PlayStation Plus vs EA Play: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
On a PlayStation they do different jobs. PlayStation Plus is what you need for online multiplayer, plus monthly games and — on Extra and Premium — a catalog of hundreds of games from many publishers. EA Play is an add-on with EA’s own Play List, trials of new EA games and a 10% discount. It doesn’t replace PlayStation Plus: online play on console still needs it.
Option A
$16.99/moPlayStation Plus Extra
Official price before tax: $16.99
Price checked
PlayStation Plus price and plans
Option B
We compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | PlayStation Plus | EA Play |
|---|---|---|
| Online multiplayer | Every tier | No |
| Library | Game Catalog (Extra, Premium) | EA’s Play List |
| Trials | Premium | Select new EA games |
| Plan lengths | 1, 3 or 12 months | Monthly or yearly |
| Discount | Member discounts | 10% on EA purchases |
PlayStation Plus is Sony’s membership with three tiers; EA Play is Electronic Arts’ membership, sold separately on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
If you don’t want to read further
Online multiplayer and games from many publishers — PlayStation Plus. Lots of EA sports and shooters, trials of new EA releases — EA Play, on top of PlayStation Plus if you play online.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Online multiplayer?
PlayStation Plus
Included on every tier.
EA Play
Not included — online play on console needs PlayStation Plus as well.
If you play online, you need PlayStation Plus either way.
Which games?
PlayStation Plus
Monthly games on every tier; hundreds of games from many publishers in the Game Catalog on Extra and Premium.
EA Play
EA’s Play List only.
Variety — PlayStation Plus Extra; EA games only — EA Play.
New releases?
PlayStation Plus
Game Trials on Premium.
EA Play
Trials of select new EA games.
For trying new EA games, EA Play.
Plan lengths?
PlayStation Plus
1, 3 or 12 months; PlayStation lists up to 39% off 12 months versus monthly.
EA Play
Monthly or yearly.
Both reward a year.
Where it works?
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation consoles; cloud streaming to PS5 and PlayStation Portal on Premium.
EA Play
Only on the platform where you bought it — PC, Xbox or PlayStation.
Buy EA Play on the platform you actually play on.
Discounts?
PlayStation Plus
Member discounts and content packs.
EA Play
10% off many EA digital purchases.
Both save on purchases — EA’s only on EA games.
Online play on PlayStation?
PlayStation Plus
Included in every tier.
EA Play
EA Play on PS4/PS5 still needs PS Plus for online play.
EA Play on PlayStation usually means paying for both.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
Games leave when you stop paying
Monthly and catalog games on PlayStation Plus, and Play List games on EA Play.
Auto-renewal
Both renew until you cancel.
Libraries change
Both catalogs change over time.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You play online on PS5 | PlayStation Plus Essential | Required for online multiplayer. |
| You want many games to try | PlayStation Plus Extra | Game Catalog. |
| You mostly play EA titles | EA Play (plus Essential for online) | Play List and trials. |
| You want cloud streaming and classics | PlayStation Plus Premium | Classics, trials, cloud. |
- EA Play bought on PlayStation doesn’t work on Xbox or PC.
- Play List games need an internet connection to check your membership.
- PlayStation Plus games stop being available when the membership ends.
- Both renew automatically until you cancel.
- An EA Play purchase on one platform doesn’t carry over to another.
Where the facts come from
Sources: playstation.com for the US, and ea.com with the EA Play terms. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: PlayStation Plus or EA Play
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “Gaming subscriptions” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — playing online with others: PlayStation Plus Extra
PlayStation Plus Extra: you can play with others (5,0/5) · EA Play: no — requires a separate subscription (2,0/5)
If what matters most is — newest games: EA Play
PlayStation Plus Extra: no — older titles only (2,0/5) · EA Play: only a limited trial version (3,0/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: