You can now use your Google Play balance to pay for subscriptions to Music All Access and Newsstand

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Google Play balance subscriptions landscape

It’s a small change on paper, but one that could make a world of difference for those stock piling Play Store credit using Google Opinion Rewards. In an update to Google’s support page titled “Google Play balance uses and restrictions,” it seems Google has added the ability to use Google Play credit when paying for subscriptions to Google Play Music All Access, or Google Play Newsstand. And well — that’s pretty much the long and short of it.

The Play credit is being restricted to just those two subscriptions for now and for anyone currently hanging onto Google Play Music All Access’ special introductory rate ($8), you should be able to cancel and reactivate again using your Google Play balance for the same lower rate. We’ve seen reports of this working out fine for many a folks, as long as they renewed before their service month had expired.

While we’re not entirely sure when this change was made, it’s nice to see Google providing additional payment options. We know what’s going on our Christmas wishlist (hint: Google Play giftcards).

[Google Play Support]

Thanks, Crimzn!

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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15 Comments

  1. Hope I can use it to pay for my nexus tomorrow!

  2. Well I’m excited about this!

  3. Let us use to pay for devices!!!!!

  4. I canceled but don’t see where to reactivate…help

    1. Argh!!!! same! on pc and phone, it just says cancelled and shows my end date, no where to reactivate for the lower price!!!! damn it. this is going to blow.

      1. I was told on the phone that the option to renew subscription will be presented closer to when the existing subscription runs out. But, they told me it won’t be for the $7.99 rate since that was a promotion. I don’t think she really knows for sure and I asked to speak to someone who could help me reinstate at the original rate and she said she would have to speak with a specialist and call me back. Still waiting…

        1. Got a call back. Sounds like I have 45 days to resubscribe at the original rate, but I won’t be able to resubscribe until after the cancellation is effective (in about 25 days for me). So I won’t know for sure until that point whether or not it is going to work.

  5. I’ve cancelled on the phone, now where do we reactivate?! I’ve checked on website and through the phone’s app, it just says it’s been cancelled with my end billing date. No where to reactivate for the $7.99 price! This is going to suck if it doesn’t work!

  6. Damn it, i think the proper way is to do it in Google Wallet website, then go to Subscription then you can change payment type.
    I’m pissed right now. shoddy writing and you just cost me money.
    https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/4361903?hl=en

    1. Shame on them if this is true, but also it was up to you to do the research first. Sorry man. Caveat emptor.

    2. I tried this method before I canceled my subscription. Play balance was NOT listed as an option, only the credit cards that were attached to my account. So that way won’t work. I proceeded to cancel my subscription and now there’s no way to re-enable it until close to the end of my billing month. It remains to be seen whether or not I’ll be able to keep my $8 rate.

  7. Split payments would be more useful. Let me use my balance and then pay the remainder on my credit card please Google.

    1. Tap and pay works like that. If you tap your phone to pay it uses your Google balance and your card pays the rest.

      1. Yet you can’t use such a method in Google’s own play store!

  8. It works. I got a new credit card number and forgot to update my Google Music. That’s what I get for ignoring my emails. I was trying to play music at a party one time and it kept saying “Unable to play Stream”. I realized the next day that my subscription was gone when I reinstalled the app. I had to re-subscribe. And not only did I get the $8 a month back, I also got a free trial. I’m using the same email account.

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