Google Play Pass now offers a $30 yearly subscription - Android

Google Play Pass just became decidedly more accessible, including to non-Americans.

As of this week, the ad-free Android app service will offer a $30 yearly subscription plan in the US alongside the original $5 per month option. That’s considerably more affordable if you intend to commit to Play Pass in the long term. You can switch to the annual plan by visiting the Play Pass tab in the Play Store and tapping “Upgrade to a yearly subscription.”

Play Pass is also expanding beyond the US for the first time, albeit only with the monthly plan. Subscriptions are coming to nine countries this week, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the UK. Google didn’t outline pricing for these countries.

The company is keen to tout the size of Play Pass’ catalog as it reaches a wider audience. The service launched with 350 titles, but has added over 150 apps and games in recent months. Most are indie releases, although there are high-profile additions like the Sega classic Sonic the Hedgehog and titles from Sesame Workshop.

Google didn’t say how many people were subscribed to Play Pass when providing its update. However, the annual plan improves the Android-only subscription’s competitiveness with Apple Arcade, which has had a $50 yearly option since December 2019. While you probably won’t be choosing a phone based on the price of a flat-rate app download service, aggressive pricing could give you a reason to stay with a platform.

Next: Google Play Pass games and apps: All titles announced so far