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4.7

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: January 5th, 2025

Google Play is an efficient way to buy or rent what you love to watch. Google Play makes transferring your movies quick and easy, it also gives you the option to watch your library on the go. You can save purchased movies on multiple devices, allowing you to view movies, even if you are unable to connect to the internet.

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The Good

  • Access to content anywhere
  • Save content to five devices
  • Parental controls available

Access Anywhere with Google Account

With Google Play, your purchases link to your account, which allows you to watch your favorite movies and TV shows anytime anywhere, even if you are offline.

Download Options

Users can download purchased movies to up to five devices. If you reach this five device limit, you can remove a movie download from any device, allowing you to re-save that same movie to a new device.

Occasional Free Rentals

Occasionally Google Play will provide users with a free rental, available on any device instantly.

Seamless Google Account

Not only can you keep your movies and TV shows in one place, but you can also keep any other purchases you make with Google Play linked to one account such as games, music, and apps.

Parental Controls Available

Google Play allows users to set maturity levels as well as a PIN code for all purchases. This allows parents to protect their children from accessing anything they shouldn't be viewing. Google Play has many great benefits to their streaming TV services.  The main benefit to using Google Play is that it is tied with the users Google account.  Everything a user purchases from apps to movies is accessible in one place.  And users can access their content anywhere, due to everything being tied to their Google account.
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The Bad

  • No cloud storage
  • Can be expensive
  • Pay to view

No Cloud Storage

Though it's great to take media on the go, Google Play does not allow users to upload or save movies to the cloud. Users have to keep their home library and movies purchased through Google Play separate.

Expensive Long Term

Google Play can be rather expensive compared to other streaming platforms. Because users don't pay a monthly fee for unlimited access to a company's library, users pay per rental, which can add up and be expensive.

Google Supported

If you're not an Android user customer support on other devices may be tricky. However, Google Play is available to all users who create a Google account. Google Play's benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks but it is good to take note of the few drawbacks Google Play does have.  The main fault is that users pay for just about everything they watch.  So although the Google Play library is large, everything users want to see is for purchase.  After just a few purchases, users will have spent more than a monthly price for Netflix. View Top Rated Companies

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The Bottom Line

Google play is a great step toward integrating services and platforms for Google users. If you'd like to keep your library updated and linked with your account on the go, Google Play is a great solution. Similar to Apple TV or Amazon, Google Play now allows you to store any and all of your Google or Android purchases in one place. This makes billing, searching, and overall experience more seamless than ever. But do note that everything you want to watch on Google Play is for rental or purchase. There are very few free TV episodes and movies available to watch for free. So after just a few rentals and purchases you have spent more than the Netflix or Amazon Prime monthly payment amount.
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Star Rating

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4.4

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131 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

63%

4 grade

21%

3 grade

8%

2 grade

4%

1 grade

4%

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Stanley Johnson

Because ease of using, not worth my time trying to find better service. Because I'm senior citizen, I don't like any of new technology period

1 month ago

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Cade Boudreaux , FL

I personally don’t like google play. Its catalog is smaller than other streaming services. It’s also weird that you have to buy individual movies, etc. instead of having everything all at once which can end up being more expensive in the long run.

4 years ago

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Review Source

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G GA

They usually have the app you need but the cost of your privacy and lately there's been a lot of issues with performance although they go to app I prefer to go to a different app

3 years ago

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Natalie

I dislike that the first one or two episodes of a television show are sometimes free but then have to purchase the remaining episodes if you'd like to continue.

2 years ago

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Donald Gustafson Colorado Springs, CO

Was a good tv app till it kept freezing up and they turned around and blamed it on my internet

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021