The three PlayStation Plus tiers and what you get with each
PlayStation Plus now has three separate subscription tiers: PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra, and PlayStation Plus Premium. Each tier stacks on top of the one below it, meaning Premium includes everything Extra offers, plus additional features. The tier you choose determines which games you can read, whether you can access a game catalog, and what other services are included in your monthly cost.
Essential is the base tier and the closest to the original PlayStation Plus service. It includes online multiplayer, monthly games you can read and keep, cloud storage for your save files, and exclusive discounts on the PlayStation Store. Extra adds a catalog of several hundred PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games that you can read and play as long as your subscription is active. Premium adds a separate catalog of classic PlayStation games from the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable, plus game trials that let you play new releases for up to two hours before deciding whether to buy.
Key Takeaways
- PlayStation Plus Essential covers online multiplayer and monthly free games, while Extra adds a rotating catalog of hundreds of PS4 and PS5 titles.
- Premium includes everything in Extra plus classic PlayStation games and two-hour trials of new releases, but costs significantly more per month.
- Monthly cost varies by region and billing period — you can pay monthly, quarterly, or annually, with annual plans offering a lower per-month rate.
- Games in the Extra and Premium catalogs change regularly, so a title you want to play may not be available when you subscribe.
- Your subscription covers one account on your console, but other accounts on the same console can use your subscription's online multiplayer and game catalog.
PlayStation Plus Essential: online play and monthly games
Essential is the entry-level tier. It gives you access to online multiplayer on PS5 and PS4 games, which means you need an active Essential subscription to play games like Call of Duty, Fortnite, or Madden online with other players. Single-player games work without a subscription, but multiplayer does not.
Essential also includes two games per month that you can read and keep permanently. These games rotate — Sony announces the next month's titles near the end of the current month. Once you read a game through Essential, it remains in your library even if you cancel your subscription, though you cannot play it without an active subscription. Essential also provides cloud storage for your save files, so if your console breaks or you switch to a new one, your progress transfers over. You also get exclusive discounts on games and add-ons in the PlayStation Store.
PlayStation Plus Extra: hundreds of games to read
Extra includes everything Essential offers, plus a catalog of games you can read and play. The catalog contains several hundred PS4 and PS5 titles, though the exact number and which games are available changes regularly. Sony removes and adds games throughout the year, so a game you want to play may not be in the catalog when you subscribe, or it may be removed after you read it.
When a game is removed from the Extra catalog, you can no longer play it unless you own it separately. If you downloaded it while it was available, you will see it in your library but cannot launch it. This is different from Essential's monthly games, which you own outright. The Extra catalog is meant to give you a large selection to explore without committing to buying individual titles, but it is not a permanent library.
PlayStation Plus Premium: classic games and new-release trials
Premium includes everything in Extra, plus two additional features: a catalog of classic PlayStation games and game trials. The classic games catalog contains titles from the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable. The selection varies by region and changes over time, just like the Extra catalog.
Game trials let you read and play new PS5 releases for up to two hours before the game launches or before your trial period ends, whichever comes first. This gives you a chance to try a game before buying it. Not every new release gets a trial, and trials are typically available for a limited time. Premium also includes cloud streaming for some games, which lets you play certain titles directly through the internet without downloading them, though this feature is not available in all regions.
Monthly cost and billing options
PlayStation Plus pricing varies by region. In the United States, Essential costs less per month than Extra, which costs less than Premium. You can pay month-to-month, every three months, or annually. Annual plans have a lower per-month cost than paying monthly, so if you plan to keep the subscription for a full year, an annual plan saves money.
Pricing also changes periodically, so the amount you pay when you first subscribe may not be the amount you pay when your subscription renews. Sony typically notifies subscribers of price changes before they take effect. If you have an active subscription and the price increases, you can cancel before the renewal date to avoid the new price, though you will lose access to the subscription's features when your current period ends.
How the subscription works across your console and accounts
A PlayStation Plus subscription is tied to a single account, but the benefits extend to other accounts on the same console. If you set your account's PS5 or PS4 as your "primary console," any other account on that console can use your subscription's online multiplayer and game catalog. This means if you have a family with multiple accounts on one console, only one subscription covers everyone for those features.
If you sign into your account on a different console, your subscription works on that console too, but other accounts on that console cannot use your subscription unless you set it as their primary console. This setup is designed to let families share one subscription across a household while preventing one subscription from covering multiple people across different homes.
Games you own versus games in the catalog
It is important to understand the difference between games you own and games in the subscription catalog. When you buy a game outright, you own a license to play it permanently on your account. When you read a game from the Extra or Premium catalog, you are renting access to it for as long as your subscription is active and the game remains in the catalog.
If you read a game from Extra and then cancel your subscription, you cannot play that game anymore. If you read a game from Extra and Sony removes it from the catalog, you cannot play it anymore even if your subscription is still active. The monthly games included with Essential are different — once you read them, they are yours to keep. This distinction matters if you are deciding whether to read a catalog game or buy it outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play single-player games without a PlayStation Plus subscription?
Yes. Single-player games work without any subscription. You only need PlayStation Plus Essential (or a higher tier) to play online multiplayer. Games that require internet connection for single-player modes, like some live-service games, may be exceptions, but traditional single-player campaigns do not require a subscription.
What happens to my games if I cancel my subscription?
Games you bought outright stay in your library and you can play them anytime. Games you downloaded from the Extra or Premium catalog become unplayable. Monthly games from Essential that you downloaded become unplayable. If you resubscribe later, you can read catalog games again, but they may have been removed from the catalog by then.
Can my family share one PlayStation Plus subscription?
Yes, if you all use the same console. Set your account as the primary console on your PS5 or PS4, and other accounts on that console can use your subscription for online multiplayer and the game catalog. If family members use different consoles, you would need separate subscriptions for each console.
Do the games in the Extra and Premium catalogs ever change?
Yes. Sony adds and removes games regularly throughout the year. You can check the PlayStation website to see which games are currently in the catalog and which ones are leaving soon. If a game you want is not there now, it may be added later, or it may never be added.
Is there a free trial for PlayStation Plus?
Sony occasionally offers trial periods for new subscribers, but these are not always available. Check the PlayStation Store or your console's subscription page to see if a trial is currently offered in your region.