How (and why) to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus – ZDNet
Most Popular
‘ZDNET Recommends’: What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET’s editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
When ChatGPT was unveiled in November, it was free for all to use. Its quick surge in popularity, however, sometimes caused extended wait times for users. As a result, OpenAI added a subscription plan that would help some users avoid the wait and provide access to other convenient perks.
Also: Bard vs. ChatGPT: Can Bard help you code?
ChatGPT’s subscription plan is called ChatGPT Plus, and it costs $20/month. The paid subscription model guarantees users general access even during peak times when the free version is at capacity, and offers ffaster response times.
Plus plan subscribers also get priority access to new features and improvements, including OpenAI’s latest and greatest updates, such as GPT-4, available to Plus subscribers now, and ChatGPT plugins, which will prioritize Plus users upon roll out.
We’ve tried Plus — and we believe if you’re looking for accurate written answers to your questions, this paid-for service is much better than the first mass public previous version, GPT-3.5.
Also: GPT-3.5 vs GPT-4: Is ChatGPT Plus worth its subscription fee?
ChatGPT-4 can still make blunders, often referred to as “hallucinations”. However, OpenAI describes GPT-4 as “10 times more advanced than its predecessor, GPT-3.5” — and ZDNET’s Steven Vaughan-Nichols thinks these advances mean Plus is worth the subscription fee.
If you are looking to expand your ChatGPT use and experience all the chatbot has to offer, here’s how you can subscribe to ChatGPT Plus.
Visit ChatGPT’s login page. Once you are there, you can either log on to your free account or create a new one. To create a new account, you can either use your email, Google account, or Microsoft account.
If you haven’t created an account, click on Sign Up. Otherwise, log in with your OpenAI credentials.
Once you have logged in to your account, you will be brought to the chatbot’s main page, where you would typically start chatting away.
Also: The best AI chatbots to try
Instead, turn your attention to the right-hand bar and locate where it says “Upgrade to Plus”. Once you find the button, click on it, and it will take you to the next step.
After you click on the “Upgrade to Plus” button, a popup will appear, double-checking whether you wish to continue.
Also: What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here’s what you need to know
If you are still ready to take the plunge after seeing the difference between the free and Plus plans’ prices and features, click on the green “Upgrade plan” button.
After confirming, you will be sent to a checkout page to compete your purchase. This page requires all the typical information of a normal online pruchase, including your email, payment information, and billing address.
Yes, the free version is still available for the public. With the free plan, you still get full access to the chatbot. The disadvantages of the free plan are that you won’t be able to access the bot during periods of high demand and won’t have access to the latest updates, such as GPT-4.
The ChatGPT Plus membership is currently priced at $20/month. Although this might seem steep, it is still half the cost that early access users paid at $42/month.
Also: How does ChatGPT work?
The original price was revealed when an early access user shared a video on Twitter, which showed the cost of the Plus subscription.
The biggest perks of a ChatGPT Plus membership include priority access to the latest upgrades, such as GPT-4 and ChatGPT plugins, bypassing wait times, and quicker response rates.
