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Gaming · head to head

PlayStation Plus vs Xbox Game Pass

PlayStation Plus logo

PlayStation Plus

Gaming

Monthly games, online multiplayer and more

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xbox Game Pass logo

Xbox Game Pass

Gaming

Play together with friends, new games and classic favorites

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PlayStation Plus cloud streaming requires minimum 5 Mbps connection for SD quality; Xbox Game Pass day-one access to new Xbox-published games is only included on the Ultimate tier, not on Essential or Premium
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass actually diverge.

Attributes where PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass differ
AttributePlayStation PlusXbox Game Pass
Starting price$10.99/monthOn request

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).

What people use each for

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

PlayStation Plus

  • Accessing hundreds of games through monthly subscription catalognot Xbox Game Pass
  • Playing online multiplayer games with teammates and competitorsnot Xbox Game Pass
  • Trying games before purchasing them with trial accessnot Xbox Game Pass
  • Streaming games directly to PlayStation 5 via cloudnot Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

  • Access hundreds of games without individual purchasesnot PlayStation Plus
  • Play new AAA titles on day one of releasenot PlayStation Plus
  • Stream games across multiple devices seamlesslynot PlayStation Plus
  • Earn rewards points while gaming and shoppingnot PlayStation Plus
  • Experience multiplayer gaming with online friendsnot PlayStation Plus

Where each one falls short

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

PlayStation Plus

  • Cloud streaming requires minimum 5 Mbps connection for SD quality
  • Premium tier requires 15 Mbps for 1080p streaming
  • No free tier available

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

$10.99/month
  • PlayStation Plus Essential$10.99/month
    • Monthly games
    • Online multiplayer
    • Exclusive discounts
  • PlayStation Plus Extra$16.99/month
    • All Essential benefits
    • Game Catalog with hundreds of games
    • Ubisoft+ Classics
  • PlayStation Plus Premium$19.99/month
    • All Extra benefits
    • Classics Catalog
    • Game trials

Xbox Game Pass

On request

No 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.

PlayStation Plus review

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.

Xbox Game Pass review

Questions people ask

Is PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass better?
Neither clearly leads. PlayStation Plus starts at $10.99/month 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 $10.99/month 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.
What is PlayStation Plus best used for?
PlayStation Plus is most often used for accessing hundreds of games through monthly subscription catalog, playing online multiplayer games with teammates and competitors, trying games before purchasing them with trial access, streaming games directly to playstation 5 via cloud. Of those, accessing hundreds of games through monthly subscription catalog and playing online multiplayer games with teammates and competitors are not what Xbox Game Pass is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PlayStation Plus: How much does PlayStation Plus cost?

PlayStation Plus Essential costs $10.99/month, Extra costs $16.99/month, and Premium costs $19.99/month. Monthly, quarterly (3 months), and annual billing options are available with discounts on longer commitments.

Source
Xbox Game Pass: What are the pricing tiers and trial offers?

Essential tier: Get your first month for $1, then regular pricing. Premium tier: Get your first 14 days for $1, then regular pricing. Ultimate plan: regular pricing with no trial discount mentioned.

Source
PlayStation Plus: What is included in each PlayStation Plus tier?

Essential includes monthly games, online multiplayer, and cloud storage. Extra adds a Game Catalog with hundreds of games and Ubisoft+ Classics. Premium includes all Extra features plus game trials, cloud streaming for PS3/PS5 games, and access to up to 100 Sony movies.

Source
Xbox Game Pass: How many games are included in each tier?

Library varies: 50+ games (Essential), 200+ (Premium), 500+ (Ultimate), 300+ (PC-only)

Source
PlayStation Plus: Does PlayStation Plus offer annual pricing discounts?

Yes, annual plans offer 33-39% savings compared to paying monthly. Annual Essential costs $79.99, Extra costs $134.99, and Premium costs $159.99.

Source
Xbox Game Pass: How long can I access games on Game Pass?

Game Pass subscribers enjoy access to games in the library until either the subscription is canceled/expires, or a game leaves the Game Pass library.

Source
Xbox Game Pass: What is the refund policy?

If you cancel your subscription within 30 days after payment, you may qualify for a one-time refund of recurring charges.

Source
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