OpenAI launches $100 ChatGPT Pro plan as Codex hits 3 million weekly users, targeting Claude Max
15 Sources
[1]
OpenAI Is Adding a $100-a-Month ChatGPT Subscription Because of Vibe Coding
Expertise Artificial intelligence, home energy, heating and cooling, home technology. Vibe coders who hit their ChatGPT usage limits too quickly on OpenAI's $20-a-month Plus plan no longer have to choose between waiting for a reset or splurging on a $200-a-month upgrade. The company on Thursday
[2]
ChatGPT rolls out new $100 Pro subscription to challenge Claude
OpenAI has rolled out a new Pro subscription that costs $100 and is in line with Claude's pricing, which also has a $100 subscription, in addition to the $200 Max monthly plan. Until now, OpenAI has offered three subscription tiers. First is Go, which costs approx $8, second is Plus for $20, and
[3]
OpenAI's new $100 ChatGPT Pro plan targets Claude Max with five times the Codex access
In short: OpenAI launched a new $100 per month Pro plan for ChatGPT on 9 April 2026, inserting a new tier between the existing $20 Plus plan and the $200 Pro plan and directly targeting Anthropic's Claude Max, which is also priced at $100 per month. The new plan offers five times more Codex usage
[4]
ChatGPT just got a 50% cheaper Pro plan to take on Anthropic's Claude
OpenAI is now directly competing with Anthropic, which also offers a $100 Claude plan. OpenAI has introduced a new $100-per-month ChatGPT plan, driven by the growing popularity of its coding tool, Codex. The update was confirmed by Sam Altman on X, saying, "It is very nice to see Codex getting so
[5]
OpenAI introduces $100/month Pro plan aimed at Codex users, here's what it includes - 9to5Mac
OpenAI is launching a revamped $100/month ChatGPT subscription aimed at Codex users. Here's how it compares to OpenAI's existing plans and what it includes. OpenAI introduced its Codex Mac app in February, giving developers new tools for agentic coding with artificial intelligence. The new
[6]
OpenAI Adds New $100/Month ChatGPT Subscription Tier for Heavier Codex Use
OpenAI today added a new subscription tier, which the company says is meant to support increasing Codex use. Codex is OpenAI's AI coding agent that's integrated into ChatGPT, and it competes with Anthropic's Claude Code. The new $100/month Pro tier provides 5x more Codex usage than the $20/month
[7]
ChatGPT's hidden backup model just got smarter -- as OpenAI adds a cheaper Pro option
OpenAI just quietly upgraded the fallback AI many ChatGPT users hit after rate limits, while also introducing a new $100 Pro tier * ChatGPT's hidden backup model just got smarter and it's a stealth upgrade that happens in the background * OpenAI also announced a new $100 Pro plan, shaking up who
[8]
OpenAI introduces ChatGPT Pro $100 tier with 5X usage limits for Codex compared to Plus
OpenAI is making moves to try and court more developers and vibe coders (those who build software using AI models and natural language) away from rivals like Anthropic. Today, the firm arguably most synonymous with the generative AI boom announced it will begin offering a new, more mid-range
[9]
ChatGPT just got a $100 plan, and it's not for everyone
Just when it felt like ChatGPT pricing couldn't get any more confusing, OpenAI has added yet another tier to the mix, and this one sits right in the middle with a neat $100/month price tag. And no, this isn't just a random new plan. It's very clearly aimed at a specific kind of user... the kind
[10]
OpenAI Just Cut ChatGPT Pro's Price in Half
This pricing change directly targets Anthropic's Claude Code, which also offers a $100-per-month plan. While ChatGPT may have kicked off the generative AI era we now live in, it is far from alone these days. There is steep competition from multiple companies in this space, including Google,
[11]
OpenAI launches new $100-a-month Pro plan for ChatGPT
OpenAI has introduced a new Pro plan priced at $100 per month for ChatGPT users, providing higher usage limits compared to the $20 monthly Plus plan. This new offering targets users who require more coding time through OpenAI's popular Codex application without the higher expense associated with
[12]
The gap between ChatGPT Plus and Pro just got a lot smaller - Phandroid
For a while, OpenAI's pricing lineup had a pretty obvious problem. You could pay $20 a month for Plus or jump all the way to $200 for Pro, with nothing in between. The new ChatGPT $100 plan changes that. OpenAI announced the new tier on Thursday, pitching it as a middle option for developers
[13]
OpenAI rolls out new ChatGPT Pro plan with Codex, Deep Research support
OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Pro plans for users who depend on AI to handle complex and high-stakes tasks. The plans are designed to provide higher usage limits along with access to advanced tools for research, coding, and content workflows. ChatGPT Pro is offered in two tiers with the same core
[14]
OpenAI launches $100 ChatGPT Pro tier for power developers
The group is accelerating its push into programming assistants with a new premium offering. This move comes amid intensifying competition with Anthropic. OpenAI has announced the launch of a ChatGPT Pro subscription priced at $100 per month, targeting users with intensive programming requirements.
[15]
OpenAI introduces new Pro tier for ChatGPT, targets heavy Codex users: All details
CEO Sam Altman says Codex has crossed 3 million weekly users, driving demand for higher limits OpenAI has officially announced its new mid-tier subscription plan for ChatGPT, specifically for users who rely heavily on its coding assistant, Codex. The new Pro tier costs $100 per month (around Rs
Share
Copy Link
OpenAI introduced a new $100-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan to address surging demand from developers using its Codex coding tool. The new subscription tier sits between the $20 Plus plan and the existing $200 Pro option, offering five times more Codex usage than Plus. The move directly challenges Anthropic's Claude Max, which is also priced at $100 monthly, as AI coding tools see explosive growth across the industry.
OpenAI Introduces $100-a-Month Pro Subscription to Fill Pricing Gap
OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT Pro plan priced at $100 per month on April 9, 2026, creating a middle ground between its $20 Plus plan and the existing $200 Pro tier
3
. The launch comes as the company's Codex coding tool crosses 3 million weekly users, representing a 5x increase in just three months with 70% month-over-month growth5
. Sam Altman confirmed the update on X, stating the new tier arrived "by very popular demand" as Codex continues gaining traction among developers4
.
Source: FoneArena
The new OpenAI subscription tier directly addresses a critical pain point for developers who found the $20 Plus plan too restrictive but considered the $200 option too expensive. AI coding tools require significantly more tokens—the basic unit of AI generation—than standard chat interactions, causing users to hit Codex usage limits well before their billing cycles end
1
. This pricing gap left many vibe coding enthusiasts choosing between waiting for resets or making a $180 jump in monthly costs.
Source: VentureBeat
Five Times More Codex Usage and Exclusive Model Access
The $100 ChatGPT Pro plan delivers five times more Codex usage compared to the Plus plan, specifically targeting what OpenAI describes as "longer, high-effort Codex sessions"
3
. As a launch promotion running through May 31, 2026, subscribers receive ten times the Codex usage of Plus, temporarily doubling the standard advantage5
. The $200 Pro plan remains available for users with high-volume coding demands, offering 20 times the Codex usage of Plus—four times more than the new $100 tier3
.Both Pro plans include access to the same core capabilities, with the primary difference being usage allowance rather than features. Subscribers to either tier gain access to the exclusive GPT-5.4 Pro model, unlimited use of GPT-5.4 Instant and GPT-5.4 Thinking models, and all other advanced features
5
. This means developers can access cutting-edge artificial intelligence capabilities without paying for the highest tier unless their usage patterns genuinely require it.
Source: Phandroid
Direct Challenge to Compete with Anthropic's Claude
OpenAI made no effort to obscure the competitive intent behind the new pricing. The $100 price point matches Anthropic's Claude Max 5x tier exactly, which also costs $100 per month and includes elevated limits for Claude Code, Anthropic's terminal-based agentic coding product
3
. Claude Code has become the fastest-growing segment of Anthropic's commercial portfolio, with an estimated $2.5 billion in annualized revenue by early 20263
.The timing proves particularly strategic. Just days before OpenAI's announcement, on April 4, 2026, Anthropic banned third-party agents from Claude Pro and Max subscriptions, forcing users who wanted to continue using external frameworks to pay separately under a new per-session system
3
. OpenAI's move went in the opposite direction, increasing Codex availability and temporarily doubling limits to mark the launch. According to OpenAI, the company claims its Codex tool delivers more coding capacity per dollar during heavy usage compared to competitors4
.Related Stories
Expanded Subscription Tiers Target Developers and Enterprises
ChatGPT pricing now includes six distinct tiers: a free account with advertising, an $8 per month Go plan, the $20 per month Plus plan, two versions of Pro at $100 and $200 per month, a $25 per user per month Business plan, and custom-priced Enterprise contracts
3
. The $200 Pro plan no longer appears prominently on ChatGPT's pricing page, though OpenAI confirmed to TechCrunch it remains available4
.This structure mirrors the broader AI competition landscape, where companies increasingly recognize that developers and enterprises represent distinct market segments requiring tailored solutions. OpenAI has realized it needs to pursue coders and enterprises with the same intensity as Anthropic's strategy
2
. The company rolled out a dedicated Codex app for macOS in February 2026, designed to move beyond line-by-line code generation into agentic, multi-task coding workflows that orchestrate multiple agents in parallel and handle instructions spanning hours rather than seconds3
.To celebrate reaching 3 million weekly Codex users on April 8, 2026, Sam Altman announced OpenAI would reset Codex usage limits across all plans and commit to repeating the reset for every additional million users until Codex reaches 10 million weekly users
3
. This gesture signals OpenAI's commitment to supporting the developer community as it scales its AI coding tools infrastructure to meet surging demand.References
Summarized by
Navi
[2]
[3]
[4]
Related Stories
OpenAI tests ChatGPT Pro Lite at $100 per month, bridging gap between Plus and Pro tiers
23 Feb 2026•Business and Economy
Anthropic Launches Claude Max: A $200 Monthly AI Plan for Power Users
10 Apr 2025•Business and Economy
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Pro: A $200 Monthly Subscription for Advanced AI Capabilities
06 Dec 2024•Technology
Recent Highlights
1
OpenAI Claims AI Math Breakthrough on Navier-Stokes, Sparks Controversy Over Credit and Future of Research
Science and Research
2
Anthropic Researcher Quits, Warns Self-Improving AI Poses Existential Risk to Humanity
Policy and Regulation
3
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Declares AGI Has Arrived With OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra Release
Technology
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
