Game Pass Price: Plans, Monthly Cost & Price History

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's game subscription for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. Instead of buying each game, you pay a monthly fee for access to a rotating library, and the plans differ in library size, PC access, and how soon new releases arrive. Prices have moved in both directions over the past year, so the figure you remember may be out of date.

The current prices and the April 2026 changes on this page were reported by 9to5Google and checked on Oct 11, 2026. The October 2025 prices come from The Game Business. These are news reports, not Microsoft's own price list, so confirm the current rate on the official Xbox Game Pass page before you subscribe.

Game Pass has four plans. Three are for console players, and PC Game Pass is for Windows.

Game Pass Essential

Essential costs $9.99/mo and is the entry console plan. It includes online multiplayer on Xbox and a smaller selection of games. Choose it if you mainly want to play online with friends in games you already own.

Game Pass Premium

Premium costs $14.99/mo and adds a larger console game library. New Microsoft-published games generally arrive on Premium later than on Ultimate, so it suits players who do not need new releases on day one.

Game Pass Ultimate

Ultimate costs $22.99/mo and is the most complete plan. It covers both the console and PC libraries, includes cloud gaming, and gets new Microsoft-published games on launch day. Extra perks have included EA Play. This is the plan to pick if you play on more than one device or want big releases as soon as they come out.

PC Game Pass

PC Game Pass costs $13.99/mo and gives access to the PC library on Windows, including Microsoft's new releases. It does not include console play, so it fits players who game only on a PC.

Game Pass prices rose sharply in October 2025, then partly came back down in April 2026. These were the prices before each change:

The October 2025 Price Hike

In October 2025, Microsoft restructured Game Pass into the Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers and raised prices at the top end. Ultimate went from $19.99/mo to $29.99/mo, and PC Game Pass went from $11.99/mo to $16.49/mo.

The April 2026 Price Cut

In April 2026, Microsoft reduced the price of its two most expensive plans. Ultimate dropped from $29.99/mo to $22.99/mo, and PC Game Pass dropped from $16.49/mo to $13.99/mo. Essential and Premium stayed at $9.99/mo and $14.99/mo.

Even after the cut, Ultimate and PC Game Pass cost more than they did before October 2025. Plan contents can change along with prices, so check the official comparison page for what each plan includes today.

Ultimate makes sense if you would otherwise buy several new games a year, or if you play on both console and PC. Because it covers both console and PC, someone who would pay for Premium and PC Game Pass separately may find Ultimate the simpler option.

If you play one or two games for months at a time, buying those games may cost less than a year of Ultimate. Players who only need online multiplayer can stay on Essential.

The prices on this page are US prices. Sales tax may be added depending on your state, and prices in other countries differ.

Game Pass covers access to its library, not everything inside a game. In-game purchases, add-on content, and games that leave the catalog are not included, and you may need to buy a game outright to keep playing it after it leaves. Prepaid Game Pass cards from retailers are another way to pay and are sometimes discounted.

• Pick the cheapest plan that covers the way you play; many console players do not need Ultimate.
• Use PC Game Pass instead of Ultimate if you only play on Windows.
• Watch for retailer sales on prepaid Game Pass cards.
• Cancel between the games you care about and resubscribe when a big release arrives.
• Check Microsoft Rewards, which has let members redeem points toward Game Pass.