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From December OpenAI is changing how it counts ChatGPT usage for Plus, Pro and Business subscribers. There will be a single usage quota, shared between ChatGPT and Codex, measured in tokens. Until now the chat had a limit that was barely visible and rarely reached. For those who use AI every day at work, the change can affect costs and habits.
A few terms before we get into the facts. Tokens are the units of information a model processes and generates, roughly pieces of text. Codex is OpenAI's environment dedicated to programming, which remains a separate experience in the ChatGPT desktop app. Work is the environment for more complex tasks, which is merging into the main chat. Reasoning level indicates how much the model "thinks" before answering, and the Instant mode is the lightest one. Credits are the extra purchase needed to keep using features once the quota runs out.
What has OpenAI announced?
According to the official help page, from December the quota of the Plus, Pro and Business plans will be shared between ChatGPT and Codex. The stated reason is to bring the agentic capabilities of Work into the core ChatGPT experience.
Consumption will depend on the chosen model and the requested task. The most advanced models and complex tasks, OpenAI explains, generally use more quota. Chat in Instant mode will not affect the limit.
How it was before and why the difference will be felt
According to DDay, OpenAI had kept chat limits separate from those of Work and Codex, unlike competitors such as Claude and Gemini. The chat limit existed but had no visible metric and could be considered virtually unlimited.
From December the Medium and High reasoning levels will consume tokens. Those who heavily use the chat with these levels are therefore the most exposed. For a comparison between the two providers you can read our analysis on Claude and OpenAI.
What happens to Chat and Work?
As Punto Informatico reports, users are receiving emails about the merger of Chat and Work into a single environment. The message, quoted in translation, talks about importing files and plugins and asking ChatGPT to create a website or a presentation, supervising the work.
Codex instead remains separate, inside the desktop app. The quota, however, will be common, so intensive use of one reduces the space for the other.
What happens when the limit is reached?
OpenAI indicates three paths. You can wait for the reset, upgrade to a higher plan or buy credits to use eligible features. Remaining consumption and reset times will be visible in Settings, under the Usage section.
The company states it is preparing the transition carefully and expects most users will not have to wait for resets more often than today. This is the company's forecast, not a verified fact.
Limits to know
OpenAI has not yet communicated how many tokens will be included in each plan, nor the exact day in December when the system will start, as DDay notes. The promise that most users will not notice any difference cannot be verified. The cost of credits is also missing. Everything can still change before activation.
What changes for those working with digital tools
If your company uses ChatGPT every day, consumption becomes something to measure. It is worth understanding who uses the Medium and High levels and for which tasks. Those who develop with Codex risk sharing the quota with the rest of the team that uses the chat. For repetitive tasks, such as analyzing CSV files, it is worth choosing the lighter model that is enough for the purpose. The effective cost of the subscription could rise, between a higher tier and credits.
Our take
The move has a logic, but it lacks transparency. A shared, unquantified limit leaves the subscriber without the elements to judge whether the plan still suits them. Punto Informatico reads the change as a monetization goal, a plausible reading even though OpenAI does not declare it. An explicit price increase would be better than a threshold discovered halfway through a job. Until the numbers arrive, caution is warranted.
Frequently asked questions
When do the new ChatGPT and Codex limits take effect?
In December, but without a precise date. OpenAI has not yet indicated the exact day the new system will come into force.
Which plans are involved?
Plus, Pro and Business. The usage quota of these plans will be shared between ChatGPT and Codex and measured in tokens.
Does the Instant mode consume the quota?
No. According to OpenAI, instant chat does not draw on usage. Consumption instead concerns the Medium and High reasoning levels, as reported by DDay.
Where will I see how much quota I have left?
In Settings, under the Usage section. There OpenAI will show the combined remaining usage and reset times.
What do I do if I run out of quota?
You can wait for the reset, upgrade to a higher plan or buy credits. Credits apply to eligible features, not necessarily to all of them.
The numbers OpenAI still has to show before December
The real verdict will depend on the tokens included in each plan. Until then, it is best to observe and keep track of how you work.
- Check OpenAI's announcements on tokens included per plan and start date.
- Compare the cost of a higher plan with that of credits, as soon as prices are public.
- Consider alternatives such as Claude or Gemini for the heaviest workloads, so you do not depend on a single provider.
