What is Minesweeper Plus? A Guide to the Newest Version
Minesweeper Plus is the paid subscription tier of Microsoft's official Minesweeper app. It removes the ads and adds a cleaner experience, but the gameplay underneath is identical to the free version. It is worth paying for if the ads bother you daily, and not worth it if you want ranked times or daily competition, which it does not provide.
If you've opened the Microsoft Minesweeper app lately, you might have seen a little badge that says "Plus." Maybe you wondered what it is, or whether you should pay for it. So let's break it all down in plain language.
Microsoft Minesweeper Plus is the premium subscription tier for the official Microsoft Minesweeper app on Windows and mobile. It's part of Microsoft Casual Games, the same folks who make Solitaire, Mahjong, and other classic games. For a monthly or yearly fee, you get an upgraded experience inside the app. But is it actually worth it? That depends on what you're looking for.
What Do You Get with Minesweeper Plus?
The free version of Microsoft Minesweeper works fine for casual play. But it comes with ads, and those ads show up a lot. Minesweeper Plus removes them. That alone is the biggest reason most people consider upgrading.
Beyond no ads, Plus also gives you access to extra themes and board skins, more Adventure Mode levels, and an overall cleaner experience. The app looks nicer, feels smoother, and doesn't interrupt you mid-game with a video ad.
Free vs Plus: What's the Difference?
Let's put it side by side so you can see exactly what changes when you upgrade.
Notice something? Neither version has real leaderboards or competitive daily challenges. And that's a pretty big gap if you actually want to improve and compete with other players. If you're curious how the Microsoft version stacks up to older versions overall, check out this Google vs Classic breakdown.
Is Minesweeper Plus Worth Paying For?
Honestly? It depends on your situation.
If you play inside the Microsoft app every single day and the ads drive you crazy, then yeah, paying to remove them makes sense. It's not super expensive, and the cleaner experience is genuinely nicer.
But if you're a more serious player who wants timed games, daily puzzles, and the ability to track your scores against others, Minesweeper Plus doesn't really give you that. You're paying for a better-looking app, not a better game.
A Free Alternative Worth Trying
Look, there's a reason a lot of players have moved over to browser-based Minesweeper. You can just free minesweeper right in your browser with zero ads, zero installs, and zero subscriptions. No Plus tier required.
Minesweeper.now is built for players who actually want to get better. It's got a daily puzzle where everyone plays the same board and your time goes on a global leaderboard. It's got a play no-guessing that only generates boards where every move can be solved with logic. And if you want to track your stats over time, you can sign up free in about ten seconds.
And if you want to actually sharpen your skills, the site has resources like best trainers that serious players actually use. There's even an algorithm guide that explains how fair boards get built, which is pretty cool if you've ever wondered why some games feel impossible.
So What's the Bottom Line?
Minesweeper Plus is a real product, and it does what it says. It removes ads and adds some polish to the Microsoft app. But it's not designed for competitive players. It doesn't offer daily puzzles, speed tracking against others, or any of the features that make Minesweeper genuinely replayable for people who love the game.
So if you're thinking about paying for a better Minesweeper experience, just make sure you're actually getting what you want. There's a lot you can do for free.
Try what you just read: Beginner Minesweeper · Intermediate Minesweeper · Expert Minesweeper · No-Guessing mode · Desafio Diário. For technique deep-dives, see the patterns guide, efficiency & 3BV/s guide e Minesweeper FAQ.
Run the numbers with the Minesweeper 3BV calculator, see how good your time is, or read more in the Minesweeper guides.