GPT-5 Is Live for Everyone — But Paying Users Are Not Happy With the New Limits

In a surprising move, OpenAI has officially launched GPT-5, its most advanced AI model yet — and made it available to all ChatGPT users, including those on the free tier. The model brings major improvements in reasoning, coding, and tool integration, with responses that feel sharper, more insightful, and better at solving complex tasks.

But while the expansion sounds generous, ChatGPT Plus subscribers are raising concerns. Despite paying $20/month for premium access, many feel they’ve been downgraded, not upgraded — thanks to strict new usage caps that limit how often they can use the most powerful features.

🔑 How GPT-5 Access Works by Tier

OpenAI is rolling out GPT-5 with a tiered access model, where smarter responses come with tighter restrictions depending on your plan:

Free Users

• Up to 10 GPT-5 messages every 5 hours
• After hitting the limit, ChatGPT switches to GPT-5 mini (a lighter, faster version)
• Only 1 “GPT-5 Thinking” message per day — the high-intelligence mode for deep analysis

ChatGPT Plus & Team

• Up to 80 GPT-5 messages every 3 hours
• After the limit, defaults to GPT-5 mini
• Can manually select GPT-5 Thinking, but limited to 200 messages per week

ChatGPT Pro

• Unlimited access to all GPT-5 models, including GPT-5 Thinking
• No message caps — full priority access

This new structure means that for the first time, even paying users face hard weekly limits on the most capable AI functions.

💢 Why Plus Users Are Frustrated

The backlash is growing fast — and it’s not just about numbers. It’s about expectations vs. reality.

Before GPT-5, Plus users had unlimited access to powerful models like o3 and o4-mini, including high-intelligence “thinking” modes that could deeply analyze code, documents, or complex queries. Now, they’re restricted to just 200 uses of GPT-5 Thinking per week — and no clear way to track how many they’ve used.

Many report being cut off mid-task, forced to simplify prompts, or losing access to advanced reasoning just days into the billing cycle.

“ChatGPT literally got worse for every single Plus user today.”
— @scaling01 (X user)

“We went from solid daily limits on capable models to a super restrictive cap? This is a huge nerf.”
— @HCSolakoglu (X user)

The sentiment is clear: Paying users feel penalized for using the tool they pay for.

⚖️ The Trade-Off: Accessibility vs. Premium Value

OpenAI’s decision makes sense from a technical standpoint. GPT-5 is extremely resource-intensive, requiring far more computing power than previous models. By limiting usage, the company can:

• Prevent server overload
• Ensure fair access across millions of users
• Encourage adoption of the new Pro tier ($200/month) for power users

But for Plus subscribers, the message feels like: “You’re no longer the top tier — you’re the middle option.”

And with no transparency around usage tracking or reset times, the experience feels less reliable and more frustrating than before.

🛠️ Workarounds (For Now)

Until OpenAI adjusts the limits, Plus users have limited options:

• Use explicit prompting like “Think step by step” or “Use deep reasoning” to encourage longer internal processing.
• Reserve GPT-5 Thinking for high-priority tasks.
• Monitor your usage manually to avoid hitting the 200-message cap early in the week.

But these are band-aids, not solutions — and many users say it defeats the purpose of paying for “premium” access.

🔮 What’s Next for ChatGPT Subscribers?

The big question: Will OpenAI listen to the feedback?
Right now, the writing is on the wall:

• Free users win — they now have access to GPT-5, something previously unthinkable.
• Pro users win — unlimited access justifies the high price for enterprises and developers.
• Plus users are stuck in the middle — paying for access they can’t fully use.

If OpenAI wants to keep Plus as a viable tier, it may need to:

• Increase the weekly Thinking limit
• Add usage tracking in the UI
• Offer rollover messages or flexible plans

Otherwise, many may start asking: “Why not just stay on free — or jump to Pro?”

✅ Final Thoughts

GPT-5 is a leap forward in AI capability — but its rollout highlights a growing tension in AI services: how to balance innovation, accessibility, and fairness to paying customers.

While giving free users a taste of GPT-5 is a bold move, undermining the Plus experience risks alienating the very users who helped build ChatGPT’s success. OpenAI may have opened the doors wider — but it can’t afford to make its loyal subscribers feel like second-class users.