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Top 3 Cloud Gaming Services Compared – Which is Better?

Cloud gaming services are excellent because they don't require beefy hardware to run games. Instead, you can pay a monthly subscription price to have access to gaming. There are three primary cloud game streaming platforms, each with their focus.

PlayStation Now

PlayStation Now is a cloud gaming service for PlayStation 3 and some PlayStation 4 titles. There are over 700 games available, and you can access them using the PS Now app on a PlayStation 4 or PC.

PS Now is born from the ashes of Gaikai, a cloud gaming technology company Sony acquired back in 2012. PS Now allows users to play games through streaming rather than downloading them.

ps-now-2 Playstation Now | Credit: playstation.com

However, it does give players the option of downloading some PS4 games to a hard drive. Games downloaded to an HDD will only work so long as you have an active PS Now subscription. Please note, games are only downloadable on the PlayStation 4 platform. Windows PC users can only stream games.

Streaming games are delivered at 720p resolution, rather than 1080p or 4K. That doesn't make much a difference for older PS3 games, but it's noticeable when streaming PS4 games.

ps-now-1 Playstation Now | Credit: playstation.com

Slight lag and latency may also be an issue for fast-paced games like fighters or racing games. There's just a small delay between controller input that is noticeable when you're used to playing games locally without that lag.

Sony recommends gamers who are interested in PS Now have at least a 5Mbps connection. Sony also recommends using a wired connection on the PS4 or PC you'll use to stream games for the best performance.

Google Stadia

Google Stadia is Google's attempt at a cloud-based gaming platform that operates a bit differently. First up, the cost for entry is a lot lower than other consoles. The $130 starter kit makes games streamable to any smart TV, tablet, or smartphone.

Stadia runs in the Chrome browser on any computer that supports it. Windows, Mac, Linux, it doesn't matter as long as you can install Chrome. Any modern controller works with the platform, too. You can use PS4, Xbox, and even the Switch controller while playing in the browser.

googlestadia-7 Play Google Stadia on Smartphone | Credit: Twitter: @GoogleStadia

Playing on a smart TV requires a Chromecast Ultra and an official Stadia controller. For now, Stadia can be hacked to work on Android TV, but it does not support Android TV natively at this time.

Google also has a long list of currently supported Android smartphones that operate Stadia with no problems. Most Android smartphones manufactured since 2016 can run Stadia just fine. Unfortunately, Stadia does not support iOS at this time, and there's no app available.

googlestadia-2 Google Stadia | Credit: Twitter: @GoogleStadia

Google Stadia offers both a free and a Stadia Pro membership. The Pro membership costs $9.99 per month and delivers 4K HDR streaming and 5.1 surround sound.

Unfortunately, Google Stadia doesn't work like Netflix, where you can rent unlimited games. Users still have to buy the majority of the games they want to play. That high barrier to entry makes Google Stadia less appealing than some of the other cloud-based gaming options.

The $130 Stadia Premier Edition includes a Stadia controller, Chromecast Ultra for TV streaming, and three months of Stadia Pro. Stadia Pro provides access to monthly games, similar to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold. These games are only accessible as long as your Stadia membership is active.

googlestadia-8 Google Stadia Premier Edition | Credit: Twitter: @GoogleStadia

Google says users need a connection of at least 35Mbps to experience 4K streaming. That's significantly more than the PS Now requirement, but remember PS Now only streams at 720p vs. 4K with HDR support. Google's absolute minimum recommended speed for Stadia is 10Mbps for 720p gaming.

Google also claims in the future that Stadia will support 8K streaming, though that is far into the future for now. For now, Google Stadia is only available in the US, UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. Google says it will expand the services to other countries throughout the rest of this year.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW

The NVIDIA GeForce NOW cloud streaming service works a little differently than both PS Now and Google Stadia. GeForce NOW plays games on remotely hosted servers, but it doesn't sell you access to a library of games.

Instead, GeForce NOW links up with gamers' Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Origin, and Ubisoft Uplay accounts. It allows you to play games you already own on those digital storefronts. There's one minor caveat here, though; a publisher has to make it available on GeForce NOW.

nvidageforcenow-1 Nvidia GeForce Now | Credit: nvidia.com

Certain publishers like Activision and Bethesda have blocked their games from running on GeForce Now. That means you can't play the latest Call of Duty or Fallout 4 using GeForce NOW. Not all games are available, but there are thousands of games that do work with GeForce NOW.

The free GeForce NOW membership allows users to play any compatible games for an hour at a time. After an hour has passed, the server will kick you off. You can re-join the session if there's not a queue to get on the server. If there is a queue for free members, you can bypass this by paying $5/monthly to become a founder.

nvidageforcenow-2 Nvidia GeForce Now | Credit: nvidia.com

Paid members get extra session length, priority access to servers, and RTX streaming with ray-tracing support. NVIDIA says the $4.99/monthly cost is an introductory price for now. GeForce NOW Founders also get a three-month free trial before the first payment.

GeForce NOW is excellent for gamers who already have an extensive library of games on PC. Smaller indie games like Kenshi, Moonlighter, and Outward are all supported. Free-to-play games like Fortnite and League of Legends are also available. Streaming LoL to a smartphone is a great way to get in some game time while on the go.

Save files are stored in the cloud, so gamers can pick up where they left off. NVIDIA says GeForce NOW requires a minimum connection speed of 10Mbps and uses adaptive streaming technology. A connection of 50Mbps is recommended for stable 1080p gaming.

Honorable Mentions

Of course, Google Stadia, PS Now, and GeForce NOW aren't the only cloud streaming solutions on the block. If none of these services sound appealing, you might like one of these cloud gaming services instead.

Shadow

Don't want to rely on a massive service to handle your cloud gaming needs? Shadow turns a remote Windows 10 PC into your favorite streaming system for $14.99 a month. The service is only available as a pre-order right now, so we don't' know how well it performs.

The starter plan features 1080p streaming, a GTX 1080 card, and 256GB of storage space for installing games.

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass is similar to a cloud streaming service, but with downloadable games. It's a $15/monthly service that offers Xbox One and PC titles the same day as their global release. Some titles that have enjoyed XGP access include The Outer Worlds, Minecraft Dungeons, and even The Elder Scrolls Online.

The only caveat to Xbox Game Pass is that you'll need to download the games to your Xbox or PC. Xbox Game Pass isn't a streaming cloud service, even though it provides unlimited access to its catalog of games as long as you're a paying customer.

Project Cloud

Project xCloud is Microsoft's answer to PlayStation Now, though it is only available as a preview. It allows gamers to play over 50 Xbox games on their Android phone or tablet, streaming over WiFi. Users need an Android device, a compatible Xbox wireless controller, and a 10Mbps connection for Project xCloud.

The Future of Gaming

Cloud gaming technology has a ways to go before we can ditch console gaming. Even the top 3 pioneers have some improvements that could be made. However, cloud gaming is most definitely the way of the future. With on-demand gaming, the possibilities are endless which would offer the ultimate user experience.