Nintendo Switch Online vs Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack: which is right for you?
If you want to race against people from across the globe in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or visit your friend's island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you'll need to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online.
Previously, Nintendo only offered one subscription tier, but that's no longer the case thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack – a more premium option that comes with extra benefits.
Both subscription packages give you access to online multiplayer, so you can't go wrong with either one. However, there's a clear winner when it comes to price and value, depending on your needs.
Nintendo Switch Online launched on September 18, 2018. Online play was initially free on Nintendo Switch from March 3, 2017, to September 18, 2018, but now all users must pay a subscription fee.
Some free-to-play titles like Ninjala don't require a Nintendo Switch Online membership, but the vast majority of titles only let you play online if you've subscribed to Nintendo's service.
Thankfully, Nintendo Switch Online is relatively inexpensive. It costs $19.99 / £17.99 / AU$29.95 for a 12-month subscription, or users can choose to pay $7.99 / £6.99 / AU$11.95 for three months membership or $3.99 / £3.49 / AU$5.95 per month. A family membership for up to eight accounts is also available.
Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack launched on October 25, 2021, and is noticeably more expensive than the regular subscription service. A 12-month subscription, which is the only option available, costs $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95, but it does come with some additional benefits (which we'll outline below).
Interestingly, UK players are getting a somewhat better deal on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack; US Switch owners will have to pay roughly 2.5 times as
Read more on techradar.com
