Apple Arcade vs Google Play Pass - Which one is right for you?
Let's compare both subscription services to help you pick the right one
Nowadays, subscription services are being introduced on multiple platforms which is why a lot of people are finding it difficult to choose the best one. When it comes to mobile gaming, there are two main subscription models, Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade.
If you own both Android and iOS devices, you might be wondering whether to choose Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. To help you decide which one to try, we've made a detailed breakdown of both subscription services.
In this article, we will be discussing both subscription services from Google and Apple. It will include a comparison of the basic features, pricing, availability and more. Without any further ado, let’s see which subscription model comes out on top.
What is Play Pass?
Play Pass is a subscription service from Google that was made available back in September 2019. It features hundreds of exclusive games and apps for subscribers and everything is ad-free. There are both monthly and annual subscriptions available.
What is Apple Arcade?
Apple Arcade is a subscription service from Apple, that’s features plenty of exclusive games. It was also released in September of 2019. It features a lot of unique games, with many of them made especially for Apple Arcade.
Apple Arcade vs Google Play Pass
| Apple Arcade | Play Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 Monthly $49.99 Yearly |
$4.99 Monthly $29.99 Yearly |
| Ads & IAPs | No ads and in-app purchases |
No ads and in-app purchases |
| Library Size | 210+ Games | 800+ Apps and games |
| Frequency of new games |
Weekly | Monthly |
| Device compatibility | All iOS devices including Apple TV |
All Android devices, partially supports Android TV |
Pricing of Apple Arcade vs Google Play Pass
When it comes to the subscription price of both of the models, the monthly subscription is priced at $4.99 for both Apple Arcade and Play Pass. But in terms of a yearly subscription, the Play Pass has a price tag of $29.99, whereas the Apple Arcade is priced at $49.99. So you'll have to shell out a few more bucks if you want to try out the subscription offered by Apple.Winner: Play Pass
Ads and in-app purchases
Both subscriptions services totally remove all of the annoying sticky ads and in-app purchases. This means once you subscribe to the service, you won't be running into ads while playing games and you don't have to spend extra money to buy in-game items.Library Size
Before we discuss the size of the library of the services, we should keep in my mind that Play Pass includes apps and games whereas Apple Arcade only offers the latter. To date, Play Pass has more than 800 games and apps, with new ones added each month. On the other hand, Apple Arcade has around 210+ games and the number is increasing significantly as they add new titles every week.
In my opinion, Play Pass has the upper hand here as you premium apps along with the games. But, you will often find apps that are not up to scratch and have a bunch of bugs that are yet to be fixed. In the case of Apple Arcade, the team is focussing more on quality content rather than quantity.
Winner: Play Pass
Device Compatibility
Both Apple Arcade and Play Pass support their native devices, which means you can run them on all iOS devices and Android devices respectively. However, in order to run Apple Arcade on an external device such as a TV, you will have to purchase specific hardware called Apple TV.In order to use Play Pass, all you have to do is use a smart TV that runs on Android. So, if you choose Play Pass over Apple Arcade you'll save a bit of money as you don’t have to buy extra hardware just to play a few games.
As for controllers, both subscription models support the pairing of popular controllers, which includes PlayStation and Xbox controllers.
Winner: Play Pass
Conclusion of Apple Arcade vs Google Play Pass comparison
Ultimately, I would say that Play Pass is definitely better than Apple Arcade in terms of pricing, device compatibility and connections. However, it all depends upon the choice of the user, if you wish to get your hands on high-quality games every week, Apple Arcade is for you. But, if you like to try out games from a variety of genres and other premium apps, subscribe to Play Pass.