Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service has evolved over the years, initially beginning as a way to get new games each month, then giving access to online multiplayer. Now, the service has built upon both of those features, functioning a lot more like Game Pass Ultimate and offering a lengthy catalog of games for a monthly fee, although it doesn't add its own first-party games to the service right away. It still gives you new games each month and enables online play just as before, but now you have the option between Essential, Extra, and Premium for various prices and features.
As subscription prices have gone up, PS Plus might be a bit too much to stay subscribed to all year. Sony doesn't make it simple to cancel, and there's a somewhat sinister auto-renew change that may end up costing you.
If for whatever reason you want to cancel your PS Plus membership — whether you have the Essential, Extra, or Premium version — you can do so from your smartphone, computer, or a PlayStation console itself. It's not the most complicated process, but knowing the steps before you start will no doubt save you time. Here's how to cancel your PlayStation Plus subscription.
How to cancel PlayStation Plus on PS5 and PS4
First, you should be aware of how to cancel your subscription from a PS5 system, as it's the most straightforward. You can also cancel from a PS4 console, and the process is nearly identical to its current-generation counterpart.
Step 1: From the home screen, navigate to the Settings menu.
Step 2: Select Users and Accounts.
Step 3: From the Account menu, select Payment and subscriptions.
Step 4: Navigate to Subscriptions and select PlayStation Plus.
Step 5: Then, select Cancel subscription on the bottom left.
Step 6: You'll be brought to a screen that asks you if you're sure you want to cancel. Select Confirm cancellation. This will end your services on the next expiration date, coinciding with however long your subscription is due to last. You'll be able to enjoy the benefits until that expiration date.
How to cancel PlayStation Plus through a browser
If you don't currently have access to your PS5 or PS4 system but still want to cancel your PS Plus membership, you can do so via a web browser on a computer and/or smartphone, and it's pretty simple, thankfully!
Step 1: First, visit the Sony Account Management page and log in using your PlayStation credentials.
Step 2: Select Subscriptions from the list of menu options on the left. It'll ask if you want to go to another page, so confirm this to move on to the next step.
Step 3: Once you arrive at the next page, a new list of options will appear on the right side of the screen, one of which is Cancel Subscription at the bottom.
Previously, there was the option to Turn off Auto Renew that would prevent you from being charged once your current subscription ran out. Now that this option is gone, Cancel Subscription serves that same purpose - it won't instantly end your subscription. This confusion has caused many users to think they have to wait until the end of their subscription to cancel and end up forgetting and getting charged again.
Step 4: Select Confirm Cancellation and you'll be all set.
What happens when you end your PlayStation Plus subscription?
It's important to be aware of what happens when you cancel your PS Plus membership. After your subscription end date (which is clearly displayed during the cancellation process), you'll lose access to any games acquired via PS Plus. This means you won't have access to any of the monthly games, titles from the PS Plus collection, or any games available from the catalog across Essential, Extra, and Premium memberships. You also won't be able to play online multiplayer (with the exception of free-to-play games).
If you decide to resubscribe, you will gain access to any of the aforementioned games included with PS Plus.
