You don’t need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play Apex Legends on either PS4 or PS5. The game is free-to-play, and you can jump into matches, team up with friends, and experience the full game without paying anything extra for online access.
All you really need is a PlayStation Network (PSN) account and a solid internet connection. If you haven’t made a PSN account yet, no big deal, you can create one directly on your console in just a few steps and it won’t cost you a thing.
Now, while PS Plus isn’t required for Apex, it does come with a few extras that might interest you. If you subscribe, you’ll get monthly free games, access to cloud saves and some nice discounts in the PlayStation Store. So if you play other games that do require PS Plus or you like getting those extra perks, it might be worth checking out.
How to play Apex Legends on PS5 and PS4
If you want to play Apex Legends on your PS5 or PS4 and aren’t sure what to do next, don’t worry, getting started is actually really simple, whether you’re playing on a PS4 or a PS5. You don’t need PlayStation Plus or any kind of subscription to jump in.
First things first, make sure you’re signed into your PlayStation Network (PSN) account. If you haven’t made one yet, your console will walk you through the steps. It’s completely free and takes just a few minutes.
Exploring Apex Legends options on PlayStation (Image via Electronic Arts)
Apex LegendsEsports & GamingFeatureFirst-person shooter Games (FPS)Urgent
Once you’re signed in, open up the PlayStation Store and search for Apex Legends. You’ll see it right away. Just hit download. The game is completely free. No need to worry about hidden costs or anything like that.
Once the game’s done installing, just open it up from your home screen. Pretty soon, you’ll see a prompt asking if you want to log in with an EA account. Technically, you can skip it but it’s worth taking the extra minute to set one up.
Because linking your EA account helps you save your progress, and it makes it way easier to play with friends on other platforms. It also unlocks a few extra features that are nice to have, especially if you end up sticking with the game. The whole setup is quick and nothing complicated and you only have to do it once.
Once you’re through that, you’re free to play however you like. You can hop into the classic Battle Royale mode, try Arenas for smaller fights, or even dive into Ranked if you’re feeling competitive. The game is pretty fast-paced, but you’ll get the hang of it with a bit of practice.
If you’re on a PS5, you’ll probably notice right away that Apex runs a lot smoother. The graphics look cleaner, load times are faster and overall, the game just feels snappier. It’s not a totally different experience, but the little improvements definitely make it more enjoyable especially if you’ve played on PS4 before and are used to longer loading screens.
That said, it doesn’t matter which console you’re using, PS4 or PS5 because you’ll still be playing with everyone else. Thanks to crossplay, both versions are connected to the same servers, so you won’t miss out on anything just because you’re not on the newer hardware. You’ll be matched with PS5 players, PS4 players even PC and Xbox people if you’ve got crossplay turned on.
One thing that’s worth pointing out though is that Apex is an online-only game. That means you need a decent internet connection or things can get rough fast. A laggy match can totally throw off your aim or get you kicked out mid-fight, which is the last thing you want. If you can, stick to a stable Wi-Fi connection or plug in with an Ethernet cable to keep things smooth.
