Do you need PS Plus, Game Pass or Switch Online for free games?

Quick checks

• Check whether every game you play online is free-to-play.
• Read the online-play note on the store listing for any game you're unsure about.
• Set up the platform account and any publisher account the game needs.
• If you subscribe, check the auto-renewal setting straight away.
• Treat subscriber perks in free games as extras, not a reason to sign up.

The short answer for every platform

• PS5: PS Plus is not needed for most free-to-play games. Sony says "most", so check the listing.
• Xbox: Game Pass is not needed. Microsoft says all Xbox players can play free-to-play games online at no charge.
• Nintendo Switch and Switch 2: Nintendo Switch Online is not needed for some games, including free-to-play titles like Fortnite. Check the eShop listing.
• PC and phones: there is no platform subscription for online play.

The exceptions exist because free games depend on large player numbers. A free shooter that required a paid membership on console would lose many of its players, so platform holders and publishers have long treated free-to-play as a special case. The wording differs by platform, though, which is why the sections below quote each one's own pages.

PS5: what Sony's PS Plus FAQ actually says

PlayStation's UK PS Plus page answers this in its FAQ. For the majority of games bought on disc or downloaded from PlayStation Store, you need a PS Plus membership to play online. But it adds that most free-to-play games, naming Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone, do not require a membership.

PS Plus comes in three tiers. When checked on 3 November 2026, PlayStation's UK page listed Essential at £7.99 a month, Extra at £11.99 and Premium at £14.99, with 12-month plans at £59.99, £99.99 and £119.99. More on the PS5 picks is on our PS5 hub.

The higher tiers add game catalogues and other features, but none of the tiers is needed to play the free games we cover online. If you're unsure about a particular game, its PlayStation Store listing is the place to check.

Xbox: free-to-play multiplayer without Game Pass

Xbox dropped the paid requirement for free-to-play online play in April 2021, when it was still called Xbox Live Gold. The current UK free-to-play page confirms it: all Xbox players are able to access online multiplayer for free-to-play games on their console at no charge.

Game Pass now has Essential, Premium and Ultimate plans for console, plus a PC-only plan. Online console multiplayer for paid games is included in the console plans, but it's not needed for free-to-play games. Some listings spell this out: Genshin Impact's UK Xbox listing says you don't need to buy Game Pass to play its Co-Op Mode. See our Xbox hub for the full list.

Game Pass plans can also include free games' in-game benefits, which the Xbox page promotes alongside the catalogue. Those benefits are optional extras: the free games themselves can be downloaded and played online on a free Microsoft account.

Nintendo Switch: where Nintendo Switch Online is and isn't needed

Nintendo's UK FAQ says a Nintendo Switch Online membership is required for online features in many first- and third-party games on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. It also says some games, including free-to-play titles like Fortnite, can be played online without a membership.

Nintendo doesn't publish a blanket rule for every free game, so check the online-play note on each eShop listing. When checked on 3 November 2026, an individual 12-month membership was £17.99 and a 12-month family membership covering up to eight accounts was £31.49, with the Expansion Pack tier at £34.99 and £59.99. Our Switch hub lists the free-to-start games available.

Nintendo's FAQ also notes that memberships are tied to the Nintendo Account rather than a single console, so a member can use the service on any console they sign in to. Family memberships are sold in 12-month blocks only.

PC and phones: no gatekeeper for online play

On Windows PCs, iPhones and Android phones, there is no platform membership standing between you and online play. You need the game, an internet connection and the publisher's account if the game requires one.

Optional subscriptions do exist on these platforms, such as PC Game Pass or memberships sold inside individual games, but none of them is needed to play the free games on our PC and mobile hubs online.

What a subscription does add to free games

Subscriptions still touch free games, as perks rather than entry tickets:

• PS Plus advertises exclusive content for select free-to-play games, including Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone.
• Game Pass advertises in-game benefits for free-to-play games, and the UK Valorant listing says members can link their Riot account to unlock all current and future Agents.

These are mostly cosmetic or time-saving. They are a pleasant extra if you already subscribe for other games, and rarely a reason to subscribe on their own.

It's worth separating these platform perks from subscriptions sold inside individual games. Some free games run their own monthly memberships with currency or exclusive items. Those are sold by the publisher, not the platform, and they're entirely optional too.

Accounts you still need even without a subscription

Skipping the subscription doesn't mean skipping sign-ups. On consoles you need the platform account: a PlayStation Network account, a Microsoft account or a Nintendo Account. Many free games also ask you to create or link a publisher account, which often lets your progress carry across platforms.

For children, each of these accounts may have its own settings. Platform family controls cover store purchases and console features, while voice chat, friend requests and some privacy options are often set inside the game or the publisher account.

It is a good idea to note which email address each account uses and to turn on two-step verification where it's offered, since popular free-game accounts are a common target for phishing. Never type a password into a site offering free currency or skins: official currency is only sold in the game's own shop or the platform store.

Avoiding paying for a subscription you don't need

A few checks before subscribing:

1. List the games you actually play online. If they are all free-to-play, you may not need a membership at all.
2. Read the store listing of any game you're unsure about. Online requirements are stated there.
3. If you do subscribe, check the renewal setting. PlayStation notes that its subscription continues until cancelled.
4. For households, compare family options. Nintendo, for example, sells a family membership covering up to eight accounts.

It's also worth checking whether someone in the household already pays for a membership on another account. A PS Plus, Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online membership bought for one person doesn't automatically cover others, except through the family options each platform offers, so read the terms before assuming.