What Is -- PS Plus for PS4, PS5?
The PlayStation Network (Online) (PSN) features requires a PS Plus account (essential) is the lowest priced tier and can be purchased as a single monthly fee, or you can buy a 3 month plan or annual for about $10/$25/$60 for the Essential tier. The cost for each different tier increases with each different tier version plan, these tiers are Essential, Extra, and Premium. Having a plan on PS4 also is a plan on PS5. So you can pay $10 for 1 month of Essential, then Extra would cost more, and Premium the most each month. You can pay for 1 month, 3 months, or 1 year. Premium in June 2026 is $19.99 per month, so double Essential. Extra is $16.99 per month. See the last image here on the bottom of the page for a breakdown of what each gets you.
You get 3 free games with Essential. There are also exclusive discounts and other demo related things "exclusive packs" but really it is about being able to play online and get a free monthly game or 2 to play.
You check the PSN Store on about the 6th of every month and there is a option down the left side of the menu for PS Plus and that option is the free games for the month and further over to the right is the discounts and demos, etc...
These images are from the PS4 Store. PS5 Store looks different.
Once you select the game from the list it is added to your "Library" or directly downloaded also, if you want it now. Ther Library on the PS4 is on the right of the main menu XMB bar, go all the way over to the right and library is a tile, click that and you can see all your currently installed games, psn store purchases, check what DLC you have purchased for a game, by clicking on it, then in that menu see the options for the "Store" it will show on the right, you can also press the options button in the main menu of the XMB (not in library) and scroll down to see what dlc is installed, if any, what version the game is on, how much space, etc... when it expires.
PS Plus games will expire from your library if you stop your subscription so it is "rental" as long as you are a member you can play it, unless Sony removes it from the store for some reason. You may still be able to play it if it is removed but your subscription is still active (not 100%) they removed Grid from the store but the demo is still playable.
One issue I have encountered along with many others, is with Street Fighters V (5) in that since we all downloaded it for free, with PS Plus, we can not purchase it now when you go to the store it says can't be bought because we "already own a version of it."
When you do own a version the library to download it again from the collection of PS Plus games, or purchases, or downloads, all the various options including on the XMB menu, will have a small yellow plus sign. That is how you know it is a PS Plus version you own and not a game you bought from the PSN Store or installed from disc.
