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Gaming · head to head

Nintendo Switch Online vs Ubisoft Connect

Nintendo Switch Online logo

Nintendo Switch Online

Gaming

Online play, classic games and more

From
$19.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ubisoft Connect logo

Ubisoft Connect

Gaming

Ubisoft launcher, rewards programme and the Ubisoft+ subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ubisoft Connect has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nintendo Switch Online free trial requires credit card or PayPal, automatically converts to paid after 7 days; Ubisoft Connect ubisoft revoked access to The Crew after shutting its servers down in 2024, which established that a purchased title with a single player mode can be made unplayable, and no purchase here is insulated from that.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nintendo Switch Online and Ubisoft Connect actually diverge.

Attributes where Nintendo Switch Online and Ubisoft Connect differ
AttributeNintendo Switch OnlineUbisoft Connect
Starting price$19.99/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web

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 Nintendo Switch Online

Nothing recorded that Ubisoft Connect does not also cover.

Only in Ubisoft Connect

  • Launcher and patching
  • Cross platform progression
  • Units rewards
  • Ubisoft+ Premium
  • Ubisoft+ Classics
  • Cloud saves

What people use each for

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

Nintendo Switch Online

  • Online multiplayer gaming for Nintendo Switch ownersnot Ubisoft Connect
  • Access to classic NES, SNES, Game Boy, N64, and GameCube titlesnot Ubisoft Connect
  • Family gaming with multi-account supportnot Ubisoft Connect

Ubisoft Connect

  • Playing a single big Ubisoft release at launch for one or two months of subscription instead of seventy up frontnot Nintendo Switch Online
  • Carrying progress between a PC and a console on titles that support cross platform savesnot Nintendo Switch Online
  • Households already on PlayStation Plus at a tier that bundles Ubisoft+ Classics, where the back catalogue costs nothing extranot Nintendo Switch Online
  • Running Ubisoft titles bought on Steam, where the launcher is required whether you want it or notnot Nintendo Switch Online

Where each one falls short

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

Nintendo Switch Online

  • Free trial requires credit card or PayPal, automatically converts to paid after 7 days
  • Premium plan at $49.99/year is 2.5x the cost of Standard but limited to specific retro titles
  • No included modern games; mostly focuses on classic Nintendo titles

Ubisoft Connect

  • Ubisoft revoked access to The Crew after shutting its servers down in 2024, which established that a purchased title with a single player mode can be made unplayable, and no purchase here is insulated from that.
  • The launcher is mandatory even for copies bought on Steam or Epic, so you run two clients, two overlays and two update services for one game.
  • Ubisoft+ leaves nothing behind when you stop paying and there is no credit toward buying a title outright, so a subscription kept across a quiet release year is money with no residue.
  • Ubisoft has operated an inactive account closure policy, which means a library can be put at risk by simply not logging in for a long period.
  • At around eighteen a month the Premium tier costs more than three big releases a year, so it only pays for players who genuinely play a lot of Ubisoft output.

Pricing, plan by plan

Nintendo Switch Online

$19.99/year
  • Standard - Individual$19.99/year
    • Play compatible games online with friends and family
    • GameChat functionality
    • Access to classic NES, Super NES, and Game Boy titles
  • Standard - Family$34.99/year
    • All Standard benefits
    • Up to 8 Nintendo accounts
    • Each person saves approximately $4.37/year
  • Premium - Individual$49.99/year
    • All Standard membership benefits
    • Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and SEGA Genesis games
    • Virtual Boy titles
  • Premium - Family$79.99/year
    • All Premium benefits
    • Up to 8 Nintendo accounts
    • Each person saves approximately $10/year

Ubisoft Connect

Free
  • Ubisoft ConnectFree
    • Free launcher, account and rewards programme
    • Required to run Ubisoft titles bought anywhere
    • Games bought individually from the store
  • Ubisoft+ Premium$17.99/month
    • New PC releases at launch
    • Back catalogue, expansions and premium editions
    • Cancel any time, access ends immediately
  • Ubisoft+ Classics$7.99/month
    • Console tier covering older titles
    • Included within some PlayStation Plus tiers

Which should you pick?

Choose Nintendo Switch Online if

Nothing in the data separates Nintendo Switch Online from Ubisoft Connect on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Nintendo Switch Online review

Choose Ubisoft Connect if

  • You need launcher and patching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web.
  • You also want cross platform progression.
Ubisoft Connect review

Questions people ask

Is Nintendo Switch Online or Ubisoft Connect better?
Neither clearly leads. Nintendo Switch Online starts at $19.99/year and Ubisoft Connect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nintendo Switch Online or Ubisoft Connect?
Ubisoft Connect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19.99/year for Nintendo Switch Online and Free for Ubisoft Connect.
Does Nintendo Switch Online or Ubisoft Connect run on more platforms?
Nintendo Switch Online runs on Web. Ubisoft Connect runs on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web.
Can I use Ubisoft Connect for free?
Yes. Ubisoft Connect has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nintendo Switch Online starts at $19.99/year.
What is Nintendo Switch Online best used for?
Nintendo Switch Online is most often used for online multiplayer gaming for nintendo switch owners, access to classic nes, snes, game boy, n64, and gamecube titles, family gaming with multi-account support. Of those, online multiplayer gaming for nintendo switch owners and access to classic nes, snes, game boy, n64, and gamecube titles are not what Ubisoft Connect is typically brought in for.
What can Nintendo Switch Online do that Ubisoft Connect cannot?
Ubisoft Connect covers Launcher and patching, Cross platform progression, Units rewards, Ubisoft+ Premium.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nintendo Switch Online: How much does Nintendo Switch Online cost?

Nintendo Switch Online Standard costs $19.99 per year for one account or $34.99 per year for up to 8 family accounts. Premium membership with additional retro games costs $49.99 per year for one account or $79.99 per year for up to 8 accounts.

Source
Ubisoft Connect: Do I need Ubisoft Connect if I buy on Steam?

Yes. Ubisoft PC titles bought on Steam still install and launch the Ubisoft Connect client and require a Ubisoft account.

Nintendo Switch Online: Is there a free trial for Nintendo Switch Online?

Yes, Nintendo Switch Online offers a free 7-day trial. A credit card or PayPal account is required to start the trial, and you will be automatically charged unless you cancel before the trial ends.

Source
Ubisoft Connect: Can Ubisoft take away a game I bought?

It has done so. The Crew was delisted and access revoked in 2024 after the servers were shut down. Treat purchases as licences, not property.

Nintendo Switch Online: What is the difference between Nintendo Switch Online Standard and Premium?

Standard ($19.99/year individual or $34.99/year family) includes online play, cloud backup, and classic NES/SNES titles. Premium ($49.99/year individual or $79.99/year family) adds Nintendo GameCube, N64, Game Boy Advance, SEGA Genesis, and Virtual Boy games.

Source
Ubisoft Connect: Does Ubisoft+ include Assassin Creed releases at launch?

Premium does on PC. The cheaper Classics tier covers older titles only, so new releases are not included there.

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