How Much Does Xbox Live Cost Full Pricing Details
It’s a golden opportunity.
Unless youre trying to play a free-to-play game, youll need an Xbox Live Gold membership to enjoy the online features of a game.
The Xbox Live Gold membership doesnt just grant multiplayer access to players, though, since other perks make the membership a wise investment. Alongside enjoying the multiplayer features of their favorite games, Xbox Live Gold members get two free games a month. Subscribers also receive up to 50 percent discounts for select titles in Microsoft Store, which means the subscription practically starts paying for itself.
Heres how much Xbox Live Gold costs.
- One-month Xbox Live Gold: $9.99
- Three-months Xbox Live Gold: $39.99
- Six-months Xbox Live Gold: $39.99
- 12-months Xbox Live Gold: $59.99
Players whod like to avoid paying the full price for their Xbox Live Gold membership can keep an eye on gift card discount deals. These deals allow players to get their Xbox Live Gold subscription for cheaper.
Theres also another subscription system that Microsoft offers, which can be more cost-efficient for most players. Not only does Xbox Game Pass Ultimate provide the same benefits as Xbox Live Gold, but it also grants players access to more than 100 high-quality games and EA Play.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription costs $14.99, and like other memberships, itll renew itself every month unless players manually cancel their subscription.
You Shouldn’t Buy This If
- You want affordable games
- You only play free games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone
- You only use Xbox services on Windows PCs
Xbox Live Gold upgrades your Xbox gaming experience, and while revised for 2021, the service still serves the same purpose for most. It’s the only gateway to playing multiplayer games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, although the value will vary on each user. While frequent online gaming across various titles demands Xbox Live Gold, those who prefer single-player games, or stick to popular free experiences like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone, have little reason to pay up.
Xbox regulars shouldn’t overlook Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Microsoft’s new higher-tier subscription, bundling Xbox Live Gold alongside other benefits. It costs more, at $15 per month, but unlocks hundreds of games in the price as one of the best deals in modern gaming.
New free-to-play changes also mean that many of the most popular Xbox games no longer require Xbox Live Gold, especially suited to casual users who play only a few titles and can’t justify the subscription for infrequent gaming sessions. But the moment you stray away from this curated list, investing in a 12-month Xbox Live Gold membership delivers the best value out there.
Xbox Live Gold
What Is Xbox All Access
Xbox All Access is a monthly installment payment option for a new Xbox Series S or X. Customers can sign up for the plan to pay $35 a month for an Xbox Series X or $25 a month for an Xbox Series S. Both plans include 24 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. There are no upfront fees and 0% APR. Best Buy, GameStop, Microsoft Store, Target and Walmart are all participants in the program, however, the trick is to sign up when consoles are available. If you’re still on the hunt for an Xbox Series X or S, will have the latest restock updates for you.
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Subscription Deals
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Where to find the best Xbox Series X deals
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How To Purchase An Xbox Live Gold Subscription

You don’t necessarily need a credit card to sign up for an Xbox Live Gold subscription. You can use one, but you can also buy Xbox Gift Cards or Gold subscription cards at retailers. Purchase a Gold subscription card at a retailer and then enter the code on your Xbox. You can also purchase an Xbox Live Gold subscription from the official Xbox Network website and through your Xbox 360 or Xbox One console.
For security protection, it’s better to buy Xbox Gift Cards and Gold Subscription cards at retailers instead of using a credit card online.
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Microsoft Cancels Xbox Live Gold Price Increase Following Criticism
Prices will remain the same after Microsoft admits it ‘messed up.’
UPDATE 1/23: When Microsoft announced Xbox Live Gold subscription prices were set to increase yesterday, the news was met with a lot of criticism and anger. Microsoft was listening, and in a surprise move has decided to cancel the price hike as well as remove the need for a Gold subscription for free-to-play games.
A new statement posted on yesterday’s Xbox Wire post explains:
“We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox Live Gold pricing.
Were turning this moment into an opportunity to bring Xbox Live more in line with how we see the player at the center of their experience. For free-to-play games, you will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play those games on Xbox. We are working hard to deliver this change as soon as possible in the coming months.
If you are an Xbox Live Gold member already, you stay at your current price for renewal. New and existing members can continue to enjoy Xbox Live Gold for the same prices they pay today. In the US, $9.99 for 1-month, $24.99 for 3-months, $39.99 for 6-months and $59.99 for retail 12-months.
Thank you.”
Best Xbox Live Gold Deals
The best-value way to get Xbox Live Gold is to stump up for a 12 month subscription. Microsoft charges £50 / $60 / AU$80 per year. However, you can also opt to pay £18 for 3 months or £7 for one month.
We’re confident we can beat those prices and have shopped around and spotted some serious discounts on Xbox Live Gold memberships…
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Best Xbox Live Gold Deals 2021
If you want to enjoy everything the Xbox Series X and Xbox One have to offer, including multiplayer online gaming, you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Microsoft charges a hefty £50 for a 12 month Xbox Live Gold subscription but we’ve found it much cheaper elsewhere.
To lighten the load on your wallet, we’ve shopped around to score you the cheapest Xbox Live Gold memberships and Game Passes. And with seasonal sales kicking off all over the world, there’s plenty of deals flying around.
So, whether you’re due to renew your Xbox Live subscription or about to sign up for the first time, don’t reach for your bank card until you’ve checked out the discounts and special offers below.
- Read our full review of the Xbox Series X
What Is Xbox Live Gold Membership
Xbox Live Gold is Microsofts online gaming subscription service which a user must have to access online game modes on the Xbox One and Xbox 360. Besides the online gaming feature, Xbox Live Gold membership comes with some additional features as well. Xbox Live Gold members get to enjoy 3-4 free games at the start of every month. Along with that, Xbox Live Gold members also get special discounts on digital games. Microsoft allows users to enjoy a free Xbox Live Gold trial in order to get a glimpse on offer.
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What Is The Xbox Live Gold Membership
Xbox Live Gold is a subscription-based service that can be purchased in one month, three month, and one-year periods. Xbox Live Gold subscriptions are $59.99 for 12 months, $24.99 for three months, and $9.99 for one month.
The paid Xbox Live Gold service gives you all of the free level features along with the ability to play games with friends online as well as early access to demos. Gold members also benefit from discounts and free games every month, making the price well worth it for frequent gamers.
An Xbox Live Gold subscription is no longer required to use Party Chat, Looking 4 Groups, and free-to-play multiplayer features.
Xbox Live Gold Subscriptions On Xbox 360 Vs Xbox One
Your Xbox Network account will work on your Xbox 360 and Xbox One. You’ll sign in with the same Gamertag on both systems. The Xbox One has a unique feature in that one Xbox Live Gold subscription applies to all of the profiles on the system, whereas Xbox 360 requires each profile to have a separate Gold subscription to play online.
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Xbox Live Gold Changes: What’s New For 2021
Microsoft just rolled out the biggest changes to Xbox Live Gold since launch, in turn shaking up the value proposition for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners. The drastic policy shift changes up a subscription that’s gone untouched in years, now opening previously paid features to any Xbox console owner. That chiefly includes dropping the Xbox Live Gold requirement on free-to-play multiplayer titles, plus opening multiple social features to all on Xbox.
Xbox consoles have required an Xbox Live Gold membership to access online multiplayer since their inception, but changes introduced this April drop that mandate for free-to-play games. You no longer need to pay the monthly fee on many popular titles, including Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends, to name a few. While all paid Xbox games still require Xbox Live Gold, those with zero-cost entry are now entirely free on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
The platform has also lifted the Xbox Live Gold requirement on Party Chat and Looking for Group on Xbox consoles, two popular social features for multiplayer. The former, Microsoft’s staple voice chat system for Xbox, finally goes free and opens communication among all players. The LFG system also provides a platform to search for teammates and like-minded players across the Xbox network, filtering users by game and various social preferences.
Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate For Only 1

Right now, you can get your first 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate for just £1 – that’s a healthy saving of 91%!
Game Pass Ultimate includes all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, plus access to 100+ top-notch games for console, PC and Android devices, plus Xbox Game Studio titles on the day of release, free in-game content and exclusive member discounts.
If you just purchased an Xbox Series X or Series S, it’s a no brainer especially for a quid. .
After you’ve enjoyed the first three months for only £1, your Game Pass will auto-renew on a rolling £10.99 per month contract. There’s lock-in contract, so you can cancel at anytime no pressure.
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How To Get Xbox Live Gold Free Trial
Good News for Xbox Fans
If youre new to Xbox Live Gold, this article can help you determine how to get the Xbox Live Gold free trial.
You Only Live Once Im sure youve heard that before. But try telling that to a gamer. Gamers have a habit of leading two lives a real life and an in-game life. Im sure they prefer their gaming lives over the real one as they get a chance to live as many characters, many times in many games. But, as we know, one cannot simply live alone all the time.
They need to interact with others as well. In comes multiplayer gaming. When a user plays a game with any other user, offline or online, it is known as multiplayer gaming.
What Comes With A Free Xbox Network Account
When you register your Xbox Network account, you’ll choose a nickname , which is how you will be known to other people in any games you play. You can have friends lists to keep in touch with real-life friends or new people you meet online you like to play with.
The free Xbox Network service gives you access to voice chat as well as the Xbox Marketplace. You can’t play most Xbox games online without a Gold subscription, but online multiplayer is available for free-to-play games. You can use all of the various video apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and Amazon Prime as well.
That said, you don’t need an Xbox game console to take advantage of the Xbox Network. Since Microsoft also makes Windows, your Xbox Network account will automatically integrate with many PC games. That way, you can share your achievements and utilize other social features to interact with fellow gamers.
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Heavy Criticism Spurs Microsoft To Reverse Course On The Same Day
Microsoft Corporation took less than 15 hours on Jan. 22, 2021, between announcing a large price hike for its Xbox Live Gold subscription plan and offering an apologetic retraction in the face of fierce and widespread criticism. Microsoft had planned to double the annual cost of Xbox Live Gold in select markets, including the United States. In its original announcement, Microsoft said: “In many markets, the price of Xbox Live Gold has not changed for years and in some markets, it hasn’t changed for over 10 years.”
- Microsoft had planned to double the annual cost of Xbox Live Gold membership plans in select markets, including the United States.
- In the face of heavy criticism, Microsoft rescinded the price hikes on the same day that they were announced.
- Microsoft has retained incentives for Xbox Live Gold members to migrate to the costlier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan.
Should I Get Xbox Live Gold Or Xbox Game Pass
This depends on your gaming habits. Xbox Live Gold’s biggest selling point is not the free games, but it’s being able to play online. Are you someone who is going to play a few games online and only those games on a regular basis? Then you’ll want Xbox Live Gold.
On the other hand, if you want what is the equivalent to “Netflix for video games,” then Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an easy choice. You have more than 100 games to choose from, and you’ll be able to play them from multiple devices. Tack on Xbox Live Gold, and you get a tremendous value for $15 a month. Put another way, you get to play dozens of games per year for the price of just three new console games purchased at retail .
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What Are Xbox Live And Xbox Live Gold
Xbox Live and Xbox Live Gold have different features, but what are they? Here’s what you get from both subscription services.
If you’re just getting started with your Xbox, you’ll come across the terms “Xbox Live” and its brother “Xbox Live Gold.” But what do both terms mean, and should you use them?
Let’s explore the difference between Xbox Live and Xbox Live Gold and which one you should use.
Play Together With Xbox Live Gold
Build imaginative, awe-inspiring worlds with your friends. Compete in heart-pounding matches that require quick thinking and fast reflexes. Whether its competitive or co-operative gameplay on your console, Xbox Live Gold takes your game to the next level. Alone you are mighty. With others, youre Gold.
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Recommended By Our Editors
What Microsoft would really like is for Gold members to switch over to an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. With that in mind, Microsoft is offering to convert remaining Gold time to Ultimate if you choose to upgrade. It will honor that offer up to a maximum of 36 months.
An Xbox Live Gold subscription unlocks access to online multiplayer, game discounts, and two free games every month. On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes all the features of Gold, but adds access to over 100 games to play each month. However, it is more expensive at $14.99 per month.
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Xbox Live Gold Review:

Xbox Live Gold
Bottom line: Xbox Live Gold remains a staple essential when using Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S online unless exclusively tied up in free-to-play titles. The value in the subscription comes entirely from its multiplayer perks, with Gold-exclusive rewards on the decline in 2021.
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