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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- OpenAI just made ChatGPT Go available in the US.
- The lighter version of ChatGPT’s subscription costs $8 a month.
- Aside from the free version, OpenAI now offers three paid tiers.
After testing a lighter subscription in India for four months, OpenAI just released ChatGPT Go in the US. This light version of the subscription-based ChatGPT Plus includes everything you get with the free version, plus extra perks, like unlimited chats with GPT-5.2 Instant. Users can now find the option to sign up for Go when they upgrade their ChatGPT plan.
(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.)
Compared to the free version of ChatGPT, the Go version includes unlimited chat access to GPT-5.2 Instant, the ability to create more images and upload more files, longer memory with a larger context window, access to extra features, and extended access to advanced data analysis. Among the extra features that ChatGPT Go users can access are projects, tasks, and custom GPTs.
Also: Is ChatGPT Plus worth your $20? I compared it to Free and Pro plans, and here’s my advice
True to its modus operandi, OpenAI doesn’t specify by how much the usage limits are higher for Go than for the free tier. The company said the usage limits are higher for core chat and tools, but they may vary based on system conditions and are subject to abuse safeguards.
The addition of ChatGPT Go means that there are now three paid tiers for the AI chatbot. All billed monthly, the Go tier costs $8, the Plus tier costs $20, and the Pro tier costs $200.
| Tier | Monthly price | Model |
| ChatGPT | Free | GPT 5.2 |
| ChatGPT Go | $8 | GPT 5.2 Instant |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | GPT 5.2 Thinking, legacy, Codex |
| ChatGPT Pro | $200 | GPT 5.2 Pro |
Simply put, while the free version of ChatGPT is built to handle everyday tasks, an upgrade to ChatGPT Go would give users the ability to use the chatbot for longer periods, including generating more images, though not access to Sora. ChatGPT Plus, in turn, is better suited to handle more complex requests, gives users access to Sora and legacy models, and is best for people who use the chatbot daily and need to use it for longer periods.
The $200-a-month ChatGPT Pro subscription is geared toward what OpenAI calls “AI power users pushing the limits of advanced intelligence.” This tier includes GPT-5.2 Pro, maximum memory and context, and access to early previews of the latest features.
If you’d like to check out ChatGPT Go, you can log into your OpenAI account on the ChatGPT website and click your profile icon. Once there, choose Upgrade Plan and select Try Go to get started.
