Nintendo Switch Online has two subscription tiers, each with different games, features, and prices

Nintendo Switch Online comes in two versions: the basic plan and the Expansion Pack. The basic plan costs $20 per year or $4.99 per month and gives you online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to a library of classic NES and SNES games. The Expansion Pack costs $50 per year or $9.99 per month and includes everything in the basic plan plus Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, DLC for certain games, and online play for games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Both plans renew automatically unless you turn off auto-renewal in your Nintendo Account settings. You can switch between plans at any time, and if you downgrade, you keep your remaining subscription time at the lower rate. If you upgrade mid-cycle, Nintendo charges you the difference.

Key Takeaways

  • The basic Nintendo Switch Online plan costs $20 yearly or $4.99 monthly and includes online play, cloud saves, and classic NES and SNES games.
  • The Expansion Pack costs $50 yearly or $9.99 monthly and adds Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games plus DLC for select titles.
  • Both plans auto-renew unless you disable auto-renewal in your Nintendo Account settings before the renewal date.
  • You can change plans or cancel at any time, and switching between tiers adjusts your charge based on remaining time.

What the basic plan includes

The basic Nintendo Switch Online plan gives you online multiplayer for games that support it. This means you can play with others on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 3, and hundreds of other online-enabled titles. Without the subscription, you cannot access online multiplayer on any Switch game.

Cloud saves are included, which automatically back up your game progress to Nintendo's servers. If your Switch breaks or you get a new one, you can read your saves on another console. Not all games support cloud saves — Nintendo publishes a list on its website of which titles are covered.

The basic plan also gives you access to the NES and SNES game library. This collection includes titles like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Country, and Kirby Super Star. The library updates periodically with new additions, though Nintendo does not announce which games are coming.

What the Expansion Pack adds

The Expansion Pack includes everything in the basic plan, then adds Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games. The N64 library has titles like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and GoldenEye 007. The Genesis collection includes Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, and Phantasy Star II. Like the NES and SNES libraries, these collections update over time.

The Expansion Pack also includes DLC (downloadable content) for certain games at no extra cost. This covers Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's racing courses, Animal Crossing: New Horizons' seasonal items and furniture, and Splatoon 3's cosmetics and weapons. You get access to this DLC automatically when you subscribe; you do not read it separately.

Nintendo also includes a trial of the Expansion Pack with some game purchases. If you buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Animal Crossing: New Horizons new, the box may contain a code for a free month or two of the Expansion Pack.

How to set up and manage your subscription

To start a subscription, go to the Nintendo eShop on your Switch, select your profile, and choose Nintendo Switch Online. You can pick the basic plan or Expansion Pack and choose monthly or yearly billing. You will need a Nintendo Account (free to create) and a payment method on file.

To turn off auto-renewal, go to your Nintendo Account settings on a web browser or the Switch itself, find Subscriptions, and toggle auto-renewal off. This stops the charge at your next renewal date but does not cancel your current subscription — you keep access until the paid period ends.

To change plans, go back to the Nintendo eShop and select a different tier. If you upgrade mid-cycle, Nintendo charges you the difference between what you have already paid and the new plan's cost, prorated by the days remaining. If you downgrade, you keep your remaining time at the lower rate.

Family plans and group subscriptions

Nintendo offers a Family Plan that covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts on one or more Switch consoles. The Family Plan basic tier costs $50 per year (compared to $20 per account for individual yearly subscriptions), and the Family Expansion Pack costs $80 per year (compared to $50 per account). Each account on the family plan gets the same tier of service — you cannot mix basic and Expansion Pack accounts in one family group.

To set up a Family Plan, one adult creates a Nintendo Switch Online Family Group through their Nintendo Account and invites up to seven other people. Those people can be on the same console or different consoles. If someone leaves the family group, they lose access to the subscription when ready, though their cloud saves remain on Nintendo's servers and they can read them later if they rejoin.

Family Plans auto-renew like individual plans. The person who created the group can manage billing and add or remove members at any time.

What you do not get with either plan

Nintendo Switch Online does not include access to newer games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, or Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. You must buy those games separately. The subscription only covers the classic game libraries and online multiplayer for games you already own.

The subscription also does not cover Nintendo Switch Sports, which is a separate purchase, or Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack's DLC for games you do not own. If you do not have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the DLC for that game is not useful to you.

Voice chat for most games happens through the Nintendo Switch Online app on your phone, not through the console itself. Some games like Fortnite and Minecraft have built-in voice chat, but many others require the app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I try Nintendo Switch Online before paying?

Nintendo offers a seven-day free trial of the basic plan if you have never subscribed before. You must provide a payment method, and the trial auto-renews to a paid subscription unless you cancel before the seven days end. The Expansion Pack does not have a free trial, though some game purchases include trial codes.

Do I need Nintendo Switch Online to play single-player games?

No. You only need the subscription for online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to the classic game libraries. Single-player games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Dread, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses work without any subscription.

What happens to my cloud saves if I cancel?

Your cloud saves stay on Nintendo's servers for six months after your subscription ends. During that time, you can resubscribe and read them. After six months, Nintendo deletes them. Local saves on your console are not affected by cancellation.

Can I use the same subscription on multiple consoles?

Yes, if you use the same Nintendo Account. Log into your account on each console, and your subscription works on all of them. With a Family Plan, each account in the group can use the subscription on any console in the family group.

Does Nintendo Switch Online work on the Switch Lite or Switch OLED?

Yes. The subscription works on all Switch models: the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED. You use the same Nintendo Account and subscription across all models.