If you needed a subscription for that then I think people would be complaining about the default method of saving the console uses lol.
The difference between Game Pass and Gold is that Game Pass allows you to access a library of games that you can download and play at any time as long as the subscription is active, while Gold allows you to play games online unless the game is free to play. Both include some subscription-specific discounts as well.
Game Pass Ultimate basically packages Game Pass, Gold, and the EA Play Subscription at once.