New York (CNNMoney) — Google has made its streaming music service Google Play Music free to use, without a subscription.
The catch is that you’ll have to listen to ads, similar to the way free versions of Spotify and Pandora work.
Google launched the new version for U.S. desktop users Tuesday (June 23), and will roll out updates to its Android and iOS app later this week. If you still want to pay the $9.99 a month fee to skip the ads, you can.
Just like Spotify and Rhapsody, Google Play Music lets people listen to songs on demand, create playlists, or stream preset compilations that Google thinks you would want to listen to during certain activities.
Launching a free version of Google Play Music comes as no surprise. Streaming media companies have struggled to find enough people willing to pay monthly subscriptions, and have increasingly turned back to selling ads to buoy their businesses.
Meanwhile, Apple is bucking the trend. Its new Apple Music service is available by subscription-only for $9.99 a month.
