In October 2025, Microsoft raised Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 per month — a 50% increase that drove significant subscriber cancellations. In April 2026, Microsoft reversed course and cut Ultimate back to $22.99. Meanwhile, Sony quietly raised PS Plus prices in early 2026 while keeping annual rates unchanged.
The result in June 2026: Game Pass Ultimate costs $22.99/month with no annual option. PS Plus Premium — Sony’s equivalent top tier — costs $159.99/year ($13.33/month effective). That is a $200+ annual gap at the top tier.
But price is only one dimension. Here is the honest, complete comparison — including who should pick each service and why the answer genuinely depends on how you play.
2026 Price Comparison: PS Plus vs Game Pass
| Tier | PS Plus (Sony) | Xbox Game Pass (Microsoft) |
| Entry tier | Essential — $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr | Essential — $9.99/mo (no annual) |
| Mid tier | Extra — $14.99/mo or $134.99/yr | Premium — $14.99/mo (no annual) |
| Top tier | Premium — $17.99/mo or $159.99/yr | Ultimate — $22.99/mo (no annual) |
| PC support? | No native PC client | Yes — PC Game Pass at $13.99/mo |
| Annual discount? | Yes — ~33% off vs monthly | No — monthly price only |
The annual discount is PS Plus’s strongest price advantage. PS Plus Essential at $79.99/year works out to $6.67/month — saving $39.88 versus paying monthly. Game Pass offers no comparable annual plan. If you commit to PS Plus annually, it is dramatically cheaper at every tier.
What Each Service Includes
PS Plus Essential ($9.99/month or $79.99/year)
- Online multiplayer access for PS4 and PS5
- 2–3 free monthly games added to your library as long as you stay subscribed
- 100GB cloud save storage
- Exclusive PlayStation Store discounts
PS Plus Extra ($14.99/month or $134.99/year)
Everything in Essential, plus:
- Access to hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games in the Game Catalog — download and play them like owned games while subscribed
- Major Sony exclusives appear on Extra 12–24 months after launch (Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 arrived February 2026)
PS Plus Premium ($17.99/month or $159.99/year)
Everything in Extra, plus:
- Classic PlayStation game library — PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 titles (300+ classics)
- Game trials — try select full games before buying
- Cloud streaming for select games
Xbox Game Pass Essential ($9.99/month)
- Online multiplayer for Xbox consoles
- Access to a small curated library of ~25–40 games
- Xbox Store member deals and discounts
Xbox Game Pass Premium ($14.99/month)
Everything in Essential, plus:
- Full library of 400+ games downloadable on Xbox consoles
- No day-one first-party releases (those are Ultimate only)
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($22.99/month)
Everything in Premium, plus:
- Day-one access to all Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks releases
- EA Play included
- Ubisoft+ Classics included
- Cloud gaming via xCloud — play on phone, tablet, smart TV, and PC without a console
- PC Game Pass included
- Note: New Call of Duty titles no longer included day-one as of 2026 — they arrive approximately one year after launch
The Biggest Difference: Day-One Games
This is where Game Pass Ultimate genuinely wins over PS Plus. Every Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda title launches day-one on Game Pass Ultimate. In 2025–2026, that has included Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Doom: The Dark Ages, and multiple smaller Xbox studio releases. If you play three or more new Microsoft first-party games per year at $69.99 retail each, Game Pass Ultimate can pay for itself.
PS Plus takes the opposite approach. Sony’s first-party exclusives — God of War, Spider-Man, Horizon, The Last of Us — do not launch on PS Plus. They arrive on PS Plus Extra 12–24 months after launch. If you want Sony exclusives on day one, you buy them at retail. This is PS Plus’s biggest weakness versus Game Pass.
Not sure if you need PS Plus at all? See our guide to which games require PS Plus and which don’t — many of the most popular multiplayer games are free-to-play and require no subscription.
Does PS5 Have Game Pass?
No — Xbox Game Pass is an Xbox/Microsoft service and is not available on PlayStation 5. There is no official Xbox Game Pass app on PS5, and Sony does not have a partnership with Microsoft to bring Game Pass to PlayStation.
The PS5 equivalent of Game Pass is PS Plus Extra or PS Plus Premium — Sony’s catalog subscription tiers. They work similarly (pay monthly, access a large library of games) but with different games, different pricing, and different features.
Who Should Choose PS Plus?
- PS5 owners who mainly play online with friends — Essential is the minimum required and at $79.99/year it is the cheapest path to online multiplayer
- Players who want deep access to PlayStation exclusives that have been out for 12+ months — Extra is excellent value for working through the Sony back catalog
- Retro gaming fans who want PS1, PS2, and PSP classics — Premium adds the largest classic gaming library of any subscription service
- Budget-conscious gamers who prefer an annual commitment — the 33% annual discount makes PS Plus dramatically cheaper per month than Game Pass
Who Should Choose Game Pass?
- Xbox or PC players who want to play major new Microsoft/Bethesda titles day-one — Ultimate’s day-one library is unmatched
- Multi-platform gamers who play on both Xbox console and Windows PC — Ultimate covers both under one subscription
- Players who want cloud gaming on non-gaming devices — xCloud’s coverage of phones, tablets, and smart TVs is broader than PS Plus Premium’s cloud streaming
- Call of Duty players — CoD titles now arrive approximately one year after launch on Game Pass, not day-one, but the back catalog is included
Is PS Plus Going Away?
No — PS Plus is not going away. Sony rebranded and restructured PS Plus in 2023 (merging PlayStation Now into a three-tier system) and has continued to develop the service. The 2026 price adjustments and catalog additions show Sony investing in the service, not winding it down.
PS Plus Student and Military Discounts
PS Plus does not currently offer an official verified student discount in the United States. However, PS Plus prices regularly go on sale — typically during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and occasional PlayStation Store promotions. Setting a price alert for PS Plus on deal-tracking sites is the most reliable way to buy at a discount.
Military discounts: Sony does not have an official military discount program for PS Plus in the US. Discounted PS Plus cards occasionally appear through retailer partnerships — check GameStop, Best Buy, and Costco for periodic discounted PS Plus membership cards.
PlayStation’s official PS Plus comparison page at playstation.com/en-us/ps-plus has current pricing, tier comparison, and the latest monthly free games — always verify before subscribing as prices and features update regularly.
Bottom Line: Which Should You Choose?
| If you… | Choose | Why |
| Own a PS5 and play online | PS Plus Essential | Required for online — cheapest at $79.99/year |
| Want Sony’s catalog of past exclusives | PS Plus Extra | Spider-Man 2, God of War, Horizon on catalog |
| Want new Xbox games at launch | Game Pass Ultimate | Bethesda, Xbox Studios day-one for $22.99/mo |
| Play on Xbox and PC | Game Pass Ultimate | Covers console, PC, and cloud in one |
| Want the cheapest option possible | PS Plus Essential annual | $79.99/year = $6.67/month effective |
| Want classic PS1/PS2/PSP games | PS Plus Premium | 300+ classics at $159.99/year |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PS Plus better than Game Pass?
It depends on your platform and play style. PS Plus wins on price — PS Plus Premium is $159.99/year versus Game Pass Ultimate’s $275.88/year equivalent. Game Pass wins on day-one first-party releases — Xbox and Bethesda games launch on Game Pass Ultimate immediately. PS5-only players almost always find PS Plus the better value. Xbox/PC players benefit more from Game Pass.
Does PS5 have a game pass like Xbox?
No — Xbox Game Pass is an Xbox/Microsoft service. PS5 has PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium, which work similarly (library subscription) but are entirely separate services with different games and pricing. There is no Xbox Game Pass app on PS5.
How much is PS Plus in 2026?
PS Plus Essential: $9.99/month or $79.99/year. PS Plus Extra: $14.99/month or $134.99/year. PS Plus Premium: $17.99/month or $159.99/year. All annual plans save approximately 33% versus paying monthly. Sony raised monthly prices in early 2026 while keeping annual rates unchanged.
Is PS Plus worth it?
PS Plus Essential is nearly essential if you play any online multiplayer game on PS4 or PS5 — most games require it. At $79.99/year it is a reasonable cost. PS Plus Extra is worth it if you have a backlog of PlayStation exclusives and third-party games to work through. PS Plus Premium adds niche value in classics and game trials but the jump from Extra to Premium is the hardest to justify.
Does Game Pass work on PS5?
No. Xbox Game Pass is an Xbox and Microsoft PC service. It does not work on PlayStation 5. Microsoft has no announced plans to bring Game Pass to PS5.
