What Is Google Play Pass? Should You Subscribe?

Mobile gaming fans might be interested in Google’s often overlooked Play Pass subscription service. Play Pass is an affordable way to get a mix of games and apps on your Android phone, including some of our picks for the best mobile games. We have all the details and a few recommendations for you.

Are you married to your Xbox Game Pass subscription for life? If so, you might want to check out some of our other buying guides to improve your experience, such as the Best Mobile Game Controllers or the Best Gaming Headsets. 

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What Does Google Play Pass Include, and How Much Is It?

Google Play Pass offers hundreds of Android games and apps (close to 1,000 in total). The library boasts many titles that usually cost money, and there are no ads or in-app purchases in any of the included content. Apps and games that usually contain ads or in-app purchases are ad-free with extra content unlocked with Play Pass.

If you want to subscribe, you can pay $5 per month or $30 per year (£5 and £30, respectively, in the UK). You can share a subscription with up to five other family members. You can each download, install, and play different apps and games just as though you have individual memberships.

How to Subscribe to Google Play Pass

It’s easy to subscribe on an Android device. Here’s how:

1. Open the Play Store on your Android device.
2. Tap your profile avatar at the top right.
3. Tap on Play Pass.
4. If you want to pay monthly at $5/month then tap Get Started, or you can save some cash and pay annually by tapping the yearly subscription link at $30/year.
5. Select your payment method and tap Subscribe.

Once you subscribe, you will see a new tab in the Play Store app at the far left, titled Play Pass. Content is organized into different categories, and you can find the latest additions under New, or check out Top Charts to see what is popular. There is also a handy Children tab with recommendations for different ages.