Xbox Game Pass vs PlayStation Plus: Which Is Worth It in 2026?

If you already own a console, the decision is made: Game Pass is for Xbox (and PC), PlayStation Plus is for PlayStation. If you're still choosing, here's the head-to-head: Game Pass Ultimate costs $22.99 a month and adds new games on day one, while PlayStation Plus Premium costs $19.99 a month and drops to $13.33 a month on a 12-month plan. Below are US prices for every tier (checked in October 2026), what each includes, how prices changed and which one fits how you play.

#How much is Xbox Game Pass in 2026?

Game Pass has four plans. Benefits come from the official Game Pass page in October 2026:

One big caveat: starting in 2026, new Call of Duty releases no longer join Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. According to Xbox Wire, they'll arrive during the following holiday season, about a year later. Call of Duty games already in the library stay.

See current plans on Xbox Game Pass in Subfaro.

#How much is PlayStation Plus in 2026?

PS Plus has three tiers and sells 12-month plans at a discount, something the Xbox Game Pass page doesn't offer: it lists monthly prices only. Benefits are from the official PS Plus page:

The yearly plans save real money compared with 12 monthly payments: $51.89 on Essential (about 39%), $68.89 on Extra and $79.89 on Premium. See current prices on PlayStation Plus in Subfaro.

#Which is cheaper: Game Pass or PS Plus?

Lined up by level:

Paying monthly, Game Pass is cheaper at the entry and library levels, while PS Plus Premium undercuts Ultimate by $3. On a 12-month plan, PS Plus is the cheaper service at every level, as long as you pay up front and actually play all year.

Beyond price:

• New releases: Ultimate and PC Game Pass get select new games on launch day, from Xbox and other publishers. The PS Plus page doesn't promise day-one releases; its focus is a catalog of hundreds of games.
• Bundled extras: Ultimate includes EA Play ($5.99/mo on its own) and Fortnite Crew ($11.99/mo on its own). If you already pay for Fortnite Crew, Ultimate costs $11 more a month for everything else.
• Streaming and classics: PS Plus Premium adds cloud streaming of PS5 games and the Classics Catalog. Game Pass includes a monthly cloud-play allowance on every console tier.
• PC: Ultimate covers console and PC. If you only play on a computer, PC Game Pass is $9 cheaper.

#How prices changed in 2025 and 2026

Both services moved prices recently. Dates and prices are for new subscribers, with a source on each line of the price-increase pages:

In October 2025, Microsoft restructured Game Pass, introducing Essential at $9.99 and Premium at $14.99 and raising Ultimate by 50%. Six months later, Ultimate came down to $22.99, and the same Xbox announcement cut PC Game Pass to $13.99. For PS Plus, May 2026 was the first change to the monthly prices in our history since the June 2022 relaunch.

Full timelines: Game Pass price increases and PS Plus price increases.

#Which subscription fits how you play?

• You just want online multiplayer: stay on the entry tier. PS Plus Essential on a 12-month plan ($6.67/mo) is the cheapest option of all. On Xbox, Essential is $9.99.
• You want lots of games to download: compare Game Pass Premium ($14.99) with PS Plus Extra ($16.99, or $11.25/mo yearly). Premium gets Xbox-published games within a year; Extra has the Game Catalog with hundreds of titles.
• You play big releases right away: on console, Ultimate ($22.99) is the plan that promises new games on day one.
• You love retro games or streaming: PS Plus Premium is the only tier here with a classics catalog and PS5 cloud streaming.
• You play in bursts: subscribe for the month you'll play, then cancel. It's the same idea as streaming rotation: pay only while you use it.

If you go yearly on PS Plus, remember it's one big charge that renews at the current PS Store price. Our guide to annual vs monthly subscriptions helps you decide.

#Before you subscribe: renewals and price hikes

Both subscriptions renew automatically until you cancel. Microsoft's Game Pass page says charges may go up with at least 30 days' notice. Sony charges each renewal at the PS Store price at that time, so a price hike reaches existing members too.

Watch the intro offers too. In October 2026, the US Game Pass page offers new members the first 14 days for $1 on every plan, after which the subscription continues at the full monthly price unless you cancel. It's a cheap way to test a tier, as long as you set a reminder.

To avoid surprise charges:

1. Write down your renewal date when you subscribe.
2. Turn off auto-renew if you only want one month. You keep access until the paid period ends.
3. Manage Game Pass in your Microsoft account; for PS Plus, follow Sony's official cancellation guide.

#How Subfaro helps

Subfaro is a subscription tracker. Add Game Pass or PS Plus, pick your plan, and the price fills in. You get a reminder before each charge, including a yearly renewal, and an alert when your plan's price changes, since Subfaro checks the prices of more than 100 services every week.

The free plan covers up to 10 subscriptions with no time limit. Create your free account.