? Likely not. Since Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade are still in their early days, I’d definitely make it a point to check on the status of both services before I pick up a new smartphone this fall. And I would even recommend postponing that purchase to see if a competing platform’s subscription service offers a killer deal for your favorite apps or the games you’re most interested in playing.
The battle for your subscription dollars is just starting up. Unless you’re a loyalist to Android or iOS, you should wait until the dust clears a little bit before you pick a side—you might be able to save some serious cash for your apps and games, even with that monthly subscription fee.
This story was originally published on 08/02/19 and was updated on 9/25/19 with full details on both Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade now that both services have launched.