Apple Arcade review – is it worth it in 2025?

If you’re trying to decide whether or not Apple Arcade is worth it, we’re here to help. Despite arriving back in late 2019, there are still countless iPhone and iPad users who don’t know about the subscription service and some of the great games on offer. So, we’re here to provide our thoughts on Apple Arcade, five years after it first launched, to give you a better idea of whether it’s worth checking out.

As of 2025, the Apple Arcade library is full of absolutely fantastic games. Two of my all-time favorites, Balatro and Stardew Valley, are included in the list, and those two alone can keep you occupied for 100 hours or more, at least in my experience. While these examples might not be games from massive developers, they’re smash hits that together would cost the equivalent of around three months of Apple Arcade subscription fees, so before we even dig into the pricing details, it’s fair to say that I think Apple Arcade offers good value for money.

I’ve already mentioned a couple of my favorite Apple Arcade games, but it’s worth highlighting a few others that are worth signing up for, even if just for a couple of months. Monster Train is a brilliant roguelike deck-builder for fans of Slay the Spire, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic is a fun throwback to the early days of the legendary simulator series, and Sonic Dream Team is a thrilling action-platformer that feels like it should be on console. Those are just three of my top picks from a collection of over 200 games.

Unlike some gaming subscription services – I’m looking at you, Xbox Game Pass – Apple Arcade is also very all-ages friendly, with games such as Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds Reloaded for the little ones and classics such as Solitaire and Sudoku for mature gamers looking for something a little more old-school. It helps that downloading a game is as easy as downloading anything else from the App Store, so you don’t have to be a tech wizard to get up and running.

However, while the Apple Arcade library is relatively generous, it’s lacking in some departments. If you’re a fan of FPS games in particular, there isn’t much for you here, and it’s a similar story with RPGs, though you can find a port of the original Final Fantasy game that’s worth playing if you don’t know your turn-based history. This is perfect for me, as I’m not a fan of shooters, and I’ve got plenty of RPGs to play on my Nintendo Switch 2, but if you prefer to play games belonging to those two genres, you might find it a bit harder to get as much value for money as possible.

So, onto the all-important price point. Apple Arcade is currently $6.99 / £6.99 a month, which, in my opinion, is an absolute steal. It’s cheaper than almost every other subscription service, except for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and with new games arriving monthly, there’s always something fresh to check out. Not only that, but if you’ve never used Apple Arcade before, you’re entitled to a free month to check out what’s on offer before you commit to monthly payments.

It’s also worth noting that Apple seems more committed to its gaming subscription service than ever in 2025. The tech giant has bought up one of the studios behind one of the platform’s most popular games, Sneaky Sasquatch, and recently revealed the Apple Games app that’s arriving as part of the upcoming iOS 26 update. It seems like the Apple Games app will highlight more of what Apple Arcade has to offer, so its introduction should only make the subscription service better.

The only real competition Apple Arcade has in the mobile games subscription market is Netflix, and while the latter might have one of my favorite games of all time in Into the Breach, I still think Apple’s offering is the better of the two. The library of Apple Arcade games seems more suited to mobile gamers, though the two share some titles, and Apple’s service is also a little bit more user-friendly, as you don’t have to navigate through an app to find new games in the same way you do with Netflix.

All in all, Apple Arcade is a brilliant deal for anyone who wants to play some top-tier mobile games that are almost entirely free of microtransactions and adverts. It’s not perfect, with a bit of an over-emphasis on cozy games and puzzle games, but for the low price of just $6.99 / £6.99 a month, it’s cheaper than a lot of premium passes in games such as Marvel Snap and Honkai Star Rail, and in my opinion, you’re getting more for your money.

There you have it, our Apple Arcade review. If you’re looking for some new Apple hardware to game on, be sure to check out our guides to the best iPhones and the best iPads. Or, if you want to check out what’s new for Nintendo’s latest blockbuster console, see our Donkey Kong Bananza review and Drag x Drive review.