Best cloud gaming service: which one fits your games?

Start with GeForce NOW for supported PC games you already own, Xbox Cloud Gaming for a subscription catalogue, or Shadow PC for a full Windows setup. Those are different ways to buy access to games, so the best choice depends on what you want to play. The provider sections below explain the conditions behind each pick.

Check your games before paying. A huge catalogue is no use if the game you want to play is missing. Write down your three must-play games, the store where you own them and the device you'll use. That gives you a much better shortlist than a headline resolution.

This comparison covers three services and uses published provider information, most recently checked on 28 September 2026. We haven't measured their latency or image quality ourselves. Price examples are for the US where stated; local offers and availability can differ.

Links go directly to the service provider. We don't earn commission from these links.

These are recommendations based on the access models described below. They aren't performance rankings. Test the service on your connection before committing to a long subscription.

GeForce NOW: start here with an existing PC library

GeForce NOW supports games from connected PC stores, but ownership alone doesn't establish compatibility. Check the title, supported store and region. NVIDIA's current Performance and Ultimate plans include 100 hours per month, with up to 15 unused hours carried forward. Its Free tier is also available. These are NVIDIA's direct-service terms; partner offerings may differ. NVIDIA's membership FAQ

There's also a practical difference between Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play titles. The latter are eligible Steam games for premium members. They include 100GB of temporary session storage; keeping installations requires paid persistent storage. Games without Steam Cloud saves need that persistence to retain progress. Check this before starting a long campaign. NVIDIA's Install-to-Play explanation

If your shortlist is supported, start by trying the games you know well. Familiar camera movement and controls make it easier to judge whether you're happy playing through a stream. Paying for a higher tier should solve a need you've identified, such as a supported display mode or more suitable access conditions.

Xbox Cloud Gaming: check the games included with your plan

Xbox combines cloud access with an eligible Game Pass subscription. Selected owned games can also be streamed; check the cloud-playable list. Xbox Cloud Gaming plans and catalogue

PC Game Pass on its own does not include cloud gaming. Xbox's plan comparison

Monthly limits are coming. Xbox has announced that from November 2026, Game Pass plans will include a set number of cloud hours each month: 5 on Essential, 10 on Premium and 15 on Ultimate. After that, you'll be able to buy extra cloud playtime through the Xbox Store, but Xbox hasn't published the price yet. It also says hours, purchase options and features may vary by market. Xbox Wire, 3 September 2026

Fifteen hours a month works out at about half an hour a day. If you stream most evenings, compare the announced allowance with your real play time before paying for a longer Game Pass term.

If you already pay for Game Pass, check your existing entitlement before buying anything else. Then look up the games you want in the cloud catalogue rather than assuming everything available to download is streamable.

Shadow PC: for a Windows setup you manage yourself

Shadow provides a remote Windows PC where you install games and software. Plans differ by price, monthly playtime and maximum session length, and some US offers use a lower price for the first three months before renewing higher. Check the current offer, taxes and local availability before subscribing. Shadow's US offers

A Windows desktop doesn't mean every game works. Shadow publishes a list of games that are incompatible with Shadow PC, often because anti-cheat systems block virtual machines. Check your games against it before buying. Shadow's list of incompatible games

This is the option to investigate when you want more control over your Windows setup. That also means budgeting time for installations and managing available space.

Don't choose a full cloud PC just because its specification looks impressive. Write down what you need to install and whether you'll use it enough to justify the bill.

Work out the cost for the month you'll actually play

Start with the subscription's renewal price. Add any games you still need to buy, required storage and extra playtime you expect to need. Separate a short introductory offer from the recurring bill. For an annual plan, record both the upfront charge and its monthly equivalent.

Here's a made-up example to show the calculation, not a provider price: a $20 subscription plus a $30 game costs $50 in the first month. At 25 hours of play, that's $2 per hour. If the following month needs only the $20 subscription and you play another 25 hours, it costs $0.80 per hour.

Use the hours you expect to play in that calculation. Dividing by an allowance you'll barely use can make a subscription look better value than it is.

We haven't confirmed a reliable current subscription price for NVIDIA or Xbox from their public pages, so we link to their live offers instead of filling the gaps with old prices.

Check your setup before choosing a longer plan

Use the same device, controller and room you intend to play in. Try at the time you're usually online, especially if other people share your connection. Our cloud gaming requirements guide covers the bandwidth and device checks. The connection test guide gives you a repeatable way to record what happens.

If the game you care about feels frustrating during that test, don't buy a year on the assumption that you'll get used to it.

Narrowed it down to two?

• GeForce NOW vs Xbox Cloud Gaming: which fits your games?
• GeForce NOW vs Shadow PC: games or a full Windows PC?
• Xbox Cloud Gaming vs Shadow PC: which should you choose?

Read how we compare services for our evidence standards.