Game Pass vs PS Plus vs Nintendo Switch Online: 2026 Prices Compared

In the US, Nintendo Switch Online has the lowest price of the three at $19.99 a year, PlayStation Plus starts at $10.99 a month or $79.99 a year, and Xbox Game Pass starts at $9.99 a month, with Game Pass Ultimate at $22.99 a month. We checked all three on the official Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo websites on 24 October 2026.

The headline prices are not directly comparable. Xbox sells Game Pass monthly, PlayStation gives a large discount for paying a year upfront, and Nintendo only sells memberships by the year. The comparison below turns everything into a yearly cost, so you can see what each really costs.

Prices for every tier (US, October 2026)#

Prices are before tax. Xbox's plans page lists monthly prices only, so the yearly figures for Game Pass are twelve monthly payments. PlayStation also sells 3-month plans: $27.99 for Essential, $43.99 for Extra and $54.99 for Premium.

What a year really costs: three examples#

A PS5 player who mainly wants online play. PlayStation Plus Essential costs 12 × $10.99 = $131.88 if you pay monthly, against $79.99 for the 12-month plan. Paying yearly costs $51.89 less, which is worth it if you play online all year. Our guide to monthly vs yearly billing shows when the yearly plan is the wrong choice.

A family with two or more Switch players. The Nintendo Switch Online family membership costs $34.99 a year and covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts. Nintendo points out that, split eight ways, that is under $5 a person each year. Even with only two players, it costs less than two individual memberships at $19.99 each.

Someone choosing between the two "everything" tiers. Game Pass Ultimate costs $275.88 over twelve months, and PlayStation Plus Premium costs $159.99 on the yearly plan, a difference of $115.89. Game Pass Ultimate includes new games on day one, which PlayStation Plus does not, so it suits people who would otherwise buy several new releases a year.

Which one suits you#

• Nintendo Switch Online: worth it for almost every Switch owner who plays online, given the price. Get the Expansion Pack only if you want the older consoles' games or the included DLC.
• PlayStation Plus Essential: you need it for online multiplayer in most paid PS5 games. Pay yearly if you play online for more than about seven months of the year.
• PlayStation Plus Extra: for players who would rather download from a large catalogue than buy older games one by one. From January 2026, PlayStation says PS4 games are added to the catalogue only now and then.
• PlayStation Plus Premium: mainly for classic games and cloud streaming. Most players get more value from Extra.
• Game Pass Essential: covers online console multiplayer with a small game library. A sensible base plan for Xbox owners who buy their own new games.
• Game Pass Ultimate: for Xbox or PC players who play several new releases a year. Skip it if you mainly play one or two games.

Trials, Black Friday and other ways to pay less#

All three run introductory offers. On its plans page, Xbox currently offers the first 14 days of any Game Pass tier for $1, then the normal monthly price. Nintendo offers a free 7-day trial of the individual Nintendo Switch Online membership; it says that from 20 October 2026 the trial can be redeemed once per Nintendo Account, and it cannot be used for the Expansion Pack.

PlayStation is the one with regular Black Friday cuts. For Black Friday 2025, the 12-month plans were reported at 20% off Essential ($63.99), 25% off Extra ($101.24) and 33% off Premium ($107.19), with the offer starting on 21 November 2025. Eligibility varied: some current members only saw the price after their membership lapsed. Our Black Friday streaming guide covers how to judge a limited-time price before you commit.

If you already pay for streaming bundles too, a subscription audit is the quickest way to see what you can drop before adding a gaming plan. Our streaming bundles guide covers the TV side, and how to save on subscriptions collects the general tactics.

Catches to check before you subscribe#

• Automatic renewal. All three renew at the then-current price unless you turn off auto-renewal. Nintendo's free trial turns into a paid monthly membership if you do not.
• Cloud play has limits. Game Pass lists monthly cloud playtime per tier: 5 hours on Essential, 10 on Premium and 15 on Ultimate.
• Price changes reach existing members later. When Xbox cut Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 and PC Game Pass from $16.49 to $13.99 in April 2026, existing subscribers moved to the new price at their next renewal.
• Catalogue games can leave. Games in Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra rotate out, so do not count on a specific game staying available.

Questions about game subscriptions#

Which game subscription has the lowest price?#

Nintendo Switch Online, at $19.99 a year for one account or $34.99 a year for a family of up to eight accounts, when checked on 24 October 2026.

Do I need PlayStation Plus to play online?#

For most paid PS5 games, yes: online multiplayer is part of every PlayStation Plus tier, starting with Essential. Many free-to-play games can be played online without it.

How much is Game Pass Ultimate now?#

$22.99 a month in the US, after Xbox lowered it from $29.99 in April 2026.

Is there a yearly Game Pass plan?#

Xbox's plans page lists monthly prices only. At $22.99 a month, a year of Ultimate costs $275.88.

Is PlayStation Plus cheaper on Black Friday?#

It has been in recent years. In 2025 the 12-month plans were reported at 20% to 33% off, depending on the tier. 2026 offers had not been announced when we checked.

Gaming price sources#

Official plan pages from Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo, checked on 24 October 2026; the April 2026 Game Pass changes and Black Friday 2025 PlayStation prices as reported at the time. Prices exclude tax and can change.

• Xbox: Game Pass plans
• PlayStation: PlayStation Plus plans
• Nintendo: Nintendo Switch Online memberships
• Pure Xbox: Game Pass prices from April 2026
• Slickdeals: PlayStation Plus Black Friday 2025 prices