How to Activate the Nintendo Switch Online Free Trial in 2025

If you have a Nintendo Switch (or plan to get a Nintendo Switch 2), you’re probably familiar with Nintendo Switch Online. Beyond being essential for accessing multiplayer features and playing online with friends in popular games, it’s also one of the best ways to enjoy over four decades of classic Nintendo games, including titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and (with the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2) the new GameCube libraries.

If you haven’t tried Nintendo Switch Online yet, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ll walk you through how to activate the free trial, explain the different subscription tiers, share pricing details, and more.

Does Nintendo Switch Online Have a Free Trial?Yes, Nintendo offers a seven-day free trial for Nintendo Switch Online, giving you access to online play for your Nintendo Switch (and eventually Nintendo Switch 2 games), cloud backup for your save data, select game soundtracks on Nintendo Music, and a library of over 100 NES, SNES, and Game Boy games.

Nintendo Switch Online Free Trial

Seven days free, then renewed at a monthly rate of $3.99. No Expansion Pack benefits are included.

Click the link above to sign up for the free trial. After your trial period ends, you’ll be automatically charged for your subscription if it’s not canceled.

What Is Nintendo Switch Online?Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based service offered by Nintendo for use with Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. As the name suggests, it lets you enjoy online multiplayer and additional features for supported games, along with automatically backing up your save data to the cloud.

But online play isn’t the only benefit. With a subscription, you’ll also gain access to a growing catalog of Nintendo Classics spanning over 40 years. The standard subscription includes a curated collection of NES, SNES, and Game Boy games, while the Expansion Pack adds Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Genesis games. For Nintendo Switch 2 owners, you’ll also be able to play select GameCube games at launch with the Expansion Pack subscription tier.

Nintendo Switch Online 12 Month Individual Membership + Expansion Pack eGift Card

Along with the retro game catalog, Nintendo launched the new Nintendo Music app in late 2024. It allows you to stream and download your favorite tracks from a wide range of franchises, including Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Metroid, and many more.

How Much Does Nintendo Switch Online Cost?Nintendo Switch Online is available as an individual plan or a family plan that supports up to eight accounts. Individual plans will run you $3.99 per month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 per year. Family plans are only available annually, priced at $34.99 per year.

Nintendo Switch Online

Compare plans, prices, and perks

The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which adds additional Nintendo Classics and specific game DLC packs, is available as an annual subscription only. It costs $49.99 per year for individual subscribers and $79.99 per year for family memberships.

How to Use Nintendo Switch Online – Available PlatformsNintendo Switch Online is primarily available on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 systems. However, with the recent addition of the Nintendo Music app, its benefits are now technically accessible on mobile devices as well.

Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

Originally posted:

Apr 5, 2025 1:30 pm