Game Pass is available in four versions. Find out which subscription options are available, how much they cost, and what they offer in our overview.
Xbox Game Pass will remain one of the most important subscription models in the gaming world in 2026. Subscribers get access to numerous games without having to buy the titles individually.But what subscription options are available, and what are the current prices?In this overview, we’ll show you all available Game Pass subscriptions, their costs, and their respective benefits so you can find the right subscription for your needs.
All Game Pass subscriptions and costs at a glance:
- Xbox Game Pass Essential(9 euros per month)
- Xbox Game Pass Premium(13 euros per month)
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate(21 euros per month)
- PC Game Pass(13 euros per month)
- All Game Pass subscriptions compared in a table
Update from April 21, 2026:Microsoft has lowered thecosts for some Game Pass subscriptions. Additionally, new Call of Duty games will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch. We have added the new prices to the overview.
The new prices for Game Pass subscriptions are already in effect.Anyone who wants to sign up for a new subscription will already pay the reduced prices announced by Microsoft on April 21, 2026:
- Essential:9 euros (unchanged)
- Premium:13 euros (unchanged)
- PC Game Pass:Reduced from 15 euros to 13 euros
- Ultimate: Reduced from 27 euros to 21 euros
If you’re wondering which Game Pass subscription is right for you, we’ve outlined all the packages below.This way, you can quickly and easily see what each subscription offers and whether the right package is there for you. At the end, we’ve broken down all the subscriptions and their respective features in a table so you can compare everything at a glance.
Xbox Game Pass Essential
- Price:
9 euros per month, 90 euros per year
- Access to over 50 games(console and PC)
- Online multiplayer for console
- Xbox Cloud Gaming(1080p)
- In-game perks(LoL, Warzone & Six Siege)
- up to 25,000 Rewards points per year
At 9 euros per month, Game Pass Essential is the most affordable subscription option. The Essential subscription is aimed at console gamers who primarily want to use online multiplayer. Essential subscribers also get
Xbox Game Pass Premium
Game Pass Premium is the new base subscription and costs 13 euros per month.This subscription replaces the Standard subscription, though the price remains unchanged. Premium also replaces the older Xbox Game Pass for console, which is no longer available for new sign-ups. This means console players can choose between Essential, Premium, and Ultimate to use Game Pass.
The Premium subscription offers the packed Game Pass library withcurrently over 200 games. This gives you direct access to hundreds of games that you can play immediately on your console or PC.New games released by Xbox are added to the subscription within 12 months.
Online multiplayer is also included in this new subscription.If you want to access Game Pass’s large selection of games on your console, you might want to opt for the Premium subscription. Since online multiplayer for the console is also included, the package is worth it if you enjoy playing online.
Cloud gaming is also included.Premium supports resolutions up to 1080p. During peak usage, longer load times are possible, though Premium subscriptions are prioritized over Essential subscriptions.
However, Game Pass Premiumdoes not include day-one releases Additionalgames from EA Play orUbisoft+ Classicsare also not included here. So if you want to play the latest blockbusters right at release, you’ll need to opt for the more expensive Ultimate subscription.
PC Game Pass
- Price: 13 euros per month
- Access to over 300 games(PC only)
- Includes EA Play
- Day-one releases
- In-game perks(LoL, Warzone & Six Siege)
- up to 50,000 Rewards points per year
PC Game Pass costs 13 euros per month and offers all Game Pass games available for PC.That’s approximately 300 titles, which is a large portion of the entire library. PC gamers can also look forward toDay-One releasesand receive additionalaccess to EA Play through the subscription. Note: Ubisoft+ Classics is not included.
This means that, in a direct comparison to the console versions, the PC Game Pass subscription offers significantly more value for money.& So the subscription is worth it if you primarily play on PC and can do without an Xbox.
Although PC Game Pass doesn’t offer every game in the massive library, new games are constantly being added to the subscription. Thanks today-one releasesyou can also play many exciting titles likeBlack Ops 7orThe Outer Worlds 2right when they launch. If you have enough time and a powerful PC, you can fully enjoy this subscription.
Note, however, that PC Game Pass is currentlythe only subscription that does not offer streaming via
Xbox Cloud Gaming. If you want to use this service, you’ll need to choose one of the other three subscriptions.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
- Price: 21 euros per month
- Access to over 400 games
- Online multiplayer for the console
- Day-one releases
- Includes Ubisoft+ Classics
- Includes EA Play
- IncludesFortnite Crew
- In-game perks(LoL, Warzone & Six Siege)
- Xbox Cloud Gaming(shorter wait times, 1440p)
- Additional discounts and offers on games
- up to 100,000 Rewards points per year
Game Pass Ultimate costs 21 euros per monthand is therefore the most expensive subscription you can get.In return, you get all games on console and PC.
The Ultimate subscription is the highest tier of the Game Pass subscription. With it, you get full access to allGame Pass games. You can also accessEA Play gamesas well as Ubisoft+ Classicsandbenefits for select gamesas well asFortnite Crew(which normally costs 12 euros), and you can alsoplayday-one releases
However, following the price cut in April 2026, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be added to Game Pass immediately upon release, but only about a year after launch.
Ultimate is also said to offerthe shortest maintenance windows
andthe best quality
(up to 1440p)for Xbox Cloud Gaming. During periods of high traffic, Ultimate subscribers are prioritized to avoid longer loading times. The other subscriptions support a maximum resolution of 1080p.
With the Ultimate subscription, you get the most value for your money overall.However, the price is correspondingly high and has risen frequently in recent years:
- When Game Pass launched in 2017, there was only one subscription option for $10 per month.
- The Ultimate subscription launched in 2019 and initially cost $15.
- In 2023, the price rose to $17, in 2024 to $20, and has now reached $30 (€27 in Europe).
- In 2026, the price dropped back down to $23 (€21 in Europe) for the first time
The subscription is primarily worth it if you play on both PC and console.If you can fully take advantage of both platforms and have the time to play the many games included, the subscription might be worth it for you. If you primarily play on Xbox or PC, you might want to opt for the respective cheaper subscriptions.
All Game Pass subscriptions in a direct comparison
In this overview, we compare thevalue for money of all Game Pass subscriptionsin a handy table. This lets you see at a glance what each subscription offers and which package might be the best value for you:
| Game Pass Essential | Game Pass Premium | PC Game Pass | Game Pass Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | 9 euros (or 90 euros per year) | 13 euros | 13 euros | 21 euros |
| Game Pass library | Access to over 50 games | Access to over 200 games | Access to all games on PC (over 300 games) | Access to over 400 games |
| Online multiplayer | Yes | Yes | Always free on PC | Yes |
| Day-one games | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| EA Play | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ubisoft+ Classics | No | No | No | Yes |
| In-Game Benefits | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fortnite Crew | No | No | No | Yes |
| Xbox Cloud Gaming | Yes (1080p) | Yes (1080p) | No | Yes (shorter wait times, 1440p) |
Game Pass now offers an attractive deal for PC gamers as well,since you can use all subscriptions for both console and PC. The large game library and the ability to play new games right at release are attractive features depending on the subscription—but they cost more accordingly.
In-game benefits:Depending on your subscription tier, you’ll receive certain benefits for select games. You can find a current overview of all perks and in-game benefits included with a Game Pass subscription here.
Keep in mind that there are frequent discount promotions for Game Pass,so you can try out the subscription at a low cost. Often, you can test the offer for about 14 days for free and pay just one euro for the first month.
To find out what else is happening at Microsoft right now, check out the box above, where we’ve linked some recent articles on the topic.
How about you: Do you use Game Pass, and if so, which subscription plan did you sign up for? Do you have a long-term subscription, or do you use it more sporadically or when it’s on sale? What do you like about Game Pass, and how do you think the service could be improved? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
