Xbox Game Pass vs PlayStation Plus: Which is Best in 2024?

It isn’t just TV and movies that are embracing the subscription service model, but games as well. Microsoft and Sony have each introduced their own services on their respective platforms. But since most people don’t have the cash to subscribe to both, the question becomes which is better: Game Pass vs PS Plus?

When comparing Xbox Game Pass vs. PlayStation Plus, there are many factors to consider. We have extensively experienced and tested everything both services offer, including games, price, and overall value, to help you decide which is best in 2024.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What is Xbox Game Pass?
3. What is PlayStation Plus?
4. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Price
5. Xbox Game Pass Tiers vs PS Plus: Tiers
6. Xbox Game Pass Games vs PS Plus Games
7. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus Streaming
8. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Pros & Cons
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs 

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What is Xbox Game Pass?
3. What is PlayStation Plus?
Show Full Guide
4. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Price
5. Xbox Game Pass Tiers vs PS Plus: Tiers
6. Xbox Game Pass Games vs PS Plus Games
7. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus Streaming
8. Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Pros & Cons
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs 

What is Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s gaming subscription service that launched in 2017. Since then, the service has gained over 25 million subscribers and evolved to include more Xbox Game Pass games, tiers, and features, but also a higher price.

Depending on which Xbox Game Pass subscription you choose, you will get access to a massive library of games, both indie, AA, and AAA from all Xbox generations. This includes original Xbox, 360, Xbox One, and Series X/S games all available to download and play.

The Xbox Game Pass list is updated on a monthly basis, with new games coming in and older ones leaving.

The major selling point for this service is the Xbox Game Pass day one games. While no longer offered at any tier, the ones that do are given access to every Xbox first-party game through Game Pass the day it releases at no extra cost. Besides Xbox Studios, this now includes all Bethesda and Activision Blizzard titles, such as Starfield and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

What is PlayStation Plus?

PlayStation Plus originally had a very different form. Its primary offerings were a few PS Plus free games each month subscribers could keep (as long as they remained subscribed), cloud saves, and access to online play.

After feeling the pressure from Game Pass, Sony introduced multiple PS Plus tiers that more closely resembled what Xbox was offering.

Like Xbox, certain PS Plus membership levels will give you access to a massive, rotating catalog of games from the PS1, PS2, PSP, PS3 (streaming only), PS4, and PS5, as well as demos for upcoming games.

The biggest difference is that PS Plus does not offer its first-party games on day-one like Xbox. They do tend to appear on the service eventually, but only after a year or more.

Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Price

Comparing the Xbox Game Pass costs to the PS Plus price is a bit tricky since each has multiple tiers. To make things as easy as possible, we will arrange each tier’s pricing from cheapest to most expensive.

It’s worth noting that the Xbox Game Pass price are only for individual months, with no options to purchase quarterly or yearly increments (with the exception of Core). PS Plus tiers do allow subscribers to purchase longer subscription amounts at once at a discounted rate.

Xbox Game Pass Tiers vs PS Plus: Tiers

The hardest part of comparing Game Pass vs PS Plus is that Xbox now has four tiers compared to the three PS Plus tiers.

Game Pass Core vs PS Plus Essential

Starting at the bottom, Game Pass Standard (formerly Game Pass for Console) is the newest and most basic Xbox Game Pass subscription. All this tier offers is access to online multiplayer, two free games per month, and access to store discounts.

PS Plus Essential, on the other hand, offers an average of three games per month, access to online multiplayer, and store discounts.

These two tiers are nearly identical in what they offer, however you can get this Xbox Game Pass subscription for slightly cheaper if you pick the yearly option.

PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard vs PS Plus Extra

We’re lumping these two Xbox Game Pass subscriptions together for the sake of convenience, but there are two very important distinctions to make between them. The first is that, as the names imply, PC Game Pass is only available on PCs, while Game Pass for Console only exists on Xbox consoles.

The other factor here is that, of the two, only PC Game pass subscribers are eligible for the Xbox Game Pass day one games. These games could come to the console version, but will not be there at launch.

Otherwise, both services offer access to the entire Game Pass games library in addition to the perks from the lower tier.

PS Plus Extra gives players access to the Game Catalog of hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games to download on top of the lower tier benefits.

PS Plus Extra is cheaper than both the PC and Standard Game Pass membership if you get the yearly option, or is equal to the cost of Standard.

Game Pass Ultimate vs PS Plus Premium

The highest tier of Game Pass is Ultimate, which lets players access Game Pass on both their PCs and consoles with one subscription. On top of that, you get access to cloud gaming to play without downloading titles, or even play them on your mobile device. It also includes all benefits of previous tiers.

PS Plus Premium, besides all the prior services, also allows players to download or stream select PS4 and PS5 games, plus a growing library of PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 games (streaming only). This tier also unlocks exclusive demos.

Whether you’re paying monthly or by the year on Premium, this tier is cheaper than Ultimate.

Xbox Game Pass Games vs PS Plus Games

Because PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass games are always changing, it is hard to compare the quality of their libraries.

If you just compare quantity, PS Plus takes the win with more than 700 games available to download and stream compared to Xbox’s 400 or so.

Generally speaking, Game Pass games do tend to include more day one games, not just from Xbox first-party compared to PS Plus.

Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus Streaming

Xbox Game Pass is widely considered the superior streaming option. Not only is it available on more devices, such as Android, iOS, PC, consoles, and even select Smart TVs, while PS Plus only supports streaming to consoles or PC, but Xbox tends to provide a more stable connection. Of course, the quality of your stream will come down to your own internet speed and connection strength.

Xbox also offers more of its library on streaming compared to PlayStation for a wider range of options.

Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Pros & Cons

In the end, deciding whether or not Xbox Game Pass vs PlayStation Plus is best will come down to personal preference, but there are some clear pros and cons that can help you make your decision.

The pros for Game Pass include access to day one games, options to play on console and/or PC, and streaming to almost any device with a screen.

Xbox Game Pass

PlayStation Plus

The Bottom Line

The debate between Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus will largely come down to your use case. If you only have one console, then the choice has been made for you; however, if you use both (or also play on PC), then the choice becomes more nuanced. Each service as its own strengths and weaknesses, with Xbox Game Pass being a solid catch-all for consoles and PC, whereas PlayStation Plus can incorporate all five generations of Sony’s hardware.

FAQs