Are ChatGPT Plus or Pro worth it? Here's how they compare to the free version

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: How to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus (and 7 reasons why you should)

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 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 o1 (and more o3-mini queries)

If you use ChatGPT for tasks that could benefit from advanced reasoning, you’ll want to take advantage of the o1 model, released in December 2024. This model is the full version of o1-preview, which was introduced in early September and was already known for its “think before you speak” approach, producing high-quality responses to complex prompts (math, coding, etc.).

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• The latest stats: According to OpenAI, the full version of o1 makes 34% fewer mistakes than o1-preview while also thinking about 50% faster.
• Availability: Free users do not have access to o1-preview or o1, as both are limited to paying subscribers (including ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro).

In January 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the free tier would soon get o3-mini, a next-generation model in the o-family. Plus users will also get to enjoy a much more generous daily allowance of o3-mini queries (100 queries per day), making it perfect for anyone who wants frequent, high-powered reasoning without stepping up to a Pro subscription.

2. You want to try Advanced Voice

All ChatGPT Plus subscribers now have access to the Advanced Voice feature in their accounts. Although still in an early phase and missing some bells and whistles teased in May, the voice assistant can:

• Be interrupted mid-sentence by a user.
• Adjust its responses based on perceived emotions in the user’s tone.

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 its larger than the free version. 

3. You want to generate multiple images using DALL-E 3

OpenAI reserves its most capable image generator (via DALL-E 3) for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers. Free users can generate a handful of images daily, but they’re subject to a strict limit. 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…”

Also: My favorite ChatGPT feature just got way more powerful

With the standalone DALL-E 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 o1 and Advanced Voice, but there’s even more:

Also: ChatGPT has officially replaced Google Search for me – here’s why

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 to their daily workflows.

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 o1, o1-mini, GPT-4, and Advanced Voice.
• Higher limits for video and screen sharing when using Voice Mode.
• Extended access to Sora video generation, letting you produce more AI video content.
• Access to the Operator research preview (currently US only).

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 o1, GPT-4o, and voice 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

Since GPT-4 rolled out to free users, a Plus subscription has become 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 
• Web browsing capabilities for timely info and sources (limited usage) 
• Image generation via DALL-E 3 (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

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In January 2025, OpenAI’s CEO announced that o3-mini would soon be available on the free tier (albeit with limited daily queries). This will bring even more advanced reasoning to casual users at no cost.

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.

What’s the latest update for ChatGPT Plus?

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, took to X (formerly Twitter) in January 2025 to share that ChatGPT’s free-tier users will now gain access to an advanced model (o3-mini) — even if in a limited capacity — and that Plus users will get 100 daily queries of o3-mini. Plus users can also look forward to Operator access and the next agent in the near future.

ok we heard y’all.
*plus tier will get 100 o3-mini queries per DAY (!)
*we will bring operator to plus tier as soon as we can
*our next agent will launch with availability in the plus tier
enjoy 😊 https://t.co/w8sFsq6mI1

— Sam Altman (@sama) January 25, 2025

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:

Plan	Monthly price	What you get…
Free	$0	Basic access to ChatGPT features with daily usage limits, now including upcoming access to o3-mini (as recently announced by Sam Altman).
Plus	$20	Everything in Free plus extended limits on messaging, file uploads, advanced data analysis, and image generation. Limited access to o1 and o1-mini. Standard and advanced voice mode. Opportunities to test new features. Ability to create and use custom GPTs.
Pro	$200	Everything in Plus, with unlimited access to o1, o1-mini, GPT-4o, and voice (audio only). Higher limits for video and screensharing in voice. Access to o1 pro mode (the most powerful o1 model). Extended access to Sora video generation. Access to Operator research preview (US only).

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). Altman did say Plus users will soon get access to Operator, however, and OpenAI’s next agent upon launch.

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/screensharing) without hitting limits. 

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

We can (and have) written entire articles on this, but here’s a quick answer:

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• GPT-4/GPT-4o are advanced language models with multimodal capabilities.
• o1 is a specialized family of models designed for stronger reasoning (with o1 pro mode being the most powerful).
• o3-mini is 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.