ChatGPT

FreemiumAI Chatbots & Assistants

The world's most popular AI assistant for writing, research, coding, and everyday tasks.

Bq By Benchquill Editorial Team ·Updated June 2026 ·How we rate

ChatGPT, made by OpenAI, is the most widely used general-purpose AI chatbot, with roughly 900 million weekly active users as of 2026. Powered by the GPT-5.x model family, it handles text, images, voice, file analysis, web browsing, deep research, and an agentic 'Agent mode' that can take actions on your behalf. It remains the default all-rounder most US users reach for, with a deep ecosystem of custom GPTs, a GPT Store, and tight integrations. The Free tier runs GPT-5.3 Instant (with ads in the US since early 2026), while paid plans unlock the strongest models, larger context, and higher limits.

Key features

  • GPT-5.5 and GPT-5.5 Pro reasoning models on paid tiers
  • Agent mode that browses and completes multi-step tasks
  • Deep Research for cited, long-form reports
  • Advanced voice mode and image generation
  • Custom GPTs and GPT Store ecosystem
  • Up to 1M-token context on Pro $200 tier

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Most versatile, broadest feature set of any chatbot
  • Huge ecosystem of custom GPTs and integrations
  • Strong free tier and a wide ladder of paid plans

Cons

  • Free tier now shows ads in the US and has tight message limits
  • Best models and 1M context locked behind expensive Pro tiers
  • Can be confidently wrong without citations unless Deep Research is used

ChatGPT pricing

ChatGPT uses a freemium pricing model, with paid plans from Free; Go $8/mo, Plus $20/mo, Pro $100-$200/mo. A free tier lets you test it before committing.

Who should use ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is best suited for General-purpose use, writing, brainstorming, coding help, and anyone wanting the most versatile all-in-one assistant. It earns its place for most versatile, broadest feature set of any chatbot — though it's worth weighing the trade-off that free tier now shows ads in the US and has tight message limits.

Comparing options? See our best ai chatbots & assistants tools guide, or browse every ai chatbots & assistants tool tracked on Benchquill.

ChatGPT FAQ

Is ChatGPT free?

ChatGPT is freemium. Pricing starts at Free; Go $8/mo, Plus $20/mo, Pro $100-$200/mo.

What is ChatGPT best for?

ChatGPT is best for General-purpose use, writing, brainstorming, coding help, and anyone wanting the most versatile all-in-one assistant.

AI models behind ChatGPT

Related models on our leaderboard: GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini.

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