According to DemandSage statistics, approximately 10 million users worldwide have subscribed to ChatGPT Plus as of 2025, and this number continues to grow rapidly. With GPT-5's official release in August, the Plus version's feature advantages have become even more pronounced.
However, the ChatGPT Plus subscription price of $20 monthly still deters many users. still deters many users. While the internet is flooded with various supposed free access methods like "invitation codes" and "cracked plugins," these are often not only ineffective but also carry hidden security risks.
To help you find genuinely viable options, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation and testing of various methods circulating online. After eliminating high-risk and falsely advertised approaches, we've identified several authentic, safe, and compliant pathways to help you easily access free ChatGPT Plus services.
What are the differences between ChatGPT Free and Plus
Before finding the right free access method, it's important to understand what makes Plus better than the free version and determine if ChatGPT Plus is worth it for your needs. This way, you can decide if it's truly worth your effort to try.
What the Free ChatGPT Version Offers
The free version supports daily conversations and basic task processing. You can also use GPT-5 Thinking mode once per day for questions requiring deeper reasoning.
It includes voice conversations, file uploads, and image generation features. However, there are limits on message quotas and some advanced functions. You might also face queues or throttling during peak hours.
Overall, the free version meets light usage needs and lets users experience ChatGPT's core capabilities. But it falls short in terms of feature completeness and usage stability.
ChatGPT Plus Advantages
Upgrading to Plus unlocks a range of features completely unavailable or limited in the free version:
- Higher Usage Limits: Plus users can send up to 160 messages every 3 hours, while free users get only 10 messages in 5 hours. Plus users can access GPT-5, actively switch to GPT-4o, and use Thinking mode anytime. This makes it perfect for long conversations and complex reasoning.
- Stronger Multimodal Capabilities: Plus users can generate up to 50 images every 3 hours, compared to just 2-3 per day for free users. Plus users also get access to Sora video features, expanding AI usage scenarios even further.
- Faster Response Times: During peak hours, Plus users enjoy priority access, ensuring faster and more stable responses without server congestion limits.
- More Advanced Features: This includes creating and using custom GPTs, accessing ChatGPT agents, and richer task and project management tools for more efficient workflows.
ChatGPT Free vs Plus Comparison
Overall, the differences between ChatGPT's free version and Plus mainly come down to these key areas:
| Item | Free | Plus ($20/month) |
| Message limit (GPT-5) | About 10 every 5 hours | About 160 every 3 hours |
| Message limit (GPT-5 Thinking) | Only triggers automatically once per day | Can be chosen manually, up to about 3,000 per week |
| Older models | Not available | Can manually switch to GPT-4o |
| Response speed | Often limited during busy times | Faster responses with priority access at peak hours |
| Advanced features | Basic tools with restrictions | Full access to Memory, browsing, file uploads, GPTs, plugins, and voice |
| Agent feature | Not available | Available |
| Sora video generation | Not available | Available |
As you can see, the gap between ChatGPT's free version and Plus goes beyond just model usage limits or response speed. The advanced tools, interaction flexibility, and overall experience that Plus provides often determine your efficiency and comfort while using it.
While casual users might not find much value in these features, if you rely on ChatGPT for writing, research, content creation, or similar tasks, these capabilities are often what make the difference in terms of efficiency and user experience.
Can You Get ChatGPT Plus for Free in 2025?
The answer is yes. OpenAI does offer free access opportunities through trial invitations, educational discounts, and promotional partnerships. However, these chances often come with time limits or are only available to specific groups.
When ChatGPT Plus first launched in 2023, it did not offer a free month-long trial like many other programs, due to its unique cost structure. As OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has noted, the computing cost of running advanced AI models is “astonishingly high.”
This makes large-scale free trials economically unsustainable, while paid subscriptions are essential to cover high operating costs and support future improvements.
As AI competition grows, OpenAI has become more flexible. It now offers free API credits for developers, academic trials through universities, and partnerships with companies that include Plus as an employee benefit.
These steps expand the ChatGPT Plus user base, allow more people to experience advanced AI, and keep the business model sustainable.
How to Get ChatGPT Plus for Free
ChatGPT Plus Free Trial Invitations
The most direct way to experience Plus for free comes from OpenAI's official invitation system. Eligible ChatGPT Plus users can generate a limited number of invite codes, giving other users 7-14 days of complete Plus access.
Plus users with referral privileges can find the "Invite friends" option in the bottom left of their ChatGPT interface to generate exclusive invitation links for sharing.
As an invited user, keep these points in mind:
How to get one: Start by asking Plus users around you if they have invite slots available. You can also check Reddit's ChatGPT discussion areas or relevant topics on X, where people often share links.
Requirements: You'll need to link a credit card during registration, but won't be charged during the trial. You'll receive reminder emails from OpenAI before expiration and can cancel anytime.
Time limits: Most invite links are only valid for 48 hours, so activate quickly. Always verify links point to OpenAI's official domain to avoid phishing sites.
Rappi Pro Black Partnership
Beyond official invitations, Latin American delivery platform Rappi is also partnering with OpenAI. From July 15, 2025 to January 15, 2026, Rappi Pro Black subscribers can claim 6 months of free ChatGPT Plus access, with a total limit of 300,000 spots.
After signing up for Rappi Pro Black, users receive access to activate ChatGPT Plus through the app or email. Usually within 48 hours of activation, you'll get an email with a link to redeem the code in your ChatGPT account.
Existing Pro Black members should claim this quickly before spots run out. Non-subscribers can sign up for $8-11, which is much cheaper than buying ChatGPT Plus directly.
Keep in mind that you must maintain your Rappi Pro Black subscription for the full 6 months, or your ChatGPT Plus benefits will be canceled as well.
Grab Southeast Asia Partnership
Singapore's super app Grab has also partnered with OpenAI to serve Southeast Asian users. After subscribing to GrabUnlimited, users receive additional benefits including 1 month of free ChatGPT Plus access.
GrabUnlimited costs only about $6 per month, much less than ChatGPT Plus's official $20 monthly rate. The membership also includes other perks like Viu Premium and exclusive Trip discounts.
This program currently covers Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with specific terms varying by market. If you're in one of these countries, watch for promotional information within the Grab app.
GamsGo ChatGPT Plus Accounts
Compared to the official invitations or partnerships mentioned earlier, GamsGo's approach is simpler and more stable. It works through subscription sharing, splitting the cost of official services among multiple users to significantly reduce individual costs.
To verify the platform's reliability, I used it continuously for a month during testing. The overall experience was very smooth. After logging in, I could directly access GPT-5 conversations, voice interactions, and other features. Response speeds matched official subscriptions, and I didn't encounter any disconnections or quota limitations.
In terms of price, GamsGo’s ChatGPT shared account costs around 7 dollars, only a third of the official 20-dollar price. This method doesn't have the time restrictions of trials or promotions, making it more suitable for long-term use.
Student Education Discount Program
Between March and May 2025, OpenAI ran a student discount pilot program in the United States and Canada. At the time, eligible full-time or part-time college students could claim two months of free ChatGPT Plus trial by verifying their status through SheerID.
OpenAI called it an "experimental consumer program" and hinted in the terms that similar discounts might expand to more schools and countries in the future. While this particular campaign ended in May, it shows that OpenAI is exploring long-term discounts for student users.
If you're a student, keep an eye on campus announcements or follow OpenAI's official updates. Once discounts return, you'll have another chance to claim free ChatGPT Plus.
ChatGPT Promo Codes and Limited-Time Offers
OpenAI occasionally distributes promotional codes through partners. Users can claim these via text messages or partner portals, then use exclusive links to log in or create ChatGPT accounts with automatic checkout discounts.
These offers typically appear during joint promotions with major tech companies or major ChatGPT product upgrades. They include forms like first month free, limited-time discounts, or bonus usage time. They're usually only for new subscribers and have eligibility restrictions and expiration dates.
To get this information first, follow OpenAI's official channels, LinkedIn, and major tech media outlets. Always verify the reliability of your sources to avoid fake links or scams.
OpenAI API Free Credits for New Users
For users with some technical background, OpenAI's free API credits for new users offer another good option. After registering an API account, new users receive $5-18 in free usage credits. While this isn't a direct ChatGPT Plus subscription, you can experience GPT-5 and other advanced models through API calls.
The application process is simple:
- Visit platform.openai.com to register a developer account
- Complete phone verification and identity confirmation
- Check your free credits in the dashboard
How long the free credits last depends on your usage frequency. For casual conversations, it can support about 200-300 rounds of GPT-5 dialogue, enough for light users to last a month.
How to Get ChatGPT-5 for Free
If your main goal for getting ChatGPT Plus is simply to use GPT-5 and you don't particularly need the other features, there are actually simpler alternatives that let you use free ChatGPT-5 without buying Plus.
How to Use ChatGPT Through GamsGo AI for Free
GamsGo AI is a multi-model platform where new users automatically receive free credits after registration, which can be used directly for GPT-5 conversations.
Besides GPT-5, you can also experience multiple mainstream AI models including Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 Pro, making it easy to compare their performance across different tasks.
When free credits run out, GamsGo AI still offers great value. About $11 gets you 240 GPT-5 conversations, which is much more economical than the official subscription.
How to Use ChatGPT Through Microsoft Copilot for Free
Since August 7, 2025, GPT-5 has been fully integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot. Whether or not you have a Copilot license, you can experience GPT-5 directly through Microsoft 365's Copilot channel, though access levels differ:
Users with Copilot licenses get priority access and can fully use GPT-5 across Word, Outlook, Teams, and other apps, including conversations and advanced features.
Users without licenses can still use GPT-5, but with standard access. This means limited functionality and stability, with daily conversation limits that fluctuate based on server capacity and peak usage times.
How to Use ChatGPT for Free Through Perplexity AI
If you prefer using AI in search and information retrieval scenarios, you can use GPT-5 for free through Perplexity AI.
Free users get 5 Pro search queries daily, where you can directly access GPT-5 from the model options.
Upgrading to Perplexity Pro not only fully unlocks GPT-5 but also gives you access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Grok 4, and other top models. It's like getting core features from multiple platforms for the price of one subscription.
Comparing Free ChatGPT Methods
After reading about all these "free ChatGPT" methods, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed. To help you compare more easily, we've organized common approaches into a comparison table that clearly shows duration, benefits, and limitations for each, so you can quickly decide which method works best for you.
| Channel | Duration | Pros | Cons | Rating |
| Invite Trial & API Credits | 7–14 days & $5–18 credits | Official channel | Short period | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Rappi & Grab promotion | 6 months & 1 Month | Long duration, official partnership | subscription needed, regional limit | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| GamsGo ChatGPT Plus & GamsGo AI | Long term | Low price, stable for long use | Very popular, may run out | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Student discount | 2 months | Official channel | Students only, currently ended | ⭐⭐ |
| ChatGPT promo codes | Varies | Official discounts, various forms | Hard to get, not always valid | ⭐⭐ |
| Copilot & Perplexity AI | Long term | Always available | Limited features, daily cap | ⭐⭐⭐ |
If you just want a short-term trial, official invitations are a reliable choice. In supported regions, partnership programs like Rappi or Grab also offer good value. For long-term use, GamsGo provides the most stable and cost-effective solution.
Overall, each method has its own strengths, so the key is matching your choice to your specific needs and usage frequency.
Conclusion
Free ways to access ChatGPT Plus do exist, whether through OpenAI's occasional trial invitations, limited-time partner promotions, or student education discounts. These can give you short-term access to GPT-5's complete features.
But if your goal is long-term, stable ChatGPT Plus usage, after personally testing various methods, I still recommend getting a ChatGPT Plus account through GamsGo. It's safe, reliable, and saves both money and hassle.
Additionally, using ChatGPT for free through Rita AI is worth trying. This eliminates the trouble of constantly searching for temporary trials and lets you experience multiple AI models on one platform, covering conversations, image generation, video, and more for comprehensive efficiency.
If new free channels emerge in the future, I'll continue updating this information here so you can stay informed about the latest options.
FAQ
Does ChatGPT have a free trial?
Yes. OpenAI periodically offers ChatGPT Plus free trials through official invitations or partnerships. These trials provide full GPT-5 access and typically last 7-14 days, sometimes longer during updates or promotions.
Is ChatGPT Premium free for students?
Currently, there's no permanent student discount. However, OpenAI ran a spring 2025 pilot offering eligible US and Canadian university students two months of free ChatGPT Plus after SheerID verification. Though this program ended, it may expand to more schools and regions.
Is there any way to get ChatGPT Plus for free?
Common methods include official trial invitations, partnership promotions through platforms like Rappi and Grab, educational discounts for universities, and promotional codes distributed during holidays. Through these channels, users can typically get 1-6 months of free ChatGPT Plus access.
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