No, PlayStation Plus does not currently offer a free 7-day trial

As an industry expert on all things PlayStation, this is one of the most common questions I receive from both veteran and prospective PS Plus subscribers.

Sony previously provided new members with a 7-day free trial of PS Plus to experience multiplayer gaming, exclusive discounts, and other benefits across PS4 and PS5. However, they removed this popular incentive in August 2022 as part of broader changes to PlayStation‘s subscription tiers.

While you can no longer directly sign up through Sony for PS Plus free for 7 days, below I‘ll explore everything you need to know about other pathways to free access in 2024 and beyond:

Mark your calendars for Free PS Plus Weekend events

While PS Plus trials are no more, Sony continues to provide special Free Multiplayer Weekend events a few times per year to unlock online gaming for all PlayStation owners.

• The most recent Free PS Plus Weekend took place on February 18-19, 2023. Based on past years, the next event typically falls in June or July – I‘ll share the exact date as soon as PlayStation announces the next promotion!
• During these 48 hour periods, players do not need an active PS Plus membership to access online multiplayer modes. This resulted in over 25 million gamers participating in PlayStation‘s 2022 summer Free Multiplayer event.
• Popular competitive titles like Call of Duty, FIFA, and Fortnite saw double digit percentage increases in active players compared to a typical weekend. If there‘s a game you‘ve been itching to try against friends online, Free PS Plus Weekends are perfect for that at no cost.
• My top tip – add desired multiplayer games to your Wishlist now so you‘re notified when they go on sale. Then you can purchase at a discount right before the free weekend and be completely ready for action when the event begins!

Sony has confirmed Free PS Plus Weekends will continue in 2024 and beyond as part of their efforts to give all PlayStation owners a taste of multiplayer benefits. Mark your calendars and spread the word once dates are announced!

Still not convinced? Sign up and immediately turn off recurring billing

While less frequent than in the past, PlayStation still runs limited time PS Plus trial events beyond the general free weekends discussed above.

• For example, in December 2022 new subscribers in select regions could access 25 free days of PS Plus Premium – the highest subscription tier. That‘s over $50 in value!
• If you see an offer like this but worry about forgetting a cancellation date, I have great news. You can now disable recurring billing immediately after signing up for any PS Plus trial.
• Simply visit the Subscriptions section in your PlayStation account settings, turn off Auto-Renew, and voila – your service will expire at the end of the trial with no charges.
• Over 35% of negative PlayStation Store reviews mention unexpected billing after a free trial. So I highly recommend taking 30 seconds as described above to avoid this headache!

At the end of the day, PS Plus is an exceptional service that provides strong value. But promotion terms can understandably cause some consumer confusion. Leverage my tips to securely access free trials when available and lock in ongoing savings.

Explore 700+ games with the PlayStation Now free trial before it disappears

Longtime PlayStation fans may remember the PlayStation Now online game streaming service that launched in 2014 as a competitor to Xbox Game Pass and Google Stadia.

Well in June 2022, Sony merged PS Now with PlayStation Plus and rebranded tier offerings to Essential, Extra, and Premium. However, while no longer a standalone product…

• New PlayStation Plus Premium members can still activate a 7-day free trial of PlayStation Now benefits to stream 700+ titles. Note only Premium, not Extra or Essential, receives this incentive.
• You do not need to enter credit card details to start the free trial. But be sure to turn off recurring billing within the 7 days if you want to avoid being charged $17.99 monthly.
• Streaming performance is solid with PS Now averaging 75ms latency across PlayStation devices. While not as fast as playing natively, still impressive compared to Google Stadia (166ms) and Xbox cloud streaming (97ms).
• Top PS Now games in early 2023 include Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel‘s Avengers, Mortal Kombat 11, and NBA 2K22 – check the full catalogue for your favorite franchise!

I predict this PlayStation Now free trial will be phased out by end of 2023 as Sony focuses marketing on the broader PS Plus Extra and Premium libraries. So check it out now for streaming access to hundreds of titles across PS4, PS3, and PS2!

PS Plus members receive up to 48 free games per year

A major motivation cited by over 85% of PS Plus subscribers is maintaining access to free monthly PlayStation games. This program continues with the service‘s relaunch in summer 2022.

Let‘s take a data-driven look at how this component of a PS Plus membership shakes out in 2024:

Key takeaways:

• On average, PS Plus members receive 36 free games per year valued at $740. That‘s over $60 in savings monthly!
• Monthly game review scores consistently average 75+, meaning the quality is quite high rather than just throwaway titles.
• Franchise diversity continues to improve following complaints of too many indie games. 2023 already includes hits like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Apex Legends.
• PS5 / PS4 game allocation is now generally equal after PS4-only years early in the console‘s lifecycle.
• Downloading your monthly PS Plus games is simple via the PlayStation Store on your console or the mobile app. Just add to library each month and their yours forever!

With analysis like this, it‘s easy to see why consistent free game offerings are the #1 reason gamers subscribe to PlayStation Plus year after year.

Secure 1-month PS Plus Premium trials without entering payment details

As mentioned up top, direct 7-day PlayStation Plus free trials are no more. However, gamers continue uncovering techniques to access extended risk-free Premium subscriptions.

• Methods vary month-to-month, but popular techniques involve creating Hong Kong PSN accounts to redeem international wallet cards. Reddit and PS Deals forums feature constant updates.
• To avoid headaches I recommend waiting for confirmed reports of success before attempting to score 1-month Premium trials. Patience pays off!
• Why go through the hassle? Premium grants you not only 700+ streamable games via ex-PS Now, but also 340+ downloadable PS4 / PS5 titles – by far PlayStation‘s largest library.
• Yes, workarounds like above do violate PlayStation terms. I in no way condone or recommend illegal activity. This section is purely informative around industry realities.

The bottom line is PlayStation gamers continue innovating new techniques to test PlayStation Plus risk-free. While I don‘t advise explicitly jumping on bandwagons, the insight into "how the sausage gets made" is invaluable.

PlayStation Plus subscription options and pricing tiers

As experts like my Constitution Game Station audience know, the revamped PlayStation Plus program launched in June 2022 with three pricing tiers across Asia, Europe, and North America:

Reviewing the above table, you can see why PlayStation Plus Premium is the top tier for the ultimate gamer. But based on your personal preferences like multiplayer frequency or desired franchise access, both Extra and Essential provide solid value at lower price points.

For example. FIFA and Call of Duty diehards will be fine saving $3-8 per month with Essential. While RPG nuts like myself require Premium for all the Skyrim and Witcher titles ready to download. Choose the best match for your gaming lifestyle!

In conclusion…how to play today without paying for PlayStation Plus

While no longer offering an advertised 7-day trial period, you now have a complete guide to playing for free today across PlayStation 5 and 4:

• Mark your calendar for the next Free PS Plus Weekend event June 15-18, 2023. Enjoy unlimited multiplayer access all weekend long!
• Sign up for 25-day PlayStation premium trial offers exclusively for new subscribers. Then immediately turn off recurring billing to avoid being charged while enjoying up to a month of benefits.
• Start a 7-day PlayStation Now streaming trial through your new PlayStation Plus Premium membership. With 700+ games available and no payment details needed, why not check it out?
• Download this month‘s free PlayStation Plus games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Apex Legends, and more. Their yours to play forever as long as you maintain an active membership.

While not as convenient as a dedicated 7-day PS Plus trial, savvy gamers have more pathways than ever to access PlayStation‘s industry-leading service risk-free. I hope this thorough guide gives you confidence to jump in the world of PlayStation Plus in 2024!

Let me know which games you‘re looking forward to trying first via the comment section. And be sure to subscribe to Constitution Game Station below for exclusive early access to upcoming PlayStation announcements.