You signed up for ChatGPT Plus to get more out of the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, but now OpenAI has launched GPT-4o, an all-in-one model, with the "o" standing for "omni." The new GPT-4o model is available to free and paid users, as are most of the benefits that were previously included only with a ChatGPT Plus subscription. This means that Advanced Data Analysis, custom GPTs, and internet access all are available if you don't pay for ChatGPT.
Also: How to use ChatGPT (and how to access GPT-4o)
So what's the point of paying $20 per month for a Plus subscription? For starters, GPT-4o is only available to free users on the desktop, not in the ChatGPT mobile app. Generating interactive tables and charts is also only available for ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Free ChatGPT users also see intermittent GPT-4o availability, as OpenAI restricts its use during peak times, reverting free users to GPT-3.5. Finally, Plus users have up to five times the message limit of free users, with up to 80 messages every three hours on GPT-4o and 40 messages every three hours on GPT-4.
Let's go through how to use all the benefits of your ChatGPT Plus subscription.
How to use ChatGPT Plus
ChatGPT Plus is easy to use, and OpenAI has made it even easier by combining many tools into GPT-4 and GPT-4o. To use ChatGPT Plus, you'll need a Plus subscription, which gives you priority access to new features, and access to GPT-4. To upgrade to ChatGPT Plus, you can log in to your OpenAI account and click on Upgrade in the lower left corner of the screen.
Also: ChatGPT vs. ChatGPT Plus: Is it worth the subscription fee?
Navigate the table of contents on the left of this page if you're looking for a specific feature.
Using GPT-4 and GPT4-o: Web browsing, DALL-E 3, and data analysis
A ChatGPT Plus subscription plan gives you access to GPT-4, which is the same model that powers Microsoft Copilot. OpenAI recently released GPT-4o, a multimodal model that has the combined functionality of multiple individual models. While GPT-4o has many of the same capabilities as GPT-4, it is faster and smarter.
GPT-4 and GPT-4o: Attaching images and files
GPT-4 and GPT-4o can process images and files on all platforms for Plus users: the web, iOS, and Android. ChatGPT Plus' Code Interpreter was recently renamed Advanced Data Analysis, an OpenAI plugin that lets users upload files to create and interpret code, analyze data, and more. Image and file analysis is now folded into GPT-4 and GPT-4o.
I uploaded an older ChatGPT Plus screenshot and simply asked GPT-4 to "tell me about this image."
GPT-4: Image generation with DALL-E 3
ChatGPT Plus subscribers can ask the chatbot to create images at any time while using GPT-4 and GPT-4o — there's no need to enable the AI image generator. Free users cannot generate images outside of GPT-4o using the custom DALL-E GPT, available in the GPT Store, which is subject to availability during non-peak times.
Also: DALL-E 3 in ChatGPT Plus is helpful but also gave me images of laptops from 1900
Giving DALL-E 3 prompts works just like chatting with ChatGPT. Simply enter your prompt and send.
GPT-4 generated this image with the prompt, "Create a photo of a red octopus riding a blue cruiser bicycle along the California shoreline." The hat was a nice touch.
Using GPT-4o: Generating interactive tables & charts
One of the few GPT-4o features exclusive to Plus subscribers lets you generate interactive tables and graphics in a chat. Here's how to do that:
This is what your spreadsheet will look like after you upload the file.
ChatGPT creates interactive charts.
My GPTs
One of the biggest upgrades OpenAI has made to its ChatGPT Plus subscription is the ability to create custom GPT bots, dubbed My GPTs. The feature was so overwhelmingly popular that it forced OpenAI to temporarily halt new subscriptions. Since then, OpenAI has made GPTs and the GPT Store available to free users.
You can learn how to create your own custom GPT-4 bots here, but we'll show you how to access this feature.
Voice chatting with ChatGPT
ChatGPT can now also process voice inputs and respond in an astonishingly natural manner, filler words included. The voice feature is available for iOS and Android users with a Plus subscription using GPT-4o and GPT-4 and users in the free tier using GPT-3.5. OpenAI is launching a new Voice Mode for GPT-4o initially for Plus users over the coming months.
ChatGPT will respond to you when there's a gap in speech.
FAQ
What is a Temporary Chat?
Think of a Temporary Chat as opening an Incognito tab on Google Chrome (hopefully with less drama): Each is a one-off conversation that won't appear in your chat history. OpenAI will also not use a Temporary Chat to train its models nor save its transcript to ChatGPT's memory. You can start a Temporary Chat by clicking on the ChatGPT version in the top-left corner of the chat window and then choosing the Temporary Chat option.
What is included in ChatGPT Plus?
A ChatGPT Plus subscription gives you access to a higher limit for GPT-4o, the GPT-4o voice feature on mobile, the ability to generate interactive tables and charts, and priority access to new releases. Plus is different from a ChatGPT Team subscription and a ChatGPT Enterprise subscription, which are business services.
Also: ChatGPT Enterprise vs. ChatGPT Team: Which is the best for your business?
Here's a breakdown of the different features for each tier:
Comparison
| Features | ChatGPT | ChatGPT Plus | ChatGPT Team | ChatGPT Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $20/month | $25/month, 2 user minimum | Depends on org size, 150 user minimum |
| Access to GPT-3.5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access to GPT-4o | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access to GPT-4 | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Limits | Depends on peak times | Unlimited GPT-3.5 | 80 messages/3 hours for GPT-4o | 40 messages/3 hours for GPT-4 | Unlimited GPT-3.5 | 100 messages per three hours for GPT-4 | Unlimited |
| Internet browsing | Yes, with GPT-4o | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Instructions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Code Interpreter | Yes, with GPT-4o | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voice feature | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Image processing | Yes, with GPT-4o | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Early access to new features | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactive tables/charts | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 32k-token context | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Chat templates | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Admin Console | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| API credits | – | – | – | ✓ |
What are Custom Instructions?
Custom Instructions are a way to tailor ChatGPT's responses to your preferences. You can add instructions to your account that will determine how the AI chatbot will respond to each of your prompts.
Also: 6 helpful ways to use ChatGPT's Custom Instructions
For example, I prefer getting my summaries in bullet points, highlighting the most important information, so I added this to my Custom Instructions. Each time ChatGPT responds to me with explanations or summaries, it does so in bullet points.
Custom Instructions was originally launched as a feature exclusive to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, but the capability is now available to all free users.
Where are the ChatGPT Plugins?
ChatGPT Plugins were removed from ChatGPT entirely after OpenAI added custom GPTs. GPT bots work very much like plugins, so OpenAI replaced them with GPTs.
When did OpenAI release an all-in-one GPT-4 experience?
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, released an all-in-one experience for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, automatically switching tools for them after its DevDay developers conference.
Also: Can ChatGPT predict the future? Training AI to figure out what happens next
This experience means subscribers can now access DALL-E 3, Browse with Bing, and use Advanced Data Analysis by just selecting GPT-4 without having to switch between each tool before sending a prompt.