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Is ChatGPT free in the UK?
Short answer
Yes. ChatGPT has a free plan in the UK with unlimited everyday text chats, subject to OpenAI's abuse safeguards, plus limited uploads, image creation, voice and deep research. Paid plans (Go, Plus and Pro for individuals; Business and Enterprise for teams) raise those limits. OpenAI's help centre lists Plus at $20 a month.
What the free plan includes
From OpenAI's pricing page on 17 October 2026, the free plan gives you:
- Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails)
- Limited messages with uploads, limited image creation and limited voice chats
- Limited deep research, memory and file analysis
- Access on the web, iPhone and Android
The free plan may show ads in some countries. For most sole traders, free is enough to draft a few emails, quotes and posts a day.
What the paid plans add
| Plan | Who it's for | Published price | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Anyone | £0 | Everyday chats, limited tools |
| Go | Individuals | Not published on the help page; shown at checkout | More messages with tools, uploads, images and memory. May include ads |
| Plus | Individuals | $20 a month, billed monthly (OpenAI help) | Advanced reasoning models, more uploads and research, projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs |
| Pro | Heavy users | See pricing page | Highest limits and Pro models |
| Business | Teams of 2+ | Priced per user per month | Shared workspace, admin controls; OpenAI doesn't train on business workspace content by default |
OpenAI says purchases are in US dollars, with local-currency billing in a limited set of countries, so check the amount on the upgrade screen before you pay. There's no annual option for Go, Plus or Pro.
Should you pay?
Pay only if you keep hitting limits in working hours, need longer documents, or want staff to share one workspace. Put the monthly cost into our AI tool break-even calculator with the hours it saves you. Our guide to free vs paid ChatGPT for small businesses goes through it in more detail.
Related questions
Can I use ChatGPT without an account?
Yes, OpenAI allows signed-out use, but you won't keep chat history across devices. If you use it signed out, you can still turn off model training in Settings for that browser.
Is the ChatGPT app free?
The official app from OpenAI is free to download and uses the same free plan. Watch for look-alike apps in app stores that charge subscriptions.
Can I claim ChatGPT Plus as a business expense?
If you use it for your business, usually yes. See can I claim ChatGPT as a business expense?
Sources
- ChatGPT pricing (OpenAI)
- What is ChatGPT Plus? (OpenAI Help Center)
- What is ChatGPT Go? (OpenAI Help Center)
Checked 17 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
More on ai costs and free plans
- Are AI tools free?
- Can ChatGPT Plus make videos?
- Can I claim ChatGPT as a business expense in the UK?
- Can more than one person use ChatGPT Plus?
- Does ChatGPT Plus have usage limits?
- Does Claude have a free trial or a family plan?
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