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Is ChatGPT free, and does it show ads?

By LookedApp · Published · Updated

ChatGPT has a free plan, and since Feb 9, 2026 OpenAI has been testing ads on Free and Go in the US. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu don't get ads.

Where ads show up

OpenAI's ads article says the test is rolling out gradually to eligible Free and Go users in select regions. Eligible users are told in the app.

  • An ad appears below a ChatGPT response, as one unit that can contain one or several images. OpenAI is also testing a multi-image ad during image generation.
  • Ads are labeled and shown separately from the answer. OpenAI says they don't influence what ChatGPT replies.
  • Temporary Chats don't show ads. The article says ads aren't eligible to appear near sensitive topics such as personal health, mental health or politics, and political advertising isn't allowed.

What ads use, and what advertisers get

The ad system uses the context of your current conversation plus basic things like general location and language. With personalization on, it can also use past chats, memory, and how you've interacted with ads. OpenAI says it doesn't share your conversations with advertisers and never sells your data to them. Advertisers get aggregated numbers such as views and clicks.

Controls

In Settings > Ad Controls (Free and Go users where ads are available) you can turn off personalization, dismiss ads, see why you got one, and clear ads data, which OpenAI says it removes within 30 days. Turning personalization off still leaves ads based on the current chat.

Getting rid of ads

On Free, go to Settings > Ads controls > Change plan to go ad-free > Reduce message limits, then confirm. That removes ads but lowers your limits and cuts tool access, such as image generation and deep research. Go subscribers can't use this; they'd have to switch to Free, or move to Plus or Pro. You can switch back from the same menu or from the rate-limit banner. Plus and Pro have no ads without the lower limits. The options show only in regions where ads are being tested.

What Free includes

OpenAI's Free Tier FAQ says free users get unlimited everyday text chats, subject to abuse-prevention safeguards. These have their own, separate limits:

  • file and image uploads
  • image creation
  • data analysis
  • voice and other tools

ChatGPT tells you when you hit one, and the reset time shows in the product. Free users can search the web, use existing GPTs, and keep up to 500 MB in Library. Creating new GPTs isn't available on any personal plan. OpenAI notes the default model and limits can change.

A free chat can also fill up. The FAQ says a full chat isn't a message count: long replies take more room than short ones, and you can start a new chat right away.

Prices and store labels

On the U.S. App Store, as of Nov 8, 2026, ChatGPT Go is $8.00 and Plus is $19.99, with Pro tiers at $100, $200 and $500, all as in-app purchases. Prices on OpenAI's website may differ. Google Play labels the app "Contains ads" and "In-app purchases," and the App Store lists Advertising under "Contains."

On OpenAI's pricing page, only the Go card carries the line "This plan may include ads"; the Free card doesn't mention ads, though the help article says Free can show them.

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