Apple to Charge $4.99 Per Month for Apple Arcade

Apple is going to charge $4.99 per month, according to details about the service discovered by 9to5Mac. Screenshots of an early Apple Arcade test were found over the weekend, and now prospective pricing has also been leaked.

The $4.99 price point is apparently listed in one of the APIs used in the App Store app. A promotional message says that ‌Apple Arcade‌ will cost $4.99 per month, with one-month free trial available.

applearcade2
Apple previously said that the monthly subscription price for ‌Apple Arcade‌ will provide access to all members of the family who participate in Family Sharing, which means that up to six people will be able to play games for the $4.99 fee.

$4.99 per month is very affordable for a subscription service that provides access to dozens of games. Apple has said there will be somewhere around 100 games available at launch, with no ads or additional in-app purchases.

Apple hasn't officially announced ‌Apple Arcade‌ pricing, so the price could be changed ahead of when it becomes available. ‌Apple Arcade‌ games will be available on iOS devices, Macs, and the Apple TV.

There's no word just yet on when ‌Apple Arcade‌ will launch, but an ongoing employee internal test is set to end when iOS 13 launches, so that could be when Apple plans on rolling out the service.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device. Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
new magsafe charger

Apple Releases Updated MagSafe Charger Firmware

Tuesday January 14, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the 25W MagSafe Charger that is compatible with the iPhone 12 and later and the latest AirPods and Apple Watch models. The updated firmware is version 2A143, up from the 2A138 firmware that the accessory shipped with. In the Settings app, you'll see a different version number than the internal firmware number. The 2024 MagSafe charger was...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Thursday January 9, 2025 5:45 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
MacBook Air 15 Inch Feature Blue

MacBook Air Likely Apple's First Product Update of 2025: What to Expect

Wednesday January 15, 2025 8:49 am PST by
There is a good chance that Apple's first product announcement of 2025 will be updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip. Last month, Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models are coming this year (unsurprisingly). Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the new MacBook Air models will be announced "earlier" than some...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Three Companies Are Now in the Running to Take Over the Apple Card

Thursday January 16, 2025 8:18 am PST by
Apple is in talks with Barclays and Synchrony about becoming its new financial partner for the Apple Card, according to Reuters sources. The report today added that Apple has also been holding discussions with Chase Bank owner JPMorgan since last year, so there are at least three potential companies in the running to take over the Apple Card from current partner Goldman Sachs. Goldman...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.3 Coming Soon: Here's What's New

Monday January 13, 2025 5:33 am PST by
iOS 18.3 is currently in beta for developers and public beta testers. So far, the upcoming iPhone software update is very minor in scope. Below, we outline what is new in iOS 18.3 so far. The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature,...
apple power beats pro 2

Powerbeats Pro 2 Filed in Regulatory Databases Ahead of 2025 Launch

Wednesday January 15, 2025 6:02 am PST by
In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and now further evidence of the wireless earbuds has surfaced. Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code Apple submitted Powerbeats Pro 2 regulatory documents to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in mid-December. The documents were made available to the public this week, and they were spotted by 91M...

Top Rated Comments

mnsportsgeek Avatar
71 months ago
This is a good price. I remember having so much fun with mobile games before they became an IAP war zone. Angry Birds for 99 cents was a blast. I even had a lot of fun with the $10 Mario game before Nintendo went the IAP route. If this brings back that same experience, this will be an easy buy for me.

I'd still like to see an Apple Music (Family), ATV+, News+, and Arcade bundle for like $29.99.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zombierunner Avatar
71 months ago
Actually decent pricing. Wow.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
User 6502 Avatar
71 months ago
I don’t think it’s particularly cheap for what it’s going to be. Xbox game pass costs 10 dollars and the quality and size of the games is not even close to what Apple Arcade will offer.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mnsportsgeek Avatar
71 months ago
Wow! The $4.99 is just a drop in the bucket when added to the 700 other subscription services, cable TV, cell phone service, &c., the average user pays out! Go for it! Long live subscription services! WooHoo!
Cord Cutters in 2010: "We want low cost options!"

Cord Cutters in 2019: "We have too many low cost options!"
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unity451 Avatar
71 months ago
Eh... i liked $.49 a lot better.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
realtuner Avatar
71 months ago
Waiting for all the complaints that $4.99 is far too much for what will obviously be a bunch of crappy "not real" games.


Now let's see an A13X powered Apple TV that includes a free year of Arcade with purchase.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)