Best free games on PS5: what you can play without PS Plus

The PS5 ranking

1. 

   Fortnite Free for real

   Free on PS5, listed by PlayStation among games that don't need PS Plus to play online.

2. 

   VALORANT Free-ish

   Riot lists PS5 as an official platform, with the same cosmetic-led shop as on PC.

3. 

   Rocket League Free for real

   Free on PS5 and included in PlayStation's own list of free-to-play games.

4. 

   Apex Legends Free-ish

   Named in PlayStation's PS Plus FAQ as a free game that does not need a membership to play online.

5. 

   Marvel Rivals Free for real

   Free on PS5, a hero shooter whose shop is built around costumes and non-expiring paid passes.

6. 

   Overwatch Free for real

   Now simply called Overwatch, it appears on PlayStation's own list of free-to-play games for PS4 and PS5.

7. 

   THE FINALS Free for real

   Free on PS5, with paid items that are cosmetic.

8. 

   Warframe Free for real

   Free on PS5 with a very large amount of content reachable without paying, if you are patient.

9. 

   Fall Guys Free for real

   Free on PS5, a low-pressure party game suitable for mixed ages.

10. 

    Call of Duty: Warzone Free-ish

    Named by PlayStation as playable online without PS Plus, though the paid Call of Duty games are promoted inside it.

11. 

    Roblox Free-ish

    Free on PlayStation, but individual experiences sell their own items, so the spending limit matters.

12. 

    eFootball Free-ish

    Free on PS5 with optional paid currency that speeds up squad building.

13. 

    Genshin Impact Free-ish

    Free on PS5, with characters and weapons obtained through paid-or-earned random draws.

14. 

    Honkai: Star Rail Free-ish

    Free on PS5 with a random-draw model similar to Genshin Impact.

15. 

    Destiny 2 Free to start

    Free to start on PS5, but a lot of its content sits in paid expansions.

Do you need PS Plus to play free games online on PS5?

For most free-to-play games, no. PlayStation's UK PS Plus page answers the question directly: for the majority of games bought on disc or downloaded from PlayStation Store, online play needs a PS Plus membership, but most free-to-play games, naming Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone, do not.

Note the word "most". The rule is set game by game, so check the PlayStation Store listing before assuming. For the free games on this page, you still need a PlayStation Network account, an internet connection and, in many cases, the publisher's own free account.

If you do want PS Plus for other reasons, the UK prices when checked on 3 November 2026 were £7.99 a month for Essential, £11.99 for Extra and £14.99 for Premium, with cheaper rates for 3- and 12-month plans.

Finding the Free to Play section on PlayStation Store

PlayStation Store in the UK has a dedicated Free to Play category, which is the cleanest way to browse. When you open a game's listing, look for three things:

• The price button. A genuinely free game shows a free download, not a trial or a time-limited offer.
• In-game purchase notes. Listings flag optional in-game purchases, and the add-ons area shows the currency packs and bundles on sale.
• The PS5 version. Several games have both PS4 and PS5 versions. Download the PS5 one where it exists.

PlayStation also publishes a regularly updated editorial list of free-to-play games on PS4 and PS5, which is a useful cross-check against the store.

Family manager, child accounts and the PlayStation Family app

PlayStation's family system revolves around a family manager, the adult account that can add child accounts and set their limits. PlayStation's support pages describe controls for games and content, communication, privacy, playtime and spending, and these can be changed on the PS5 itself, through Account Management on the web, or in the PlayStation Family app on a phone.

For free games the communication settings matter as much as the spending ones. Many free shooters have voice and text chat, and PlayStation lets a family manager restrict a child's messaging and voice chat with other players. Each game also has its own chat options in its settings menu.

The PS5 monthly spending limit and other ways to avoid surprises

On PlayStation, when a child buys something from PlayStation Store on their own account, the payment comes from the family manager's wallet. That is why the Monthly Spending Limit is the setting to look at first. It can be set on the console under Settings, Family and Parental Controls, Family Management, or on the web and in the PlayStation Family app.

Other habits that help:

• Keep payment details on the adult account only.
• Turn on the console's sign-in and purchase password options if more than one person uses the PS5.
• Remember that in-game currencies such as V-Bucks or VALORANT Points are bought through PlayStation Store, so the spending limit applies to them too.

Our guide to battle passes explains the most common recurring purchase inside these games.

Cross-play and carrying progress over from other devices

Many free games on PS5 share players and progress with other platforms. Riot, for instance, describes Valorant as free to play on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S with cross-progression and cross-inventory, so items bought on one carry to the others. That is convenient, but it also means a purchase made on a phone or PC can show up on the console, outside PlayStation's spending limit.

Two practical points follow. First, check which publisher account a child's PS5 game is linked to, and whether that account is also used on another device. Second, look in each game's settings for cross-play options. Some games let you limit matchmaking to console players, which some families prefer for chat and fairness reasons.

What PS Plus adds to free games (without being required)

PS Plus does touch free games, just not as an entry fee. Sony's PS Plus page advertises exclusive content packs for select free-to-play games, naming Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone among them. These are cosmetic extras. They are a perk of a membership you might have for other reasons, and on their own they are not a reason to subscribe.

The order of the picks below is an editorial view based on documented features: how much is reachable for free, and whether paid items are cosmetic or affect play. It is not based on hands-on testing.