Yes, Codex is free to use on the ChatGPT Free plan, but only with limited access; OpenAI positions the $0 tier for exploring Codex on quick coding tasks, and heavier use requires a paid ChatGPT plan or an API key.
As of October 31, 2026, OpenAI’s Codex pricing page says Codex is included in the ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans. Free ($0) and Go ($8 a month) list GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app, subject to rollout. Plus ($20 a month) adds Codex on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension and on iOS, cloud integrations such as automatic code review, and the GPT-6.1 Sol model. Pro plans cost $100, $200 or $500 a month.
Image generation isn’t available in Codex on the Free plan. Plus and Pro users who reach their limit can buy additional credits. All users can also run extra local Codex chats with an OpenAI API key, charged at standard API rates rather than drawn from a ChatGPT plan.
Related: Codex CLI 0.166 guide, GPT-6.1 Terra guide and Does ChatGPT train on your data?
Source: OpenAI Developers, “Codex Pricing”
Image: ChatGPT logo by OpenAI, public domain (trademarked), via Wikimedia Commons. ChatGPT and Codex are trademarks of OpenAI.
2 thoughts on “Is Codex free?”