Tech Reference

PlayStation Plus vs. PlayStation Now: Which online subscription service is right for you

Written by Dave Johnson and William Antonelli
PS5 Playstation 5 controller
Both PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus are available on PS4 and PS5. YELIM LEE/AFP via Getty Images
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It's more than possible to own a PS4 or PS5 without any subscriptions, and play games normally. But if you want online multiplayer, or a collection of free games, you'll want to sign up for either PlayStation Plus or PlayStation Now.

These two subscription services have different features and very different prices. But they'll both give you a massive selection of games to choose from.

Here are PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus' most important features, along with how much you'll pay for each.

How much PlayStation Plus costs and what it offers

PlayStation Plus
A PlayStation Plus subscription unlocks online multiplayer, along with other goodies.  Sony

While you can connect your PlayStation to the internet without a subscription — and even stream apps like Netflix or Hulu — most of the valuable features are locked behind PlayStation Plus.

This includes the ability to play multiplayer games online, access to free games each month — which, once downloaded, you can continue to play for as long as you have a subscription — and exclusive early access to game demos and betas. 

PlayStation Plus also gives you 100GB of online storage for saved game files. This means that even if your PlayStation breaks, your save data is safe.

There are several different subscription options for PlayStation Plus:

  • A 12-month subscription costs $59.99 (or $4.99 per month)
  • A 3-month subscription costs $24.99 ($8.33 per month)
  • A one-month subscription costs $9.99.

There's also a 14-day free trial available if you've never used PlayStation Plus before. 

How much PlayStation Now costs, and what it offers

PlayStation Now
With PlayStation Now you can stream and play games on your computer or PlayStation.  Sony

PlayStation Now is a very different kind of service. 

While the main selling point of PlayStation Plus is multiplayer gaming, you can think of PlayStation Now as more of a Netflix for games – it's a subscription-based streaming service that lets you play any number of games from Sony's substantial library of PlayStation titles, including older PlayStation consoles, for a single monthly price. 

If the games you choose on Now have online multiplayer, you'll be able to play online too, even if you don't have Plus.

You can stream the games to your PS4, PS5, or Windows PC.

There are several different subscription options for PlayStation Now:

  • A 12-month subscription costs $59.99 (which is $4.99 per month)
  • A 3-month subscription costs $24.99 ($8.33 per month)
  • A one-month subscription costs $9.99.

If you've never used PlayStation Now before, there's also a weeklong free trial.

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dave june
Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
WillAntonelli
William Antonelli
ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.