If you‘re an avid Xbox gamer, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers incredible value by providing unlimited access to over 100 high-quality console and PC games for one affordable monthly fee. But at $14.99 per month, the costs can really add up.
The good news? With the right strategies, you can get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for free or very cheap!
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share all the best tips and tricks to save big on your membership. By the end, you‘ll know exactly how to maximize perks and utilize special promotions to get Game Pass Ultimate without paying full price. Let‘s dive in!
Why Gamers Love Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
New AAA-titles, highly-rated indies, exciting multiplayers, EA Play games…Xbox Game Pass Ultimate grants you access to an expansive on-demand gaming library spanning all genres. Here are just some of the benefits that make it a top choice for gamers:
Play over 100 high-quality games – The Ultimate library includes top favorites like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, and Sea of Thieves. With new additions every month, there‘s always something exciting to play.
Save money compared to buying games – Buying all the titles included with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription at full retail price would cost over $4,000!
Play on console, PC and mobile – Game Pass Ultimate works seamlessly across Xbox consoles, Windows 10 PCs, and phones/tablets via cloud gaming. Gaming on the go has never been easier.
Includes Xbox Live Gold benefits – Multiplayer gaming, Deals with Gold offers, and free monthly Games with Gold are all part of the package. No need for a separate Gold subscription.
Discounts on DLC and add-ons – Subscribers can save up to 10% on related game content for titles currently in the library. Another nice money-saving perk.
According to Microsoft, over 25 million gamers worldwide are subscribed to Game Pass. It‘s easy to see why when you consider the incredible gaming value it provides.
Now let‘s get into the various ways you can get Game Pass Ultimate without emptying your wallet…
Activate the $1 Limited-Time Offer
The easiest way to save big on Game Pass Ultimate is to take advantage of Microsoft‘s recurring limited-time offer for new members.
Here are the details:
- The deal gives 1 month of Game Pass Ultimate for only $1
- After the first month, it renews to the regular $14.99 monthly price
- You can cancel at any time to avoid being charged the full amount
Because this offer is specifically for new Game Pass subscribers, it‘s ideal to use when you‘re first signing up. But even if you‘ve been a member before, you may still be eligible if your account has been inactive for a while.
To get the deal:
- Go to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate page
- Click the yellow "Join now" button
- Select the $1 for 1 month offer
- Enter your payment details
After redeeming, you‘ll have full access to Game Pass Ultimate for one month at over 90% off! You can even turn off auto-renew so you don‘t forget to cancel later.
The convenience and low $1 cost of this promotion make it a top choice to consider when signing up for Game Pass Ultimate.
Stack Xbox Live Gold and Convert to Ultimate
This handy trick takes advantage of the difference between Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate to score big savings.
By pre-loading Xbox Live Gold time and then converting it to Game Pass Ultimate, you can get Ultimate for as low as the $60 yearly Gold cost.
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Turn off auto-renew on any current Xbox Live Gold subscription. This prevents it from renewing before the conversion.
Buy and redeem 12-month Xbox Live Gold codes – Stack up to 36 months of pre-paid Gold. 12-month codes frequently go on sale for $40-60.
Sign up for the $1 Game Pass Ultimate deal – As a new member, you‘ll have the option to convert Gold to Ultimate.
Accept conversion to Ultimate – When prompted, allow Microsoft to convert your prepaid Gold months into Game Pass Ultimate time.
By pre-loading 36 months of Xbox Live Gold and then converting to Game Pass Ultimate, you are essentially securing 3 years of Ultimate for the ~$180 cost of Gold. That breaks down to only $5 per month for Ultimate!
Just remember to turn off auto-renew on your Gold subscription in Step 1. Otherwise, it could renew for another year before you are able to convert to Ultimate.
Overall, this Gold conversion trick can save you hundreds of dollars on a multi-year Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Redeem Microsoft Rewards Points
Microsoft Rewards is a free loyalty program where you earn points for everyday online activities that can be redeemed for gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and other rewards.
Here‘s a quick overview:
- Earn points searching on Bing, playing games, taking surveys, shopping online, and more
- Daily points and streak bonuses help you accumulate points faster
- Redeem points for Xbox digital gift cards and Game Pass Ultimate codes
With some consistent effort, Microsoft Rewards can cover the entire cost of your Game Pass Ultimate subscription!
| Points | Reward |
|---|---|
| 29,000 | 1 Month Game Pass Ultimate |
| 58,000 | 3 Months Game Pass Ultimate |
| 20,000 | $20 Xbox Gift Card (enough for 1 month of GPU) |
Let‘s say you earn the Daily Set achievement of 150 points daily. That‘s 4,500 points per month, which is enough to redeem about one free month of Game Pass Ultimate!
With extra daily activities and bonus point opportunities, you could earn enough points to cover multiple months of subscription fees.
Sign up for a Microsoft Rewards account and start adding up points today. It‘s one of the easiest ways to reduce the out-of-pocket cost for Game Pass Ultimate.
Buy Discounted Gift Cards
Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and CDKeys frequently offer deals on Xbox digital gift cards. And these can be used to purchase Game Pass Ultimate at a lower prepaid rate.
For example, let‘s say you find a deal for a $90 Xbox gift card selling for $80. Using that gift card to redeem a month of Game Pass Ultimate scores you a $10 discount off the $14.99 price.
Stack deals from multiple gift card sales, and you‘ve got a straightforward way to lower the overall cost of Game Pass.
Here are some tips for scoring discounted Xbox gift cards:
Check retailer deal sites like Slickdeals and Woot monthly for gift card offers
Follow blogs that curate gaming sales like CheapAssGamer
Look for gift card deals around the holidays and Xbox anniversaries
Opt into Rakuten for cash back on gift card purchases from select merchants
With some persistence tracking deals, you can build up an Xbox gift card balance at 15-20% off to redeem towards Game Pass Ultimate.
Compare Xbox Game Pass Edition Costs
While this guide has focused on getting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate specifically, it‘s worth comparing the costs for Game Pass on other platforms. Here‘s a breakdown:
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $14.99 per month
- Xbox Game Pass for Console – $9.99 per month
- Xbox Game Pass for PC – $9.99 per month
If you only plan to play Game Pass games on a single platform like PC or console, you can downgrade to the specific version and save $5 per month.
However, Ultimate comes out cheaper if you want to game on both Xbox and PC thanks to the combined subscription. Just something to consider as you evaluate which tier to choose.
Evaluate Monthly vs. Annual Subscriptions
You may encounter options to pay annually rather than month-by-month for Game Pass Ultimate.
The annual subscription costs $14.99 x 12 months = $179.88 per year.
Compared to paying month-to-month at $14.99/month, the annual plan offers about a 16% discount overall. It also gives the benefit of locking in the price for the full year.
If you know you‘ll use Game Pass Ultimate for the next year, the annual plan could be a smart money-saving option and eliminate the need to keep renewing monthly.
However, paying annually also reduces flexibility if you want to downgrade or pause your membership at any point. Run the numbers and consider whether to commit to short-term vs. long-term pricing.
Strategically Cancel and Reactivate Your Subscription
As you take advantage of the deals in this guide, don‘t forget to turn off auto-renew on your Game Pass Ultimate membership between usage sessions.
Here are some benefits of strategically canceling and restarting your subscription:
- Avoid being charged full price at the end of special promo periods
- Pause your membership when not gaming frequently to save money
- Redeem deals like the $1 promotion again later on
You can easily manage your Game Pass subscription by going to the Microsoft account website and accessing your Subscriptions page. From there, you can turn off auto-renew or cancel an active membership.
When you‘re ready to play again, simply reactivate your subscription and redeem any new promotions. This gives you more control and flexibility in using Game Pass deals to maximize savings.
While an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership normally costs a budget-straining $179 per year, savvy gamers can utilize the tips in this guide to reduce the annual price to $60, $10, or even $0 in some cases!
By stacking prepaid Gold, redeeming Microsoft Rewards, buying discounted gift cards, and taking advantage of Game Pass promotions, you can slash the price and avoid paying full cost.
Remember to:
- Activate the $1 new member promotion
- Convert up to 3 years of Xbox Live Gold
- Earn and redeem points with Microsoft Rewards
- Look for Xbox gift card discounts
- Compare Game Pass edition prices
- Manage renewals and reactivate strategically
Put these money-saving techniques into action, and you‘ll be on your way to enjoying all the perks of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership completely free of charge. Happy gaming!
