PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now Differences?. Sony’s PlayStation platform happens to extend far beyond the console itself, encompassing a lot of services, and it includes The PlayStation Now (PS Now) and PlayStation Plus (PS Plus).
The two services are optional and because of the naming structure, it can be easy to get them mixed up. In reality, the two of the cans be very different from each other, and there’s an easy way to quickly tell them apart.
PlayStation Now
Even though PS Plus and PS now are optional, it seems fair to say that PS now is quite more optional than its counterpart. Whereas a PS Plus subscription is quite necessary for them to gain access to a core game feature (online multiplayer), PS Now is a separate platform that does not have anything to do with playing games that are already owned by you.
Instead, PS Now is more like a game streaming platform like the Streaming service Stadia, though limited only to the PlayStation console. Subscribers of the platform would gain access to a large library of PlayStation games including their old favorite released for the PS2 – PS4, and stream them via the internet. As such, PS now would enable immediate gameplay for games that you actually already own, with no required download.
The downside here is that the PS Now requires a very reliable and faster internet connection, Otherwise, you’ll run into some issues with the quality of the game (stuttering, buffering, etc.), as well as, potentially times when you are presented with an error warning the connection isn’t fast enough to stream at all.
PlayStation Now Free Trial
Sony, fortunately, now offers a free trial period for all those that have never signed up previously, giving all the PlayStation console owners the chance for them to try out the service and be sure it works very well with their internet connection.
If you like the experience that the subscription gives you, the subscription is priced at $9.99/month if you pay every month, $24.99 if you want to pay for three months at once, and $59.99 if you one to pay for an entire year upfront.
PlayStation Plus
The PlayStation Plus is arguably a “required” subscription even if it is technically optional. While you do not have to Pay for PS Plus, you might not be able to play online multiplayer in a lot of games and that’s particularly very problematic considering how many games requires online services and revolve mostly or entirely around multiplayer experiences.
Titles like Fortnite do not need you to have a PS Plus subscription to play online, but other hits like Minecraft does. If you happen to own a PlayStation console but primarily play games with free online multiplayer or single-player campaigns, you do not have to sign up.
For everyone else, though, you’re going to need to pay for PS Plus subscription to get the most use out of your console and games. Sony is trying to make this requirement more bearable by offering free games to all the PS Plus subscribers every month; These titles would be made available to all customers as long as they continue to subscribe.
PS Plus Subscription Price
The PS Plus is now available at the same cost as PS Now: $9.99/month, but with the 3-month and 12-month upfront payment option available for discount.
