Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
When ChatGPT first launched over two years ago, the AI chatbot was met with such high demand that OpenAI introduced a premium plan called ChatGPT Plus. This plan guaranteed access to the chatbot even during blackout periods. ChatGPT Plus perks also included access to OpenAI's most advanced models, making the $20 plan almost a no-brainer for superusers. However, as OpenAI's offerings have evolved over the past couple of years, so have its plans.
Also: How ChatGPT could replace the internet as we know it
If you consider yourself an AI power user or are looking to get the most out of your AI usage, you're likely wondering which ChatGPT tier you should try. In this guide, we'll help you decide whether a free plan, ChatGPT Plus, or a $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro subscription is the best fit for you.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
You should use ChatGPT Plus if...
ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month. You're probably asking yourself: Why pay when you can use it for free? There are five main advantages, but the TL;DR is that the free tier has heavy usage limits, and the Plus tier gets you the latest features and models first.
If you only use ChatGPT now and then for fun, it's not worth subscribing. But if you use it for work, writing, creating images, using it as a search engine, or you find yourself opening the app all day, every day, then subscribing is likely a good idea.
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
1. You want access to legacy models
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