Can You Pay for Game Pass or PS Plus With a Gift Card?

Yes. Both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus can be paid for with gift card balance. Redeem the card into your account, then buy the subscription with that balance. The part that catches people out is renewal, which is where an unexpected charge to your bank card can come from.

Here is how it works on each platform, with current prices.

Xbox Game Pass

How to pay with an Xbox gift card

1. Redeem the card into your Microsoft account. On console, go to Store → Redeem. On the web, use the Microsoft redeem page. The full steps are in how to redeem an Xbox gift card.
2. The amount becomes your Microsoft account balance.
3. Buy or renew Game Pass and choose your account balance as the payment method.

The backup payment method catch

Game Pass is a recurring subscription, so Microsoft usually asks for a backup payment method, such as a card or PayPal, even when your balance covers the price. When the subscription renews, Microsoft takes it from your balance first. If the balance is too low, the backup method is charged.

If you want to avoid ever being charged by card:

• Check your balance a few days before the renewal date.
• Or turn off recurring billing in your Microsoft account subscriptions page. Your membership runs to the end of the period you paid for and then stops.

2026 prices

Microsoft cut Game Pass prices in April 2026:

The same announcement also said new Call of Duty games will no longer join Game Pass on launch day. They arrive roughly a year later, around the following holiday season. Prices vary by region.

A $25 Xbox gift card covers one month of Ultimate with a little left over, or about a month and three quarters of PC Game Pass.

PlayStation Plus

How to pay with a PSN gift card

1. Redeem the code into your PlayStation wallet, either on console (PlayStation Store → Redeem Code) or in the account settings on the web.
2. Buy PlayStation Plus from the store. The purchase uses your wallet funds.

If you get an error while redeeming, gift card code not working covers the common region and account issues.

What happens at renewal

PS Plus renews automatically by default. At renewal, Sony charges your wallet first. If the wallet does not have enough, Sony tops it up from your default payment method on file. If there isn't one, or it fails, your membership lapses.

So again: either keep enough in the wallet before the renewal date, or switch off auto-renew in your subscription settings and renew manually with a fresh code.

2026 prices

Sony raised PS Plus prices for 1-month and 3-month plans in May 2026 but left the 12-month prices unchanged:

US prices. Other regions vary.

The annual plan is now much better value. Twelve months of Essential at the monthly price would cost about $132, against $79.99 for the annual plan. If you are saving gift cards for PS Plus, it is worth waiting until you can afford the annual plan.

Gift card or subscription card?

Both platforms also sell dedicated subscription cards, such as a 3-month Game Pass card or a 12-month PS Plus card, at shops. A regular gift card is more flexible: if you cancel the subscription, the money stays in your balance for games or add-ons. A subscription card can only be used for that subscription.

Regions must match

A gift card only works in an account from the same region. A US card will not redeem into a UK account. The same applies to every Steam, PSN and Xbox code, including codes from reward sites, so make sure the card's region matches your account before you claim it.

Earning the cards instead of buying them

If you want to cover a subscription without paying cash, XPReward redeems points for $25, $50 and $100 Xbox and PSN gift cards at 144 points per $1. A $25 card costs 3,600 points. That is a meaningful amount of activity, so read how much you can realistically earn first. The Reward Store shows live prices and stock.

FAQ

Can I pay for part of a subscription with a gift card and the rest by card?
Generally, if your balance does not cover the price, the platform takes the difference from your payment method on file. To avoid that, wait until your balance covers the full price.

Will my subscription cancel if I run out of balance?
Only if there is no working backup payment method. If there is one, it gets charged. That is the surprise charge to watch for.

Can I stack several gift cards?
Yes. Both platforms add redeemed cards to one balance, up to a wallet limit.