The cheapest PlayStation Plus deals in March 2023

Discounts on Sony’s gaming subscription service for the PS5 and PS4 have been tough to find since it introduced the new PS Plus tiers last year. Offers have been improving, though, as we saw an opportunity to save 25% on all three membership tiers this Black Friday. Sadly, that PlayStation Plus deal has now expired, but there’s still a chance to make a small saving today – and we’ve got all the best prices right here.

As with most things, new members tend to get the best deals on PlayStation Plus. Sony will often share exclusive offers for new subscribers, so look out for these on the PSN Store or in your inbox. We’ve seen upwards of 50% off in some cases, so it’s best to take advantage of these if you’re currently not signed up.

For current subscribers – or those looking to renew their membership – is to use one of the few discounted gift cards available at some stores. You can then use those funds to buy a PS Plus subscription through the PlayStation Store online or on your console.

If you’ve ended up here and are still after one of Sony’s latest consoles, you can check our PS5 restock hub for all the news of current availability. Do also check out our more comprehensive PS5 deals hub, which has offers on games, bundles, accessories and more.

PlayStation Plus Essential

Normally, a PlayStation Plus Essential membership costs $9.99 / £6.99 / AU$11.95 a month. However, it’s always better value to buy in bulk, as you can get a 12-month subscription for $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.95. You’ll find the best prices for a voucher that will top-up your account to cover the cost of that length of PS Plus Essential membership below.

A three-month subscription is also available. However, the value isn’t as strong and you end up paying more per month compared to a year-long membership so we’ve disregarded it here as we’re all about giving you the best deals. However, if you do want to pay for the shorter length of time, you should be able to follow any link below and choose the 3-month option direct from the retailer’s store page in most cases instead.

PlayStation Plus Extra

PlayStation Plus Extra costs $14.99 / £10.99 / AU$18 per month. Again, though, there’s a bigger saving if you pay for a 12-month subscription up front as that’s priced at $99.99 / £83.99 / AU$134.95.

This tier comes with all the regular benefits of PS Plus Essential, but you also get access to an ever-changing catalogue of PS5 and PS4 games to download and play. New titles are added (and, sadly, removed) all the time, so check in with our PS Plus games list to see what’s available at any moment.

So far, there’s a small saving available if you buy your top-up voucher from ShopTo in the UK. It’s currently full price no matter where you look in the US.

PlayStation Plus Premium

PlayStation Plus Premium is the highest membership tier – it costs $17.99 / £13.49 per month. Once again, you can save money if you pay for a 12-month subscription up front as that comes in at $119.99 / £99.99.

Unsurprisingly, you get all the benefits of PS Plus Essential and Extra in this tier. On top of that, though, is access to a selection of original PlayStation, PS2, PS3, PSP and PS4 games. The majority of these are available through cloud streaming only, but a number of them – mostly the PS1 titles – can be downloaded to play as well. 

There are also a number of limited-time game trials you can play, including major releases such as Horizon Forbidden West, Cyberpunk 2077 and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. The amount of free game time on these ranges from two to five hours.

Because Australia does not have cloud gaming support the highest tier in this region is slightly different. Instead, it’s dubbed PlayStation Plus Deluxe and it costs AU$21.95 or AU$154.95 for a full year. It’s effectively the same as Essential and Extra, but also includes limited-time game trials as well as access to older PS1, PS2 and PSP games – just without the cloud gaming option.

(Image credit: Sony)

New PS Plus tiers: how to get the best deal

Brand new or returning members get the best PS Plus deal when buying any digital codes on sale from online stores such as ShopTo or CD Keys. For example, some of these online stores offer $50 / £50 of credit for closer to $40 / £40. You can use this to top up your account with discounted funds and activate your subscription for less than the regular price.

If you haven’t been around for a while but had your subscription running in the background, existing PS Plus members have been automatically converted to the Essential tier. This comes with exactly the same features and benefits you’ve had before. If you’re happy to stick with that, you can use wallet top-up codes on sale to add the time they offer as normal.

Lastly, for those looking to upgrade to a higher tier, you first have to go through the upgrade process on the PlayStation Store. When you enter the PS Plus section, you’ll see an option to convert your remaining membership time to either Extra or Premium, as well as how much it will cost. Right now, this is the only way you can upgrade. Then, if you want to add more time later, you can use PS Plus digital codes with the required funds to renew depending on the tier.

As you might be able to tell, it’s a little confusing compared to the previous system, but offers are coming and it’s much clearer now the new tiers have been in place for a while. 

If you can, it may be wise to hold off on extending your membership for now as we often see the best PS Plus deals during major sales events. Last year, for example, the price for a 12-month subscription went as low as $39.99 in the US. While in the UK, a subscription fell to under £30. 

It’s difficult to say if those prices will return this year with the new tiers now in place, but we will pay close attention to events such as the upcoming Days of Play sale to see if there are better savings once again during Sony’s major yearly sale in June.

Is a PlayStation Plus membership worth it?

If you play games online then a PlayStation Plus Essential membership is absolutely worth buying. Some would say it’s a, well, essential, part of your PlayStation experience.

However, that’s not all it’s for and PS Plus does have benefits even if you don’t play online. There are the free monthly games: a constantly updated roster of games to download and play that will save you far more than the membership costs each month. You’re never left wanting if you’re open to new experiences and looking for something new to play. 

PS5 owners also get access to the PlayStation Plus Collection: a selection of 18 top PS4 games that you can play on the new console including God of War, Bloodborne, Uncharted 4, Ratchet & Clank, Days Gone and The Last of Us Remastered. However, this benefit will be sunset on May 9.

On top of that, there are exclusive discounts on the PS Store, cloud storage and save game backups that can really come in handy if you want peace of mind that all your game progress is kept safe should anything happen to your console. Plenty of value, then.

As for the Extra and Premium tiers, well, it entirely depends on how much PlayStation gaming you do and whether the catalog of titles appeals to you. There are some huge PS5 and PS4 games available, such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Demon’s Souls and Death Stranding: Director’s Cut. Not to mention lots of nostalgia-inducing PS1, PS2 and PS3 classics on the Premium tier like Ape Escape, Syphon Filter and Resident Evil: Director’s Cut.

Premium members also get access to game trials for PS5 releases such as Horizon Forbidden West and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. A good way to try before you buy. And there’s the option to use cloud streaming for some titles as well, as long as your internet is able to support it. It’s an investment, sure, but one that does offer good value if you’re going to use all of the available features.

What are the new PS Plus tiers?

As the new PS Plus subscription tiers roll out across June you may notice a slight change to your account. The good news is that your current membership will stay exactly the same if you want it to. You’ll be automatically moved over to PlayStation Plus Essential when the new service launches, paying the same price of $9.99 / £6.99 per month and keeping all the same benefits. The differences come if you chose to upgrade. 

The next tier up is PlayStation Plus Extra for $14.99 / £10.99 per month, which has all the Essential tier benefits, plus access to a catalog of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games to play. Think of it as Sony’s approach to Xbox Game Pass, except not all first-party releases will be available on day one – only select titles.

Then, the top tier is PlayStation Plus Premium – this costs $17.99 / £13.49 per month. It has all the benefits of the previous two tiers but also adds the ability to play select PS3 games via cloud streaming, a selection of original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP titles via download or streaming, and time-limited trials for major PS5 releases such as Horizon Forbidden West.

We’ve got a big new PS Plus vs old PS Plus comparison guide that covers all this in much more detail if you’d like to dig into it some more before you upgrade. You can also consult this table to see how the different tiers compare.

(Image credit: Sony)

What are the free PS Plus games this month?

We’ve got you covered there. Each month we update the list of free PS Plus games you can save to your account. These games are free to download and play the entire time you still maintain a PlayStation Plus membership. 

PS Plus February games:

• Evil Dead: The Game (PS5 / PS4)
• Olli Olli World (PS5 / PS4)
• Destiny 2: Beyond Light (PS5 / PS4)
• Mafia: Definitive Edition (PS4)

Ready to buy some games outright instead? Here at TechRadar, we’ve also got a look at all cheap PS5 games available today. Plus, there’s our guide to the best PS5 SSD deals should you need more storage space for any of the games you download or buy.