Ten free games, dozens of catalog drops and three price points
Between July and September 2026, PlayStation gave every subscriber ten monthly games, from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III to MLB The Show 26. Extra and Premium members got far more. The surprise is which tier actually wins on value once you divide the games by the price, and the answer depends on how you play.
This comparison uses Sony’s official monthly reveals to rank the PS Plus free games, starting with the PS Plus monthly games in July 2026 and ending with the PS Plus Premium games added in September. Sports fans had an especially good quarter, with MLB The Show 26 and WWE 2K26 both arriving; if that is your corner of gaming, The Game Haus is worth bookmarking, because its NFL Week 1 round-up covers every storyline from the new season’s kickoff and pairs well with the sports titles on the service.
How we picked the PS Plus free games winners
Four criteria shaped the ranking. First, official reveals only: every title below comes from the PlayStation Blog. Second, review consensus, so a well-reviewed indie can outrank a big name. Third, replay value, especially co-op and online modes. Fourth, UK price per tier, because a great lineup matters less if you pay twice as much to reach it.
Ranked PS Plus plans with short verdicts
For most players, Extra is the best overall buy, Essential the best budget pick and Premium a niche upgrade. The maths explains why. Three months of Essential cost £23.97, or about £2.40 for each of the ten monthly games. Three months of Extra cost £35.97, but add at least 14 confirmed catalog titles across July and September alone, so the cost per game drops to roughly £1.50. Premium, at £44.97 for the quarter, adds five retro classics plus trials, which only pays off if you use streaming or love older titles.
One caveat applies to both upper tiers: catalog games can leave. Risk of Rain 2, for example, departed the Extra library on 22 July, so play what you want before it rotates out. Monthly claims work differently and stay in your library for as long as any tier stays active.
PS Plus Essential: best budget access for the July lineup
At £7.99 a month, Essential covers online multiplayer plus the monthly claims. The PS Plus games July 2026 were Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, For the King II and CrossCode, claimable from 7 July to 3 August. August followed with Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Big Walk and Signalis, and September brought four titles. Verdict: excellent value if you mainly want online play and a steady trickle of games.
PS Plus Extra: best catalog value during the August announcement window
Extra costs £11.99 a month and adds a downloadable catalog of hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games. July alone added Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Rise of the Ronin, Dying Light, and Citizen Sleeper 2. The PS Plus games August 2026 kept the Essential focus on co-op and horror, while September’s catalog brought RuneScape: Dragonwilds, WWE 2K26, Ball x Pit and Date Everything!. Verdict: the sweet spot for anyone who plays more than one new game a month.
PS Plus Premium: best for trials and legacy titles in the September drop
Premium, at £14.99 a month according to NME’s PS Plus report, adds game trials, cloud streaming and a classics catalog. Its summer additions were retro favorites: Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy and Indigo Prophecy in July, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams in August, and Mega Man X Command Mission and Metro Redux in September. Among the PS Plus games September 2026, those two are Premium-only. Verdict: worth it for streaming and retro collectors, not for most players.
What to check when choosing a PS Plus plan
Before picking a tier, rank these five factors in order of priority:
- Monthly lineup strength across July, August and September: count the titles you would actually play.
- Price per month: £7.99, £11.99 or £14.99, and whether a 12-month plan lowers it.
- Catalog breadth and extras: how many Extra additions match your genres.
- Cloud and trial features: only useful with fast broadband or a PlayStation Portal.
- Long-term value and playtime estimates: one 60-hour RPG can outweigh three short games.
The September line-up shows why the order matters. The Essential claims, as listed in the PlayStation Blog’s September announcement, were Sniper Elite: Resistance, MLB The Show 26, Wobbly Life and Chained Echoes, available from 1 September to 5 October. That alone justifies Essential for many players, while catalog depth only matters if you have time to use it.
Final Verdict
Casual and online players: stay on Essential and claim every month. Players who finish a game a fortnight: Extra is the best value on the service. Retro fans and PS Portal owners: Premium, ideally upgraded only in months with strong classics. Upgrade for a single month when a big catalog drop lands, then drop back. Looking ahead, the October PS Plus games for Essential are expected to be revealed on Wednesday 30 September, so check them before your renewal date.
| Option | Who it suits | Price |
| PS Plus Essential | Online players and monthly claimers | £7.99 a month |
| PS Plus Extra | Players who want a large downloadable library | £11.99 a month |
| PS Plus Premium | Retro fans, streamers and trial users | £14.99 a month |
FAQ
Which PS Plus plan should I choose for getting the most free monthly games?
Every tier gets the same monthly games: ten from July to September. Extra adds dozens of catalog titles on top, so it offers the most games per pound. Premium only adds retro titles and trials.
How much does PS Plus cost per month for each tier right now?
In the UK, Essential costs £7.99, Extra £11.99, and Premium £14.99 per month. Longer plans are cheaper per month, so check current pricing on the PlayStation Store before subscribing.
Are there alternatives if I only want occasional PS Plus free games?
Yes. Buy individual games in PlayStation Store sales, subscribe for a single month when a strong lineup lands, or use Premium game trials to test a title before buying it.