OpenAI Launches $500 ChatGPT Pro Tier with Exclusive Access to Astra Ultrafast

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Pro 500, a new subscription tier priced at $500/month. This plan is currently the only Pro tier that includes access to Astra Ultrafast, a high-performance model selectable in the model picker. The existing Pro 200 plan is also available for new subscriptions again, joining the Pro 100 tier in the lineup.

Usage Allowances and Grandfathering

New subscriptions to Pro 200 receive a lower usage allowance than previously offered, a change OpenAI attributes to increasingly efficient models. However, existing subscribers may retain their previous higher allowance under specific conditions:

• Eligibility: Users with an active Pro 200 subscription at the eligibility cutoff, or during the seven days prior, can keep their previous usage allowance through October 29, 2026.
• Reactivation: Users whose subscriptions lapsed within seven days before the cutoff can also retain the old allowance if they resubscribe.
• Limitations: Retaining the old allowance does not upgrade the plan to Pro 500 or grant access to Astra Ultrafast. After October 29, 2026, all Pro 200 subscriptions will move to the lower usage allowance regardless of grandfathering status.

Access to Astra Ultrafast

Access to Astra Ultrafast is exclusive to the Pro 500 plan among Pro tiers. Key details include:

• Credit Usage: Astra Ultrafast consumes the plan’s included usage first, then draws from the user’s credit balance.
• No Credit Unlock: Purchasing credits on Pro 100 or Pro 200 does not unlock access to Astra Ultrafast at launch.
• Availability: If a model’s usage limit is reached, it may become temporarily unavailable until the allowance resets. Users cannot bypass these limits through settings.