If you just downloaded Apex Legends on your PS5 or PS4 after seeing your friends rave about the latest ranked split, the first question you’re probably asking is does apex legends require playstation plus to jump into a match. You don’t want to spend 20 minutes downloading the 80GB game just to hit a paywall before you even get to try picking your first Legend. I’ve been there too, back when I first picked up the game on my PS4 a few years ago, and I spent 10 minutes scrolling through Reddit trying to find a clear answer that wasn’t buried under 100 unrelated comments. This guide breaks down exactly when you need a subscription, when you don’t, and what extra perks you get if you already pay for PlayStation Plus.
Does Apex Legends Require PlayStation Plus for Core Game Modes?
If you only want to play standard public matches, you don’t need a PlayStation Plus subscription at all. Sony updated its policy back in 2019 to waive the subscription requirement for all free-to-play online games, and Apex Legends is included in that list. That means you can download the game for free, jump into trios, duos, or the latest limited-time mode, and play as much as you want without paying a cent for a subscription. But wait, that only applies to core public match play. There are a few edge cases where you will need a subscription, which we’ll cover later. I tested this myself last month when I set up a new PSN account for my little cousin, and we played 3 hours of trios without any subscription attached to the account, no prompts to upgrade popped up at all. The only thing you will need is a free PSN account, which takes 2 minutes to set up if you don’t already have one. You will never be locked out of standard public Apex matches for not having PlayStation Plus.
You won’t see any difference in match quality or queue times if you play Apex Legends without PlayStation Plus, either. Ranked mode is also fully accessible for free, so you can grind from Bronze to Predator without any extra fees. The only pop-up you might see related to PlayStation Plus when you launch the game is a generic ad for the service, which you can close immediately with no impact on your ability to play.
What Apex Legends Features Do Require a PlayStation Plus Subscription?
While core gameplay is free, there are a small handful of extra features that are only accessible to players with an active PlayStation Plus subscription. Most of these are quality of life perks or exclusive rewards, not core functionality you need to enjoy the game. I’ve listed the most common ones below to help you decide if a subscription is worth it for you:
- Exclusive monthly in-game rewards: Sony often gives PlayStation Plus subscribers free Apex Legends skins, banner frames, and crafting metals that non-subscribers can’t access
- Share Play support: You can stream your match to a friend and let them take control, or even team up with them remotely even if they don’t own a copy of the game on their account
- PlayStation-exclusive competitive tournaments: Sony hosts occasional prize pools for Apex Legends players that are only open to users with an active PlayStation Plus subscription
- Cloud save sync: If you switch between PS4 and PS5 regularly, you’ll need PS Plus to sync your control settings, progress, and unlocked cosmetics across both devices
Most casual players won’t miss these features if they don’t have a subscription, but if you’re a regular player, the monthly free loot alone is often worth the cost of a subscription if you already pay for it for other games. I’ve gotten three legendary skins for free over the past year just from being a PS Plus subscriber, which would have cost me almost $30 if I bought them with Apex Coins directly. Just don’t expect to need a subscription to play the core game, even if you’re grinding ranked matches every night.
Common Misconceptions About PlayStation Plus and Apex Legends
A lot of new players assume that because you need PS Plus to play online for paid games like Call of Duty or FIFA, the same rule applies to Apex. That’s not true, and the confusion comes from Sony’s old policy before 2019 that required subscriptions for all online play, even free-to-play titles. Many new players also mix up EA Play subscriptions with PlayStation Plus, but EA Play is an entirely separate service that gives you extra Apex Coins and battle pass discounts, and it’s not required to play the game either.
Another common myth is that you need PS Plus to play cross-play with friends on Xbox, Switch, or PC. Cross-play is fully enabled for all Apex players on PS, regardless of subscription status, as long as you have a free PSN account and your cross-play settings turned on. You don’t even need a subscription to join custom matches hosted by your friends, even if the custom lobby is for a private tournament. The only time you might run into a subscription prompt is if you’re trying to access a Sony-hosted event, not a player-created custom lobby. One mistake I see new players make all the time is buying a one-month PS Plus subscription just to play Apex, when they could have jumped right in for free. There’s no hidden paywall for ranked play, so you can grind from Bronze to Predator without ever paying for PlayStation Plus. If you’re only buying the subscription for Apex, hold off unless you specifically want the exclusive perks we listed earlier.
Is a PlayStation Plus Subscription Worth It for Apex Legends Players?
If you already pay for PlayStation Plus to play paid online games, or to get the monthly free PS games, then the Apex perks are just a nice added bonus you don’t have to pay extra for. The monthly rewards are usually high quality, and the cloud save sync is a lifesaver if you switch between a PS4 in your living room and a PS5 in your bedroom. You might also get early access to certain limited-time mode trials every few months, though those are rare.
But if you only play Apex on your PlayStation, and you don’t care about exclusive skins or Share Play, then a subscription is a waste of money. The core game, including all ranked modes, limited-time modes, and cross-play functionality, is 100% accessible without a subscription. If you’re on the fence, you can always sign up for the 7-day free trial of PlayStation Plus to test out the perks before you commit. Just remember to cancel the trial before it renews if you don’t want to be charged for the full month. I’ve had times where I let my subscription lapse for a few months when I was only playing Apex, and I didn’t miss anything important besides the occasional free skin. When I resubscribed to play a new paid multiplayer game, all the old Apex perks popped up again as soon as my subscription was active.
At the end of the day, the answer to does apex legends require playstation plus depends entirely on what features you want to use. Casual players who just want to jump into matches with their friends never need to pay for a subscription, while regular players who want exclusive rewards and extra quality of life features might find the cost worth it. You don’t have to worry about wasting time downloading the game just to hit a paywall, so go ahead and jump into your first match. If you ever get a prompt asking you to subscribe to PlayStation Plus when launching Apex, it’s almost always a generic Sony ad, not a requirement to play the game. Just close the prompt and you’ll be able to queue up for a match like normal.