OpenAI is giving away $2,500 worth of free credits, but only to some users

Summary

OpenAI adds 62,500 free credits (~$2,500 value) to affected Pro accounts as damage control.
Pro 200 allowance is halved; the downgrade kicks in after Oct 2026 grandfathering ends.
Credits expire at the end of 2026 and are limited to existing Pro 200 subscribers, not new signups. OpenAI is giving 62,500 free usage credits to some existing users, which would normally cost roughly $2, 500. T h ecre d i t s a re a pp e a r in g a u t o ma t i c a ll y in e l i g ib l e P ro a cco u n t s . T hi so u t - o f - t h e - b l u e g e n eros i t y a pp e a re d a f t er a w a v eo f an g er an d ba c k l a s h o v er t h ec han g es Op e n A I ma d e t o i t s p ai d s u b scr i pt i o n pl an s . T h e u s a g e l imi t s f orso m eo f t h e m ore a d v an ce d m o d e l s w i ll b e ha l v e d o n t h e$ 200-per-month tier. In other words, this isn’t quite a no-strings-attached windfall, and OpenAI appears to be hoping to do some damage control with this giveaway. OpenAI is cushioning a painful Pro downgrade The $200 s u b scr i pt i o ni s k ee p in g i t s p r i ce b u tl os in g ha l f i t s a ll o w an ce [Op e n A I^{'} srece n tl y u p d a t e d P ro l in e u p] (h ttp s : // h e lp . o p e nai . co m / e n / a r t i c l es /9793128 - ab o u t - c ha t g pt - p ro - t i ers) n o w in c l u d es t h ree t i ers . T h er e^{'} s t h e " P ro 100" f or$ 100 per month, the “Pro 200” offered at $200, an d t h e " P ro 500, " w hi c h, yo ugu esse d i t, cos t s a w h o pp in g$ 500 monthly. Unfortunately, Astra Ultrafast is only available with the $500 - p er - m o n t h s u b scr i pt i o n, an d P ro 200 s u b scr ib ersrece i v e l ess u s a g e t han t h e pl an p re v i o u s l yo ff ere df or t h es am e p r i ce t a g . Op e n A I s a ys t h ere d u c t i o n re f l ec t s i t s “ in cre a s in g l ye ff i c i e n t m o d e l s .” M e an w hi l e, man y u serso n X (Tw i tt er) ha v eco m pl ain e d ab o u t [GPT 6.1 an d o t h er m o d e l se a t in g t h ro ug h w ee k l y u s a g e inm ere h o u rs] (h ttp s : // x . co m / J u s t L in g o nb erry / s t a t u s /2105028200556642419 ? s = 20) . P ros u b scr ib ers a ro u n d t h e w or l d a re f u r i o u s, an d i t^{'} s n o w o n d er w h y . Op e n A I ha s a ll o w e d P ro 200 u sers t ore t ain t h e i r p re v i o u s a ll o w an ce t h ro ug h O c t o b er 29, 2026, b u tt h e d o w n g r a d e b e g in s t h e f o ll o w in g d a y . P re v i o u s l y, P ro 200 u sers ha d 20 t im es t h e C ha tGPT W or kan d C o d e xu s a g e a v ai l ab l e t o C ha tGPTPl u ss u b scr ib ers . B u t n o w, u s a g e w i ll d ro pt o 10 t im es w ha t^{'} s a v ai l ab l e w i t h C ha tGPTPl u s . M oreo v er, GPT - 6 P ro a ccess w i ll a l so f a ll f ro m 200 t o 100 m ess a g es w ee k l y . I ro ni c a ll y, t h ese d o w n g r a d es a re ha pp e nin g j u s t a s [A n t h ro p i c in cre a se d Cl a u d e^{'} s f i v e - h o u r u s a g e l imi t s b y 20 T oso f t e n t ha t b l o w, a ff ec t e d s u b scr ib ers a re n o w f in d in g 62, 500 u s a g ecre d i t s in t h e i r a cco u n t s . R o ug h l ys p e akin g, yo u^{'} d n or ma ll y ha v e t os p e n d$ 2,500 to get as many credits. There’s a catch, though, as the credits are only usable until the end of 2026. OpenAI’s generous offer appears to be limited to existing Pro 200 subscribers who are affected by the downgrade. So, new subscribers shouldn’t expect the same balance.

By Hamed Paydarfar

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OpenAI is giving away $2,500 worth of free credits, but only to some users

Summary

By Hamed Paydarfar

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