ChatGPT, OpenAI’s versatile AI chatbot, has gone through multiple evolutions since its rapturous launch in November 2022.
Having started life as a writing assistant that could also code, ChatGPT has transformed into a multimodal powerhouse, with the ability to spout text, audio, and images. Soon, it will also be able to turn descriptions into stunning, ultra-realistic videos with the help of its sister AI model, Sora.
And, thanks to OpenAI’s partnership with Apple, ChatGPT is now baked into iPhones, putting it in the hands of billions of users worldwide. There’s really no escaping the digital helper.
How much is ChatGPT?
Along the way, however, ChatGPT has fragmented into three separate tiers. There’s the free version used by the majority of users, along with two subscription plans: ChatGPT Plus for $20 (£15.74) per month, and ChatGPT Pro for a whopping $200 (£157.37) per month. These come with perks like unrestricted, priority access and the latest features.
So, should you stick with the complimentary option or start paying for extra benefits? To help you decide, here’s a rundown of what you get with each plan.
ChatGPT vs ChatGPT Plus vs ChatGPT Pro
As of May 2024, ChatGPT runs on GPT-4o, OpenAI's flagship "omni" model. The upgrade means it can now respond faster, understand additional languages, and speak more like a digital assistant.
What are ChatGPT’s rate limits?
Although GPT-4o is available across all three ChatGPT tiers, both the free and Plus plans put a cap on how many interactions you can have with the bot. These are known as rate limits and ensure that OpenAI’s servers aren’t overloaded.
To make life a little harder, these restrictions are shrouded in secrecy, particularly for the free version. On Reddit, users have shared messages they’ve received from OpenAI suggesting that Plus subscribers can send 80 messages every three hours on GPT-4o, with additional restrictions during peak hours.
Seeing as OpenAI previously revealed that paid users get five times the rate limits of everyone else, we can deduce that free users can send roughly 16 messages to GPT-4o every three hours. Due to the low cap, frequent users will probably hit that ceiling in no time.
To make matters worse, some users have noticed that their limits are even lower, though this could be due to those throttling issues during peak hours. When you use up all your free messages, ChatGPT will revert back to GPT-4o Mini, a scaled-down version of the bot that is slightly less capable.
ChatGPT Pro users, on the other hand, get unrestrained access to GPT-4o and two additional variants: the relatively fresh o1 and o1-Mini. OpenAI says these newer models can give smarter answers by deliberating on your questions by using more raw power (or compute).
The o1 reasoning model also includes a pro mode that can handle “the hardest questions”, according to the firm.
What features do paying users get?
Along with increased rate limits, Plus users also receive higher usage limits on file uploads, advanced data analysis and image generation.
In addition, paying members can talk to the chatbot using advanced voice mode, which offers more fluid conversations compared to the standard voice mode available to everyone else.
And, while free users can only use custom bots built by others, Plus users can create, share and sell their own GPTs. Pro users, meanwhile, get all of the above without any of the impediments.
When it launches in the UK, the Sora AI video generator will also be available to users who pay for the premium service.
However, ChatGPT Pro users get more advanced features than Plus, including 500 1080p videos (versus 50 at 480p and 720p) at up to 20-second durations (versus five seconds).
