(Credit: René Ramos; Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia)
Editors' Note, July 9, 2026: With this update, we've removed Amazon Prime Gaming and GameClub. The rest of our lineup of recommended video game subscription services remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.
When you want to play a new video game, you either cough up $60 (or $70 or $80!) for a major release, buy something cheaper because it’s smaller or on sale, or dive into a free-to-play title. But what if you want to play many games without having to purchase titles outright? You should invest in a video game subscription service.
If you've ever used Hulu, Netflix, or one of countless other video streaming services, you understand the general concept. For a monthly fee, gaming subscription services let you play whatever you want from their catalogs without limits. Typically, they work by letting you download games digitally and then revoking your access to them if your membership lapses. All three major consoles offer subscriptions, as well as some third-party publishers.
Back in the day, renting games let you sample a wide range of cool titles without going broke. Video game subscription services carry on that legacy. With that in mind, here are the best video game subscription services we've tested.
Xbox Game Pass
If there's one service on this list that truly earns the title of "Netflix for video games," it's Xbox Game Pass (starting at $14.99 per month). Microsoft's subscription lets you play dozens of exciting games on Xbox and PC, including major first-party releases like Forza Horizon and Halo on their launch days. With cloud streaming (available via the $22.99-per-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier), you can play your favorite Xbox titles on a phone.
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo has never been known for its robust online services. That said, alongside online multiplayer and cloud saves, a Nintendo Switch Online membership (starting at $3.99 per month) lets you enjoy an exciting library of NES, SNES, and Game Boy games. When it comes to old-school gaming, this is the cream of the crop. The Expansion Pack (starting at $49.99 per month) includes Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, Virtual Boy, and Nintendo 64 games, as well as streaming Nintendo music. Switch 2 owners even gain access to Nintendo GameCube games.
PlayStation Plus
Navigating the various tiers for the revamped PlayStation Plus (starting at $10.99 per month or $79.99 per year) can be a little tricky. However, you can play new PlayStation games every month, no matter what plan you choose. Higher tiers increase the number of available games, open retro libraries (PS2, PSP), and let you cloud stream games to a PlayStation console or PC.
Apple Arcade
Despite all the exploitative free-to-play trash, the mobile app marketplace still has the potential to be a great and thriving video game platform. An Apple Arcade subscription (starting at $6.99 per month) will remind you of how many truly great games you can play on your iPhone or iPad, with ambitious creative titles from well-known developers and indie darlings. Plus, the games lack microtransactions!
EA Play
EA is one of the biggest video game publishers around, with Dead Space, Dragon Age, and licensed sports games in its library. An EA Play subscription (starting at $5.99 per month) includes unlimited access to EA games on consoles or PC, and it comes included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Subscribers can even play some games before their official release dates.
Humble Bundle
Humble Bundle (starting at $14.99 per month) gives you many ways to buy games and support charities in the process. If you’re overwhelmed by the options, let Humble decide for you with the Humble Choice subscription. This membership gives you select, monthly PC games that you’ll own even after your subscription ends. You also get discounts and other curated perks to go along with it.
(Editors' Note: Humble Bundle is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.)
Nvidia GeForce Now
Nvidia GeForce Now (priced from free to $129.99 per year) is an excellent gaming subscription service that differs from many competitors by letting you stream your existing PC games to your mobile device via the cloud. It supports multiple stores, such as Epic Game Store and Steam, and demonstrated strong performance in our tests.
Ubisoft+
Say what you will about Ubisoft, but the European publisher regularly releases a healthy number of games in multiple genres. See for yourself with Ubisoft+ (starting at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year), which offers more than 100 new and classic games from throughout Ubisoft’s history, from Assassin's Creed to Splinter Cell. Currently, this is a PC-based service with cloud gaming add-ons, but console versions are on the way.
Netflix
Netflix is one of the best and most popular video streaming services thanks to its library of films and TV. But it's also secretly one of the best video game subscription services thanks to its library of included mobile games. Even the cheapest subscription (the ad-supported tier at $8.99 per month) gives you full access to Netflix's gaming catalog on your Android or iOS phone or tablet. Play everything from casual time-wasters to acclaimed indie hits.
