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OpenAI looks to take on Anthropic with $100 per month ChatGPT Pro subscriptions
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OpenAI looks to take on Anthropic with $100 per month ChatGPT Pro subscriptions

#OpenAI #ChatGPT Pro #Codex #Anthropic #Claude Code #AI coding assistant #subscription tiers #SaaS

📌 Key Takeaways

  • OpenAI launched a new $100/month ChatGPT Pro tier with 5x more Codex usage than its $20 Plus plan.
  • The move directly competes with Anthropic's Claude Code, which has similar $100 and $200 subscription tiers.
  • CEO Sam Altman stated Codex has 3 million weekly users, with a goal to reach 10 million.
  • The AI coding assistant market is experiencing rapid growth, with run-rate revenue surpassing $2.5 billion.

📖 Full Retelling

OpenAI announced a new $100 per month ChatGPT Pro subscription tier on Tuesday, March 18, 2026, via a post on X, directly expanding its competitive offerings against rival Anthropic's Claude Code and providing a more accessible upgrade path for developers requiring heavier daily use of its AI-powered coding assistant, Codex. The new tier offers five times more Codex usage than the existing $20 per month Plus plan and is positioned for longer, high-effort coding sessions. The strategic move increases OpenAI's personal subscription tiers to five, including Free, Go, Plus, and two Pro levels, with a pre-existing $200/month Pro tier. This pricing and feature structure directly mirrors the competitive landscape, where Anthropic's Claude Code, launched publicly in May 2025, also operates a multi-tier model. Anthropic's highest offerings are the Max 5x for $100/month and Max 20x for $200/month, which provide higher usage limits than its Pro subscription. The announcement underscores the intense competition in the AI coding assistant market, where tools that automate tasks and bug fixes for developers have seen explosive growth. OpenAI's push is backed by significant momentum for Codex. CEO Sam Altman revealed on X that the tool has reached three million weekly users, with plans to reset usage limits for every million new users until hitting a 10 million user target. The company's broader strategy includes a standalone Codex app for Apple computers launched in February 2026, aiming to capture more users as demand for AI coding tools soars. The financial stakes are high; CNBC previously reported that the run-rate revenue for such tools exceeded $2.5 billion in February 2026, representing over 100% growth since the start of the year. This expansion occurs amidst a dynamic sector where firms like Meta are committing billions to AI infrastructure and Google is forging new chip partnerships, highlighting the immense commercial and strategic value placed on AI development platforms.

🏷️ Themes

AI Competition, Product Strategy, SaaS Pricing

📚 Related People & Topics

OpenAI

OpenAI

Artificial intelligence research organization

# OpenAI **OpenAI** is an American artificial intelligence (AI) research organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. The organization operates under a unique hybrid structure, comprising the non-profit **OpenAI, Inc.** and its controlled for-profit subsidiary, **OpenAI Global, LLC** (a...

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Codex

Codex

Historical ancestor of the modern book

The codex (; pl.: codices ) was the historical ancestor format of the modern book. Technically, the vast majority of modern books use the codex format, of a stack of pages bound at one edge. However, the term codex is now reserved for older manuscript books, which mostly used sheets of vellum, parch...

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Anthropic

Anthropic

American artificial intelligence research company

# Anthropic PBC **Anthropic PBC** is an American artificial intelligence (AI) safety and research company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established as a public-benefit corporation, the organization focuses on the development of frontier artificial intelligence systems with a primary e...

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Claude (language model)

Large language model developed by Anthropic

Claude is a series of large language models developed by Anthropic. The first model was released in March 2023, and the latest, Claude Opus 4.6, in February 2026.

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Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for OpenAI:

🌐 ChatGPT 9 shared
🌐 Artificial intelligence 5 shared
🌐 AI safety 5 shared
🌐 Regulation of artificial intelligence 4 shared
🌐 OpenClaw 4 shared
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Mentioned Entities

OpenAI

OpenAI

Artificial intelligence research organization

 Codex

Codex

Historical ancestor of the modern book

 Anthropic

Anthropic

American artificial intelligence research company

Claude (language model)

Large language model developed by Anthropic

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This development highlights the escalating race for dominance in the AI coding sector, which has become a massive revenue driver for tech companies. For developers, this offers a more accessible high-tier option for intensive coding tasks compared to the previous $200 entry point. The direct pricing correlation with Anthropic suggests a mature market where companies are aggressively fighting to retain and capture professional users. Furthermore, the rapid revenue growth underscores the critical role AI tools now play in software development efficiency.

Context & Background

  • OpenAI's Codex is an AI-powered coding assistant designed to automate tasks and fix bugs for developers.
  • Anthropic, a major competitor founded by former OpenAI members, launched Claude Code publicly in May 2025.
  • OpenAI released a standalone Codex application for Apple computers in February 2026 to expand platform accessibility.
  • The broader tech industry, including Meta and Google, is investing billions into AI infrastructure to support this growing demand.
  • Prior to this announcement, OpenAI's personal subscription tiers included Free, Go, Plus, and a single $200 Pro tier.

What Happens Next

OpenAI plans to reset usage limits for Codex every time the user base increases by one million, aiming to support up to 10 million users. Anthropic will likely continue to iterate on Claude Code to maintain its competitive position against OpenAI's aggressive pricing and feature expansion. The industry can expect further consolidation of features and potential price adjustments as both companies vie for enterprise contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between the new $100 Pro tier and the $20 Plus plan?

The new $100 Pro tier provides five times more usage capacity for the Codex coding assistant, making it suitable for longer, high-effort coding sessions compared to the standard Plus plan.

How does this new pricing affect Anthropic's market position?

OpenAI's new tier directly undercuts Anthropic's structure by matching their $100 price point, forcing Anthropic to compete on feature quality and performance rather than price alone.

What are OpenAI's plans for managing Codex usage limits?

CEO Sam Altman stated that usage limits will be reset for every one million new users acquired until the platform hits a target of 10 million users.

What is the financial significance of the AI coding market mentioned in the article?

The market is experiencing explosive growth, with reported run-rate revenue exceeding $2.5 billion in February 2026, representing over 100% growth since the start of that year.

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Original Source
In an announcement posted to X, the company said the $100 per month Pro tier has five times more Codex usage than its $20 per month Plus level, and is best for "longer, high-effort Codex sessions." "The Plus plan will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use," the company wrote in a post on X . The new level brings the number of ChatGPT subscription tiers to five for personal use: Free, Go, Plus and now two Pro levels. OpenAI already had a $200/month Pro tier. Read more CNBC tech news Meta's long-awaited AI model is finally here. But can it make money? Google expands partnership with Intel for AI chips OpenAI halts UK stargate project amid regulatory and energy price concerns Anthropic loses appeals court bid to temporarily block Pentagon blacklisting Anthropic, which launched Claude Code to the public in May 2025, has a similar subscription tier model with four fee levels, starting with Free. Its highest tiers, Max 5x for $100/month and Max 20x tier for $200/month, have higher limits for Claude Code usage than its Pro subscription. The coding assistant can automate tasks and bug fixes for software developers and has soared in popularity. The run-rate revenue for the tool was over $2.5 billion in February, increasing over 100% since the beginning of 2026, CNBC previously reported. OpenAI launched Codex initially last April, and made it widely available in October. On Tuesday, CEO Sam Altman posted on X that Codex had three million weekly users , and the company would reset usage limits every million users until the platform hits 10 million. In February, the company launched a standalone Codex app for Apple computers in a push to gain more users as AI coding tools continue to gain popularity. watch now VIDEO 4:24 04:24 OpenAI is chasing Anthropic right now, says Big Technology's Alex Kantrowitz Closing Bell Choose CNBC as your preferred source on G...
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