Xbox Game Pass vs PlayStation Plus: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Both bundle online multiplayer with a game library and cloud play on the upper tiers. Game Pass Ultimate adds new games on day one, EA Play, Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics, with monthly cloud hours; PC Game Pass covers PC only. PlayStation Plus Extra adds the Game Catalog, Premium adds classics, trials and cloud streaming, and every tier comes in 1, 3 or 12-month terms.
Option A
Option B
$16.99/moPlayStation Plus Extra
Official price before tax: $16.99
Price checked
PlayStation Plus price and plansWe 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 | Xbox Game Pass | PlayStation Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tiers | Essential, Premium, Ultimate, PC | Essential, Extra, Premium |
| Day-one games | Ultimate and PC | Not in the tier descriptions |
| Cloud | 5 / 10 / 15 h a month | Premium |
| Plan lengths | Monthly | 1, 3 or 12 months |
| Multiplayer | Console tiers | All tiers |
In practice the console you own decides. If you have both — or play on PC — the libraries and day-one policy are what set them apart.
If you don’t want to read further
New games on day one or PC gaming — Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. A PS5 with a large on-demand catalog and classics — PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
New games on day one?
Xbox Game Pass
Yes, on Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
PlayStation Plus
Not part of the tier descriptions.
For new releases in the subscription, Game Pass.
How big is the library?
Xbox Game Pass
50+ / 200+ / 500+ games by tier; 300+ on PC.
PlayStation Plus
Hundreds of games in the Game Catalog on Extra and Premium.
Both change over time; check the current list for games you want.
Cloud play?
Xbox Game Pass
5, 10 or 15 hours a month by tier; not on PC Game Pass.
PlayStation Plus
Cloud streaming on Premium, to PS5 and PlayStation Portal.
Xbox caps cloud hours; PlayStation puts streaming on its top tier.
Plan lengths?
Xbox Game Pass
Monthly, renewing automatically.
PlayStation Plus
1, 3 or 12 months on every tier.
PlayStation lets you prepay a year.
Extra services?
Xbox Game Pass
Ultimate includes EA Play, Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics.
PlayStation Plus
Premium includes the Classics Catalog and Game Trials.
Ultimate bundles more third-party subscriptions.
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.
Online multiplayer
Included on every Xbox console tier and every PlayStation tier.
Games leave
Library titles rotate, and access ends with the subscription.
Auto-renewal
Both renew until you cancel.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You play on PC | PC Game Pass | 300+ games, day one; no cloud. |
| You want new games without buying them | Game Pass Ultimate | Day-one releases. |
| You own a PS5 | PlayStation Plus Extra | Game Catalog; Premium for classics and streaming. |
| You only play online with friends | Game Pass Essential or PS Plus Essential | Multiplayer at the lowest tier. |
- Xbox cloud playtime is capped per month and not included with PC Game Pass.
- PlayStation Plus games stop being playable when the membership ends.
- Microsoft can raise Game Pass prices with at least 30 days’ notice.
- Both renew automatically.
Where the facts come from
Sources: xbox.com (en-US) Game Pass pages and playstation.com (en-us) PlayStation Plus pages. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus
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 — newest games: Xbox Game Pass PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass PC Game Pass: on release day (5,0/5) · PlayStation Plus Extra: no — older titles only (2,0/5)
If what matters most is — playing online with others: PlayStation Plus Extra
Xbox Game Pass PC Game Pass: yes, but not on all tiers (4,0/5) · PlayStation Plus Extra: you can play with others (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — where it works: Xbox Game Pass PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass PC Game Pass: console, PC and cloud (5,0/5) · PlayStation Plus Extra: console and cloud (4,0/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: