OpenAI Rumored to Launch $500/Month Tier with Ultrafast Mode
A wave of leaks points to a new premium OpenAI subscription tier. Leaker testingcatalog says a ChatGPT Pro Max plan was found in development builds; user adonissingh posted on X that a $500/month tier "looks real" and will include an Ultrafast mode. Pricing for GPT-6 Astra ULTRAFAST (double input cost, +50% output) had already surfaced on the developer side. None of this is officially confirmed.
Confirmed
- Sam Altman publicly polled users on how OpenAI should charge for Codex, a first-hand signal.
- GPT-6 Astra ULTRAFAST pricing (input doubled, output +50%) previously appeared in developer channels.
Unconfirmed
- The $500/month tier, ChatGPT Pro Max plan, and Ultrafast mode all remain third-party leaks and speculation with no official confirmation.
- testingcatalog suggested DevDay ("next week" at the time of the leak) might bring an official announcement, with details unknown.
Why it matters
- Tech writer VraserX argues the new tier may simply shift the usage of the existing $200 Pro plan to a higher price, signaling severe compute constraints, revenue pressure, or both.
- User Zodomo read Altman's Codex pricing poll as a sign the $500 tier is imminent, sparking broad community discussion; if true, it would substantially raise OpenAI's top subscription price band.
2026-09-29 ~ 2026-09-30 · 5 related posts
- Episode 1: OpenAI rumored to prep $500/month ChatGPT Pro Max tier(2026-09-25, 21 posts)
- Episode 2: OpenAI's $500 ChatGPT Pro Max Tier Surfaces in Testing(2026-09-27, 4 posts)
- Episode 3: OpenAI Reopens $200 Pro With Halved Allowance, Launches $500 Tier Amid Backlash(2026-09-29, 69 posts)
- Episode 4: OpenAI Rumored to Launch $500/Month Tier with Ultrafast Mode(2026-09-29, 5 posts)
- Episode 5: OpenAI DevDay 2026: GPT-6.1 Sol, Dots, Ultrafast and 20+ Launches(2026-09-30, 232 posts)
- Episode 6: OpenAI DevDay Launches Persistent Agent Dots to Mixed Reviews(2026-09-30, 50 posts)
- Episode 7: Users Say $500 ChatGPT Pro Max Quota Burns Out in Under an Hour(2026-09-30, 4 posts)
- Episode 8: Ex-OpenAI member suggests playbook for announcing new model pricing(2026-09-30, 2 posts)
- Episode 9: OpenAI Halves ChatGPT Pro Usage at Same $200 Price, Users Flee to Claude(2026-10-01, 14 posts)
- Episode 10: OpenAI's New Dots Draws User Backlash on Day One(2026-10-01, 5 posts)
- Episode 11: OpenAI Halts $200 Tier Signups, Slashes Usage Amid Compute Crunch(2026-10-04, 3 posts)
- Episode 12: SemiAnalysis Finds Anthropic Subscriptions Deliver 5x OpenAI Value; OpenAI Responds With Speed Boost(2026-10-06, 22 posts)
Primary sources
- ChatGPT Pro Max tier spotted in development as OpenAI DevDay nears; $2000 price rumored — scaling01 · 2026-09-29
- [source] Will OpenAI's rumored $500 plan just reprice what $200 Pro used to offer? — VraserX · 2026-09-29
- Report: dots' $500/month plan appears real, includes Ultrafast mode — adonis_singh · 2026-09-30
- [source] OpenAI's rumored $500/month plan with Ultrafast mode appears to be real — adonis_singh · 2026-09-30
- Sam Altman asks how OpenAI should charge for Codex, $500/mo plan speculation spreads — chaumian · 2026-09-30