The Sony PlayStation 5 is a great console with a ton of different games to choose from. But, if you want to get the most out of your PlayStation experience, you will need to sign up for a PlayStation Plus membership.

With three PlayStation Plus memberships, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Do you need the extra features of the premium membership, or are the basics all you need? Here's a quick rundown of the differences between the three memberships to help you decide.

What Is PlayStation Plus Essential?

The DualSense controller

The PlayStation Plus Essential membership gives you access to the core features of the service, including online multiplayer gaming, monthly free games, exclusive discounts, plus cloud storage for saving your game progress.

It's the same as the old version of PS Plus, but with a new name to reflect the changes made to the service. It's still the same great value and worth considering if you're a regular PS4 gamer.

If you just want to be able to play your favorite games online with friends and family, then the Essential membership is a great choice.

However, if you're looking for more value from your PlayStation Plus membership, you may want to consider one of the other membership options. Starting at $9.99 per month, $24.99 per quarter, or $59.99 per year, PlayStation Plus Essential is a great way to get started with the service.

What Is PlayStation Plus Extra?

A person playing Grand Theft Auto V on Playstation 4.

The PlayStation Plus Extra membership gives you all of the features of the Essential membership, plus a few extras.

In addition to online multiplayer gaming and free monthly games, you'll also get access to a catalog of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games. These games are available to download and play anytime, so you can always have something new to play.

This plan is a great option if you just bought a PS4 or PS5 and haven't bought any games yet. In fact, with this plan, you can just subscribe and get tons of great games including Far Cry 5 and the classic Grand Theft Auto games.

The Extra membership also includes exclusive discounts and cloud storage for saving your game progress. If you're going to play only PS4 and PS5 games, then the Extra membership is the way to go. It's also a great choice for gamers who like to have a lot of different games to choose from.

With a really nice library of games at your disposal, you can play whatever you want, whenever you want, with the PlayStation Plus Extra membership, so it's excellent value for money. Starting at $14.99 per month, $39.99 per quarter, or $99.99 per year, PlayStation Plus Extra is a great choice for gamers who want a little bit more from their membership.

What Is PlayStation Plus Premium?

Black Sony Dualshock 4 on table

The PlayStation Plus Premium membership is the most comprehensive of the three options, offering access to all the features of PlayStation Plus Essential and Extra, as well as some additional perks.

The Premium membership adds hundreds of additional games to the classic catalog, including PS3, PS2 and, PS1 games. These classic games include Ubisoft games, which many of us grew up playing. There are also more games frequently being added to the catalog.

The cloud streaming feature allows you to play PS3 games on your PS4 or PS5 console without downloading or installing them. It's a great way to play some of your favorite older games without taking up any extra space on your console.

The PlayStation Plus Premium lets you download classic PlayStation, PS2, and PSP games on your PS4 or PS5 console. With that many download options, you might want to consider getting an extra SSD for your PS5.

With over 700 games available to play, the PlayStation Plus Premium membership is the ultimate choice for gamers who want access to the entire PlayStation library. Playing all the classic PlayStation games you've missed over the years is a great way to catch up on some gaming history, and with the Premium membership, you can do just that.

Sony is making old PlayStation games look more nostalgic for gamers who grew up with them, so they're bound to enjoy this feature. No matter what, there's bound to be a game for everyone in the collection.

The new time-limited game trials feature is also available with the Premium membership, allowing you to try out select games for a limited time before buying them, which is great if you're undecided about a purchase. It's a great way to try out new games and see if they're worth your time and money.

PlayStation Plus Premium memberships start at $19.99 per month, $49.99 per quarter, or $119.99 per year.

Which PlayStation Plus Tier Is Right for You?

PlayStation Plus logo
Image Credit: PlayStation Blog

The PlayStation Plus subscriptions are a great way to get more from your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for the basics with the Essential membership, a little more value with the Extra membership, or the most comprehensive experience with the Premium membership, there's an option that's right for you.

So, which PlayStation Plus membership should you choose? It depends on what you're looking for in a gaming experience.

The Essential membership is a great choice if you're just looking to play online multiplayer games with friends and family. As the name suggests, it's an essential membership for online gamers. With cloud saving and free monthly games, you also get some extra perks that make it worthwhile, so make sure you know how to manage cloud data on your PS5.

If you're looking for more value from your membership, the Extra or Premium memberships may be a better fit. Both memberships offer additional features, such as a catalog of free games to download, exclusive discounts, and more. With one of these memberships, you get plenty of games without having to buy any more.

The Extra membership is the better choice if you're looking for value without breaking the bank. In contrast, the Premium membership is the ultimate choice for gamers who want everything that PlayStation Plus offers.

The Premium membership is also the perfect choice for gamers who want to replay classic PlayStation games or try out new games with the time-limited game trials feature.

If you want to check out the games available with each membership, you can find a complete list of games available on the PlayStation website. It can be helpful to compare the games available with each membership to see which one is right for you.

No matter which PlayStation Plus membership you choose, you're sure to enjoy a great gaming experience.

A New PlayStation Experience

Innovating since its release, the Sony PlayStation 5 has seen several changes. The PlayStation Plus service is one example of how Sony Corporation has strived to improve customer satisfaction.

PlayStation Plus has become an essential part of the PlayStation experience by giving consumers more choice in terms of what they want from their membership and adding additional content and services. So, what are you waiting for? Start your gaming journey today!