ChatGPT Review
Reviewed by Carlos Gil · Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Updated 9 min readEditorially reviewed
Quick facts
- Starting price
- Free / $8 (Go) / $20 (Plus)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Best for
- Writers, founders, and operators who need one AI for everything
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Pricing checked against the official ChatGPT pricing page on . See every plan or the pricing tracker.
BestStacked Score
Weighted average of 5 categories. Methodology below.
The Verdict
ChatGPT is still the broadest AI assistant we cover in 2026. The $8/month Go plan lowers the entry point (it may show ads), while Plus at $20 is the sweet spot for most people: GPT-6 reasoning models, projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs and expanded Codex and ChatGPT Work access, with no ads. Pro now comes in three monthly tiers ($100, $200 and $500) and is overkill unless you run long Codex or ChatGPT Work sessions. Teams should look at Business at $20 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly), which keeps business data out of model training by default. It is not perfect: it still makes confident mistakes on niche topics, Claude is worth comparing for long-form writing, and Gemini for Google Workspace. But no other assistant we review covers as many jobs in one app.
Best for
Solopreneurs and knowledge workers who need one AI tool that handles writing, research, code, data, and image work.
Skip if
You only need a writing assistant (Claude Pro is better) or you live in Google Workspace (Gemini integrates more deeply).
The Background
What Is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is OpenAI's conversational AI assistant, launched in November 2022. At its core, ChatGPT is a chat interface to OpenAI's family of large language models, currently the GPT-6 family (including GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra). You type a question, paste a document, upload an image, or speak a request, and ChatGPT responds with text, code, generated images, charts, or spoken audio. Beyond simple Q&A, the platform now includes long-term memory across conversations, custom GPTs you can build without code, ChatGPT Work for longer multi-step tasks, and Codex for software engineering work. For many creators, founders, and marketers, it is the AI they reach for first when they need to think out loud or get something done.
The Product
ChatGPT Features: What You Actually Get
GPT-6 and reasoning models
Every plan includes text chats with GPT-6 (Free's are unlimited subject to abuse guardrails). Plus adds advanced reasoning models with GPT-6, and Pro adds Pro reasoning powered by GPT-6 Astra. Reasoning models take time to work through a problem before responding, which helps on math, coding, and multi-step planning. The trade-off is slower responses, so they are best kept for work where being correct matters more than being fast.
Switch to a reasoning model to debug a complex SQL query that a quick answer keeps getting wrong.
Custom GPTs and the GPT Store
You can build your own version of ChatGPT for specific tasks — a brand voice writer, a code reviewer, a tax assistant — without writing a single line of code. Custom GPTs accept instructions and knowledge files. Creating custom GPTs is part of Plus and above, and the GPT Store lists GPTs built by other users.
Build a custom GPT loaded with your brand voice guide and 20 sample posts so every draft sounds like you wrote it.
Voice mode and live conversation
Voice chats are available on every plan: limited on Free, with more on Go and above. You can talk through a problem out loud and then ask for a written summary in the same conversation. For solo founders who think out loud, it is a useful way to capture ideas away from the keyboard.
Walk-and-think product strategy sessions where you talk through a problem and then ask ChatGPT for a written summary.
Image generation with ChatGPT Images
ChatGPT Images is available on every plan: limited on Free, more on Go, more complex image creation on Plus, and unlimited, faster image creation on Pro. The current version, ChatGPT Images 2.5, can add text inside images and make backgrounds transparent, and the editor lets you select part of an image and describe a change. OpenAI notes that selections are not always precise and edits can spill beyond the selected area. Images with thinking is available on Plus, Pro, and Business.
Generate a hero image for a blog post, then edit just the headline text without touching the background.
ChatGPT Work and workspace agents
ChatGPT agent mode is no longer available. OpenAI now points users to ChatGPT Work for longer, multi-step tasks and finished deliverables, and to the cloud browser for supported browser workflows. Free gets limited ChatGPT Work access in the desktop app, Plus expands it to desktop, web, and mobile, and Pro allows longer sessions. Business and Enterprise workspaces can also build workspace agents that connect to company tools, can be shared with colleagues, and run in ChatGPT and Slack.
Have ChatGPT Work compare CRM pricing pages across several vendors and produce a shortlist with pros and cons for you to check.
Codex for software engineering
Codex is OpenAI's coding-focused environment inside ChatGPT. It writes, runs, and debugs code and can work with a connected GitHub repo. Free includes limited Codex access, Plus expands Codex usage, and Pro allows longer Codex sessions.
Ask Codex to add a feature to a Next.js project and run the tests, then review the changes before merging.
Long-term memory and projects
ChatGPT can remember facts about you across conversations — your role, your company, your writing preferences, your ongoing projects. Projects let you group related chats together with shared instructions and files, so you can keep your client work, side hustle, and personal research from contaminating each other. Memory is limited on Free, longer on Go, and expanded on Plus; projects are part of Plus and above.
Spin up a project for each client with their brand guidelines preloaded, so every draft starts in the right voice.
Advanced data analysis
Upload a CSV, Excel file, or even a PDF report and ChatGPT will run actual Python code in the background to clean, analyze, and visualize the data. It produces charts, runs statistical tests, and exports cleaned files. For non-technical founders, this is the closest thing to having a data analyst on call.
Drop in 12 months of Stripe export data and ask for cohort retention curves and churn analysis.
Feature recap
- GPT-6 on every plan, advanced reasoning models on Plus and Pro
- Build custom GPTs without code
- Voice chats on every plan
- ChatGPT Images 2.5 for generation and editing
- ChatGPT Work for multi-step tasks; workspace agents on Business and Enterprise
- Codex for connected coding workflows
- Cross-conversation memory and project workspaces
- Code-execution-powered data analysis
The Numbers
ChatGPT Pricing: Every Plan Explained
ChatGPT has four individual plans (Free, Go, Plus, and Pro) and two business plans (Business and Enterprise). Individual plans are billed monthly; Business can be billed monthly or annually, and Enterprise is an annual plan sold through OpenAI's sales team. Ads may appear on Free and Go, but not on Plus, Pro, Business, or Enterprise.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Included Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | GPT-6 text chats (abuse guardrails apply); limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory, Codex, and ChatGPT Work (desktop); may include ads | Casual users testing the waters |
| Go | $8 | Monthly only | More messages with tools, uploads, image creation, and voice chats; longer memory; may include ads | Light daily users on a budget |
| PlusBest value | $20 | Monthly only | Advanced GPT-6 reasoning models, projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs, expanded deep research, Codex, and ChatGPT Work; no ads | Most creators, founders, and operators |
| Pro | $100 / $200 / $500 | Monthly only | Three usage tiers (Pro 100, Pro 200, Pro 500); Pro reasoning powered by GPT-6 Astra; longer Codex and ChatGPT Work sessions; unlimited image creation; Ultrafast only on Pro 500 | Heavy power users and developers |
| Business | $25/user | $20/user/mo | 2+ users; ChatGPT Work and Codex, connectors (Microsoft 365, Google Drive, Slack, GitHub, and more), workspace agents, SAML SSO, admin and spend controls; no training on business data by default | Teams that want a shared workspace and admin control |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | Annual plan through sales; adds data retention controls and expanded security and admin features over Business; no training on business data by default | Larger organizations with security and compliance requirements |
Pricing verified . Tools change pricing frequently — confirm at ChatGPT before purchasing.
For most individual readers, Plus at $20/month is the right answer. It adds the advanced reasoning models, projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs, and expanded Codex and ChatGPT Work access, with no ads. Go at $8 is a real step up from Free on usage, but it leaves out the features Plus adds and may show ads. Pro starts at $100 a month (Pro 200 and Pro 500 cost $200 and $500) and only makes sense if you run long Codex or ChatGPT Work sessions, need Pro reasoning, or create images in volume; only Pro 500 includes Ultrafast mode. For teams of two or more, Business costs $20 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly) and adds a shared workspace, admin controls, SAML SSO, and OpenAI's commitment not to train on business data by default.
The Tradeoffs
ChatGPT Pros and Cons
What we love
- Writing, research, code, data, images, and voice in one app
- Plus at $20/mo covers most of the feature set
- Reasoning models genuinely help on hard problems
- Voice mode is now polished enough for daily use
- Custom GPTs make personalization easy
- Image generation and data analysis are built in
- Codex turns it into a real coding tool
- No ads on Plus, Pro, Business, or Enterprise
What could be better
- Still hallucinates confidently on niche topics
- Pro starts at $100/mo, hard to justify for most
- Free and Go may show ads
- Usage limits apply on every plan, including Plus
- Agent mode was retired; ChatGPT Work is limited on Free
- Individual plans are billed monthly only, with no annual discount
The Audience
Who Should Use ChatGPT?
Best for: solopreneurs running a one-person business
If you are wearing every hat — writer, marketer, customer support, finance — ChatGPT Plus covers drafting, research, data analysis, and images in one $20 subscription.
Best for: founders shipping software
Codex is included with expanded usage on Plus, so you can write code, debug stack traces, and work against a connected GitHub repo without a separate coding subscription. Pair it with an app builder like Lovable for full-app workflows.
Skip if: you only need long-form writing help
Claude is often stronger at long-form prose, nuanced editing, and adopting a specific voice. If most of your AI usage is writing, compare Claude before paying for ChatGPT Plus.
The Methodology
How We Reviewed ChatGPT
Our editorial evaluation considers product information, official documentation, pricing, features and professional experience. It is not a claim of documented hands-on testing.
Our review methodology →What changed
- : Added an FAQ answering whether ChatGPT is still the best AI assistant, using the existing review scores. No prices, plans or features were re-verified in this edit, and the score is unchanged at 9.1.
- : Substantive update. Replaced the nonexistent "DALL·E 4" with ChatGPT Images (version 2.5; images with thinking on Plus, Pro, and Business). Replaced the retired Team plan with Business ($20 per user per month billed annually, $25 monthly, 2+ users) and added Enterprise (contact sales). Corrected Pro to three monthly tiers ($100, $200, $500) and removed invented annual prices for Go, Plus, and Pro, which are billed monthly. Updated models from GPT-5.3 and the o-series to the GPT-6 family. Replaced retired agent mode with ChatGPT Work and added workspace agents on Business and Enterprise. Corrected the training FAQ (Pro is an individual plan; Business and Enterprise data is not used for training by default) and noted ads may appear only on Free and Go. Removed an unverified user count, invented user feedback and time-savings claims, unverified refund and support claims, unverified integrations, and unchecked competitor prices. Aligned the prose score to the computed 9.1.
The Field
ChatGPT vs The Competition
ChatGPT does not exist in a vacuum. Three serious competitors are worth your attention in 2026, and a few specialty tools beat ChatGPT in narrow categories.
| Tool | Starting Price | Free plan | Best Feature | BS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Free / $8 (Go) / $20 (Plus) | Yes | GPT-6 and reasoning models | 9.1/10 |
| Claude | See Anthropic | Yes | Long-form writing quality | 9/10 |
| Gemini | See Google | Yes | Native Google Workspace integration | 8.9/10 |
| Notion AI | See Notion | No | In-document editing | 9.4/10 |
| Perplexity | See Perplexity | Yes | Cited research | 8.6/10 |
Claude: Anthropic's Claude is the writer's AI. In our editorial comparison it produces more natural prose and follows complex style guides closely. If your work is mostly writing, compare it first.Read our Claude review →
Gemini: Gemini lives inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet. If your day already runs on Google Workspace, Gemini will save you context-switching that ChatGPT cannot.Read our Gemini review →
Notion AI: Notion AI is not trying to be a general AI — it is trying to be a great writing partner inside your existing Notion workspace. For knowledge bases and meeting notes it keeps the AI next to the documents.Read our Notion AI review →
Perplexity: Perplexity is built around real-time search with citations. For research workflows where you need to verify sources, it is worth comparing with ChatGPT search and deep research.Read our Perplexity review →
In The Wild
How People Actually Use ChatGPT
A solo newsletter writer planning the next four issues
Open a Project, drop in your last 10 newsletters as reference files, and brainstorm topics in voice mode while walking. Have ChatGPT cluster the ideas, draft outlines, and then write rough first drafts in your established voice. You spend the saved hours editing instead of staring at a blank page.
A startup founder modeling Series A pricing
Upload your Stripe export and ARR breakdown, ask a reasoning model to model three pricing scenarios with different annual discount structures, and have it produce charts and a one-page memo for the board.
An agency owner reviewing client copy
Spin up a custom GPT for each client preloaded with their brand voice doc, banned phrases, and three sample blog posts. Paste in any draft and get back an edit that sounds like the client wrote it themselves.
A consultant preparing for a sales call
Use deep research or ChatGPT Work to gather the prospect's recent press and competitor positioning. Get back a one-page brief with three opening questions and the most likely objections, then check the sources before the call.
The Ecosystem
ChatGPT Integrations
ChatGPT integrates two ways: through apps and connectors inside ChatGPT, and through the separately billed OpenAI API.
- →Microsoft 365 (connector)
- →Google Drive (connector)
- →Slack (connector; workspace agents in Slack on Business and Enterprise)
- →GitHub (connector and Codex)
- →Linear (connector)
- →Figma (connector)
- →Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Google Sheets extensions
- →OpenAI API for custom integrations (billed separately)
Connector availability varies by plan, and Business and Enterprise get the broadest set plus admin controls over which sources are connected. The OpenAI API is billed separately from ChatGPT subscriptions, so wiring OpenAI models into a CRM or internal system through the API is an extra cost.
Common Questions
ChatGPT FAQ
The Final Word
Should You Use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT remains the AI tool we recommend most often, and Plus at $20/month is the plan most people should start with. The reasoning models help with hard problems, voice chats are on every plan, custom GPTs make personalization simple, and the range of jobs it covers (writing, images, voice, code, data, and multi-step work in ChatGPT Work) is wider than any other assistant we review. The confident mistakes are still real, every plan has usage limits, and Free and Go may show ads. The main reasons to choose differently are specific needs, such as long-form writing (Claude), Google Workspace integration (Gemini), or in-document editing (Notion AI), that another tool serves better. For everyone else, this is the default. We score it 9.1/10.
Yes, if
you use AI for any kind of professional work and want one tool that does everything
No, if
your only use case is long-form writing — Claude Pro is meaningfully better at prose
ChatGPT Is Part Of These Stack Packs
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About the reviewer
Carlos Gil
Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Carlos Gil is the bestselling author of The End of Marketing, a LinkedIn Top Voice, and founder of The Best Network. He brings 15+ years in marketing to practical reviews of AI, SaaS, email marketing, creator, and ecommerce software.
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