Is Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer Free? No - Xbox Live Gold Required

No. Xbox Live Gold subscription is required for online multiplayer on Xbox 360.

• Xbox Live Gold: Paid; enables online multiplayer, Games with Gold (free monthly games), discounts, cloud saves.
• Xbox Live Silver (Free): Only allows marketplace access, apps (Netflix, etc.), no multiplayer.

To play online on Xbox 360, you must have an active Gold membership.