10 PlayStation Plus vs PS Now Differences No One Talks About

What is the Difference between PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now?

In order to summarize the answer to the question, I put exactly 10 differences between PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now side by side right here. But of course, there are more differences to talk about. So, sit tight!

As you can see, the main purpose of both the services differ. The PS Plus membership is bought more for the need to play online games, while PS Now is used to stream games that you don’t own.

Since streaming is a new phenomenon, PS Now is only available in 19 countries today. 

There aren’t that many incentives to look forward to for PS Now, so if you’re looking for “more”, then you’re better off becoming a PlayStation Plus member.

But, if you’re one of the new PlayStation 5 owners, and have yet to explore past collections, then PS Now is a great place to start. The reason being that the PS5 console generation has yet to see more games being released for it, but it does give you the opportunity to explore everything in one place.

What is PS Plus and PS Now for?

Before you wonder what the PS Plus and PS Now services are for, let’s first start with the PS Plus.

Simply put, PS Plus is like a VIP pass (a competitor to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate); when you buy it, you’re provided with tons of benefits, some of which include:

• Exclusive discounts up to 70% off.
• Access to online multiplayer for all games.
• Access to Share Play; host and share games with your online friends.
• Cloud storage for Game Saves data of up to 100 GigaBytes.
• Access to the PS Plus Collection; a collection of some of the best-selling PS4 games.
• Two free titles every month.

Anything you get from the PS Plus subscription is something you own until the very end of the subscription date. If you want to gain access after that, you’ll need to renew your subscription.

The downsides? Well, buying games is a big investment; they’re expensive! Add to the fact that you may have other priorities, and you’ve got yourself a pretty rigid service that isn’t catered to the way you play.

Let’s say you only want to try games. In short bursts. But, you want to try a lot of them. Similar to getting a free sample of every single ice cream in a parlor.

That’s where the PS Now service comes in!

Picture Netflix, but for games; subscribers can stream any game that’s in the PS Now library via their console or another non-PlayStation device.

Essentially, the USP of the service is that you can stream over 400 PlayStation games on your PC or laptop without the need of a console or even the game! You only need three things:

• A good internet connection with speeds over 5 Mbps;
• A PlayStation Network account;
• And, a PlayStation controller (either a DualShock 4 or a DualSense controller).

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners can download any game from the PS Now library and play it offline as well. Of course, once your subscription’s up, those benefits go, unless you renew it. The other downside to it is that you can neither buy games nor keep them.

But if you are using PS5 dev kits then there are not many benefits you are going to get with the subscriptions.

Those are about the basic PlayStation Plus vs PS Now differences. Next up, the costs!

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How much does PS Plus and PS Now cost?

Pretty much the only strong similarity found between PS Plus and PS Now are the costs; they’re both available in three different price points:

In retrospect, the prices for PlayStation Plus subscription were a lot higher, which Sony reduced sometime in 2019. Check out the PS Plus vs PS Now discussion in reddit :

How does PS Plus and PS Now benefit me?

PS Plus and PS Now are both excellent in their own ways. Some folks feel it’s an apples-to-oranges situation (and I can’t say it’s not true). It comes down to what you’re comfortable with. I’ve already talked about why PS Now could be worth it for you, so check that out.

If you like to sink your hours into games, collecting and/or completing them, then a PS Now subscription may not be worth much to you. Conversely, it’s great for anyone who either spends less time on their console, is dealing with other priorities, or is looking for games to explore and not feel tied to the progress in those games. 

Two other things that make PS Now a great choice are that:

• Everything is digital; no ownership, no strings. It’s great for minimalists, or for any “pay-per-view” sort of person.
• You can stream last-gen games on your PS4/PS5; PS1 games, PS2 games, and PS3 games are included.

One downside to the PS Now service is that there are no PS5 games available on it. You still need to buy those.

Two arguments could be made for the PS Plus; that you need it for online play, and you need it for the best discounts.

If that’s something up your alley, then it’s worth it.

It’s also a great way to obtain some of the best discounts on games (because digital games are expensive, especially exclusive games); it’s a ticket to nirvana for anyone who likes to own things, build collections, and share them with friends.

Are PS Plus and PS Now subscriptions worth it?

With respect to the PlayStation Plus vs PS Now discussions, usability is a divisive subject; It’s not their restrictions, but what they can give you that makes you stop at your tracks. They’re both so good!

It was a lot easier with only the PS Plus service and PS Plus games around. But, with streaming culture on the rise, you’re going to feel stuck choosing between the two.

My advice to you is to try each service out for a full month before you come to a full conclusion. With a tenner and 30 days, you’ll get an idea of what works best for you.

Everyone has different priorities and schedules and preferences and desires.

So, if you had to ask me what the differences are between PS Now and PS Plus, I’d ask you what you need first. To top it off, they cost the same, so you don’t need to worry about spending too much. But it might be worthwhile to check Xbox Game Pass where you can enjoy incredible games from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions: PlayStation Plus vs PS Now

So, have you decided between PS Plus and PS Now?

The PlayStation Plus vs PS Now comparisons that I’ve made in this article should be enough to get you started with a checklist. See what you feel is better for you, analyze your time, the things you do, and what you’re likely to face.

It’s all on what you feel is more important to or more convenient for you. Essentially, there’s no room for a question like, “Is PS Now better than PS Plus”, but rather for questions like, “Is PS Now or PS Plus better for me?”

Now that you’ve reached the end, what do you think? Have you come to a conclusion about your choices? What are your thoughts on the PlayStation Plus vs PS Now discussion?

If you feel that the topic could be expanded upon a bit more, put your thoughts in the comments below!