When ChatGPT first launched 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. The plan's perks also included access to OpenAI's most advanced models, which at the time included GPT-4, making the$20 plan almost a no-brainer for superusers. However, as OpenAI's offerings have continued to grow over the past few years, so have its plans.

Also:ChatGPT's subscribers and revenue soar in 2025 - here's why

If you consider yourself an AI superuser, 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.

You should use ChatGPT Plus if...

1. You want to access Deep Research

OpenAI launched its Deep Research feature in February, and it is perhaps one of the most powerful ChatGPT features. With Deep Research, users can have the AI agent conduct multi-step research for them by pulling a robust amount of information from the web and synthesizing those sources for them in a comprehensive report.

Also:OpenAI's Deep Research can save you hours of work - and now it's a lot cheaper to access

Because of its agentic capabilities, Deep Research can work entirely independently, working like a research analyst at your command. Most impressively, it can create a detailed research report for you in five to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the task.

The reports are comprehensive, including embedded images with citations in the output, and are better at understanding uploaded files. Every report also includes clear citations and a summary of the agent's thinking so that users can double-check the information for themselves. This work would otherwise take humans hours.

Currently, this feature is only available for ChatGPT Plus users.

2. You want Advanced Voice Mode

All ChatGPT Plus subscribers now have access to the Advanced Voice Mode in their accounts. The voice assistant is a really powerful tool that takes AI voice assistants to the next level. It can:

• Be interrupted mid-sentence by a user.
• Adjust its responses based on perceived emotions in the user's tone.
• Support video and screen sharing for visual assistance.

Also:How to use ChatGPT's Voice Mode (and why you'll want to)

Meanwhile, free users can only access a limited monthly preview of Advanced Voice, so if you're on that tier, you'll run into usage caps. If having a more advanced voice conversation with ChatGPT is important to you -- and you don't want to be cut off by usage limits -- the$20-per-month Plus subscription might be the best path forward. It still has limits, but OpenAI doesn't specify what they are, other than it's larger than the free version.

3. You want to generate multiple images using the new GPT-4o model

OpenAI just released its most capable image generator, GPT-4o. The model can tackle complex tasks such as realistic human generations and texts. However, free users can only generate a handful of images daily, while Plus and Pro users have much higher limits.

Also:ChatGPT's new image generator shattered my expectations - and now it's free to try

If you're on the Free tier and rely heavily on image creation, you'll likely see a message like: "You've reached your image creation limit. Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus or try again tomorrow..." With the standalone image generator experience discontinued, ChatGPT is the only way to generate unlimited images using OpenAI's latest image models. So, if you need frequent or large-scale image outputs, ChatGPT Plus is an easy choice.

4. You want all of OpenAI's latest and greatest features first

Subscribing to ChatGPT Plus grants you priority access to OpenAI's newest tools well before they reach the free tier. We've already mentioned perks such as GPT-4o image generation and Advanced Voice, but there's even more:

Also: I mapped my iPhone's Control Button to ChatGPT - here are 5 ways I use it everyday

• Higher limits on advanced features:With a Plus account, users can access extended limits on messaging, file uploads, and data analysis, in addition to image generation, as mentioned above.
• Reasoning models:OpenAI's reasoning models were trained to "think before they speak" and, as a result, can provide higher-quality answers. ChatGPT Plus users have access to o3?mini, o3?mini?high, and o1.
• Sora video generation:Plus, users have limited access to Sora, OpenAI's state-of-the-art text-to-video generator.

If you don't want to miss out on the latest ChatGPT features, the Plus tier is an easy choice. Historically, OpenAI has released new features to Plus subscribers first, giving subscribers a head start over Free tier users and an edge in their daily workflows.

5. You are a student (free access)

In April, OpenAI announced it would make its ChatGPT Plus subscription free for all students in the US and Canada through the end of May. Therefore, if you have been interested in the plan and are a student, right now is the best time to see how it fits in and upgrades your workflow.

Also: ChatGPT Plus is free for students now - how to grab this deal before finals

Full and part-time students at degree-granting schools can claim the free ChatGPT Plus offer starting now at the ChatGPT Students landing page.

You should use ChatGPT Pro if...

1. You want everything ChatGPT Plus has at a greater scale

Every single ChatGPT Plus perk applies to ChatGPT Pro users, but with far fewer usage constraints and additional exclusive features. That includes:

• "Unlimited" access to all reasoning models, GPT-4o, and Advanced Voice.
• Higher limits for video and screen sharing when using Voice Mode.
• Extended access to Sora video generation and Deep Research.
• Access to the Operator research preview (currently US only) and o1 pro mode.

Also: Operator isn't worth its$200-per-month ChatGPT Pro subscription yet - here's why

Meanwhile, ChatGPT Plus offers extended (but still capped) access to many advanced features. Pro users rarely bump into usage limits and can really maximize the full potential of these new tools.

2. You want access to o1 pro mode

The biggest selling point of ChatGPT Pro is o1 pro mode. Introduced in December 2024, o1 pro mode uses more computing resources to tackle especially hard math, science, or coding problems. Here's why it stands out:

Also: What is ChatGPT Pro? Here's what$200 per month gets you

• Increased reliability and accuracy:It ranks well on advanced ML benchmarks across math, science, and coding, even under a stricter evaluation (must be correct 4 out of 4 times).
• Substantially outperforms o1-preview and standard o1, making it a good choice for users who need the most powerful reasoning engine possible.

If you routinely solve intricate computational tasks, design complex algorithms, or conduct research that pushes AI to its limits, o1 pro mode will give you the best answers possible.

You should use free ChatGPT if...

1. You don't want to pay a monthly fee

The free subscription includes many competitive features, making a Plus subscription less necessary for many features that were once paywalled. Free ChatGPT users now have access to:

• GPT-4o mini and limited access to GPT-4o and o3-mini
• Web browsing capabilities for timely info and sources
• Image generation via GPT-4o (with a daily limit)
• Advanced data analysis tools (limited usage)
• File and photo uploads for in-chat discussions (limited usage)
• Use custom GPTs in the GPT Store

If you only need occasional AI assistance -- and do not mind daily usage caps -- the free tier should serve you well. It's still surprisingly robust and now includes many advanced features that were once behind a paywall.

2. You're a casual ChatGPT user

If you find yourself rarely hitting the daily usage limits for text, voice, or image generation, upgrading might not be necessary. The free version provides enough headroom for light interactions, whether you're asking a few questions per day, generating a handful of images, or briefly exploring advanced data analysis.

Also: I spent hours testing ChatGPT Tasks -- and its refusal to follow directions was mildly terrifying

However, if you frequently receive messages about hitting your limits (for text, voice, or images), that's your cue to consider ChatGPT Plus. There's also the ChatGPT Pro tier for superusers who need the highest capacity and specialized features, but Plus is a more affordable middle ground.

Ultimately, if your needs are minimal and you're not bothered by the occasional limit notification, sticking with the free tier is perfectly fine.

How much do ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro cost?

As of January 2025, here are the ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro pricing tiers and how they differ:

Does ChatGPT Pro include all Plus features, plus more?

Exactly. Pro contains everything in Plus -- unlimited or higher limits on certain features -- plus exclusive access to o1 pro mode, Sora video generation, and the Operator research preview (US only).

Do ChatGPT Pro users experience downtime or blackout periods?

Pro subscribers have the highest priority for uptime, making downtime extremely rare. However, no tier can guarantee 100% uptime if OpenAI undergoes major outages or scheduled maintenance.

Is Advanced Voice the same in Plus and Pro?

Both tiers have Advanced Voice features, but Pro users can make more frequent and extended use of voice (including video and screen sharing) without hitting limits.

What is the difference between GPT-4o, o1, and o3-mini?

We have written entire articles on this, but here's a quick answer:

Also: The best AI chatbots

• GPT-4oare advanced language models with multimodal capabilities.
• o1is a specialized family of models designed for stronger reasoning (with o1 pro mode being the most powerful).
• o3-miniis the next-gen model announced for the free tier (with generous daily queries for Plus/Pro), offering improved speed and reasoning over previous mini models.

If you upgrade to Plus, can you later switch to Pro?

Yes. You can upgrade from Plus to Pro at any time through your account settings. Your billing date may adjust based on when you switch.

How to get early access to new ChatGPT features on the free tier

Unfortunately, free users typically must wait until OpenAI rolls them out publicly. Plus and Pro subscribers receive early or exclusive testing opportunities before features reach the free plan.

Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with ourTech Today newsletter.

Artificial Intelligence

The best AI for coding in 2025 (and what not to use - including DeepSeek R1)

I tested DeepSeek's R1 and V3 coding skills - and we're not all doomed (yet)

How to remove Copilot from your Microsoft 365 plan

How to install an LLM on MacOS (and why you should)

• The best AI for coding in 2025 (and what not to use - including DeepSeek R1)
• I tested DeepSeek's R1 and V3 coding skills - and we're not all doomed (yet)
• How to remove Copilot from your Microsoft 365 plan
• How to install an LLM on MacOS (and why you should)