Gaming · head to head
PlayStation Plus vs Xbox Game Pass
PlayStation Plus
Gaming
Monthly games, online multiplayer and more
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Xbox Game Pass
Gaming
Play together with friends, new games and classic favorites
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PlayStation Plus online multiplayer for most PS5 and PS4 games requires at least the Essential tier; it is not included free with a PlayStation account; Xbox Game Pass day-one access to new Xbox-published games is only included on the Ultimate tier, not on Essential or Premium
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass actually diverge.
| Attribute | PlayStation Plus | Xbox Game Pass |
|---|
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
PlayStation Plus
- Online multiplayer for most PS5 and PS4 games requires at least the Essential tier; it is not included free with a PlayStation account
- Cloud streaming and the Classics Catalog of retro PlayStation games are reserved for the top Premium tier only, not Essential or Extra
Xbox Game Pass
- Day-one access to new Xbox-published games is only included on the Ultimate tier, not on Essential or Premium
- Cloud gaming quality is explicitly tiered, with the vendor stating Premium gets improved cloud quality and only Ultimate gets premium cloud gaming
Pricing, plan by plan
PlayStation Plus
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the PlayStation Plus review.
Xbox Game Pass
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Xbox Game Pass review.
Which should you pick?
Choose PlayStation Plus if
Nothing in the data separates PlayStation Plus from Xbox Game Pass on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Xbox Game Pass if
Nothing in the data separates Xbox Game Pass from PlayStation Plus on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass better?
- Neither clearly leads. PlayStation Plus starts at On request and Xbox Game Pass at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass?
- PlayStation Plus starts at On request and Xbox Game Pass at On request.
- Does PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.