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Software · head to head

Steam vs PlayStation Plus

S

Steam

Software

The ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

PlayStation Plus

Software

Monthly games, online multiplayer and more

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Steam publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue; 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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Steam and PlayStation Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Steam and PlayStation Plus differ
AttributeSteamPlayStation Plus

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

Where each one falls short

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

Steam

  • Publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue
  • Core purchases and library are tied to a single Steam account with no vendor-stated official resale or transfer mechanism for owned games

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Steam

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Steam review.

PlayStation Plus

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PlayStation Plus review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Steam if

Nothing in the data separates Steam from PlayStation Plus on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Steam review

Choose PlayStation Plus if

Nothing in the data separates PlayStation Plus from Steam on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

PlayStation Plus review

Questions people ask

Is Steam or PlayStation Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Steam starts at On request and PlayStation Plus at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Steam or PlayStation Plus?
Steam starts at On request and PlayStation Plus at On request.
Does Steam or PlayStation Plus run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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Related pages

More on Steam

More on PlayStation Plus

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