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Gaming · head to head

EA Play vs GOG Galaxy

EA Play logo

EA Play

Gaming

Subscription access to the EA back catalogue with timed trials of new releases

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GOG Galaxy logo

GOG Galaxy

Gaming

Free optional client from CD Projekt that aggregates other storefronts and keeps GOG downloads DRM-free

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GOG Galaxy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: EA Play the advertised early access on the standard tier is a ten hour timed trial, not the game, and the clock runs whether or not you are making progress.; GOG Galaxy there is no Linux client, so Steam Deck and Linux desktop users need a third-party launcher to reach a GOG library at all.
  • They diverge on capability: EA Play covers Catalogue access, GOG Galaxy covers DRM-free installs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EA Play and GOG Galaxy actually diverge.

Attributes where EA Play and GOG Galaxy differ
AttributeEA PlayGOG Galaxy
Starting price$5.99/monthFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthFree, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, PlayStation, XboxWindows, macOS

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in EA Play

  • Catalogue access
  • Ten hour trials
  • Purchase discount
  • Pro tier full releases
  • In game rewards
  • Bundled with Game Pass Ultimate

Only in GOG Galaxy

  • DRM-free installs
  • Build rollback
  • Multi-store import
  • Cloud saves
  • Unified achievements and playtime
  • Friends and presence

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

EA Play

  • Playing the current sports title a year late, when the previous edition has entered the catalogue and the gameplay difference is smallnot GOG Galaxy
  • Trying a new EA release for ten hours before deciding whether to buy it at full pricenot GOG Galaxy
  • A household already paying for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, where EA Play arrives at no extra chargenot GOG Galaxy
  • Working through a back catalogue such as Mass Effect, Dead Space or Battlefield over a couple of months for the price of one gamenot GOG Galaxy

GOG Galaxy

  • A player who wants purchased games to keep working without a storefront running or an account signed innot EA Play
  • Rolling a game back to an earlier build after an update broke it or removed contentnot EA Play
  • Seeing a library spread across several stores and consoles in one listnot EA Play
  • Archiving offline installers so a collection survives a store or account problemnot EA Play

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

EA Play

  • The advertised early access on the standard tier is a ten hour timed trial, not the game, and the clock runs whether or not you are making progress.
  • Titles are withdrawn from the catalogue when EA loses or ends a licence, so a series can lose an entry while you are part way through it and there is no warning period worth relying on.
  • On PC the subscription runs through the EA app, which is mandatory even for Steam purchases and has a long record of download, launch and cloud save faults.
  • Everything is limited to EA published titles, so it complements rather than replaces a general subscription and the ten percent discount never applies to anything else.
  • Cancelling ends access immediately, including to saves that only open inside the game, so a lapsed subscription during a busy month can strand a long single player campaign.

GOG Galaxy

  • There is no Linux client, so Steam Deck and Linux desktop users need a third-party launcher to reach a GOG library at all.
  • Multi-store integrations are community plugins rather than supported features, and they break when the connected service changes its interface with no commitment to a fix.
  • Version 2.0 has remained in beta for years with infrequent updates, which is a poor signal about how much development the client receives.
  • Imported achievements and playtime from other services are read-only and often incomplete, so the unified profile is an approximation rather than a record.
  • The library is tied to a GOG account, and while the installers you have downloaded remain yours, everything else about the client depends on that account remaining in good standing.

Pricing, plan by plan

EA Play

$5.99/month
  • EA Play$5.99/month
    • Catalogue access on PC, PlayStation and Xbox
    • Ten hour trials of new releases
    • Ten percent discount on EA purchases
  • EA Play Pro$16.99/month
    • PC only
    • New EA releases in full at launch
    • Deluxe editions and their content included

GOG Galaxy

Free
  • GOG GalaxyFree
    • Client free to download and use
    • No subscription
    • Games purchased individually

Which should you pick?

Choose EA Play if

  • You need catalogue access.
  • You work on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox.
  • You also want ten hour trials.
EA Play review

Choose GOG Galaxy if

  • You need drm-free installs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want build rollback.
GOG Galaxy review

Questions people ask

Is EA Play or GOG Galaxy better?
Neither clearly leads. EA Play starts at $5.99/month and GOG Galaxy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EA Play or GOG Galaxy?
GOG Galaxy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5.99/month for EA Play and Free for GOG Galaxy.
Does EA Play or GOG Galaxy run on more platforms?
EA Play runs on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox. GOG Galaxy runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use GOG Galaxy for free?
Yes. GOG Galaxy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. EA Play starts at $5.99/month.
What is EA Play best used for?
EA Play is most often used for playing the current sports title a year late, when the previous edition has entered the catalogue and the gameplay difference is small, trying a new ea release for ten hours before deciding whether to buy it at full price, a household already paying for xbox game pass ultimate, where ea play arrives at no extra charge, working through a back catalogue such as mass effect, dead space or battlefield over a couple of months for the price of one game. Of those, playing the current sports title a year late, when the previous edition has entered the catalogue and the gameplay difference is small and trying a new ea release for ten hours before deciding whether to buy it at full price are not what GOG Galaxy is typically brought in for.
What can EA Play do that GOG Galaxy cannot?
EA Play covers Catalogue access, Ten hour trials, Purchase discount, Pro tier full releases. GOG Galaxy covers DRM-free installs, Build rollback, Multi-store import, Cloud saves.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EA Play: Do I keep the games if I cancel?

No. Access ends with the subscription. Only purchases made with the subscriber discount remain yours.

GOG Galaxy: Do I need Galaxy to play GOG games?

No, and that is the point. Every game has a standalone offline installer and runs with no client present.

EA Play: Is EA Play included with Xbox Game Pass?

It is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Lower Game Pass tiers do not necessarily include it, so check the current tier list before subscribing separately.

GOG Galaxy: Does it work on Linux?

There is no official Linux client. Linux and Steam Deck users generally reach GOG libraries through Heroic Games Launcher or Lutris.

EA Play: What is the difference between EA Play and EA Play Pro?

Pro is PC only, costs about three times as much, and gives new releases in full at launch instead of ten hour trials.

GOG Galaxy: Are the other-store integrations reliable?

They are community plugins. They work well until the connected service changes something, and there is no support commitment behind them.

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