Skip to content
OpenAI Codex review (2026): pricing, features and alternatives
Coding agent · chatgpt.com
Codex pricing at a glance
Codex pricing: OpenAI Codex is a coding agent with a free plan and paid plans from $8/mo, best for ChatGPT users who want a coding agent.
- What it is
- OpenAI's coding agent for the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app, included with ChatGPT plans.
- What it costs
- Free; Go $8/mo. Included with ChatGPT plans; credits or API pay-as-you-go
- Who it's for
- ChatGPT users who want a coding agent · Personal use and businesses
- How it compares
- One of 4 free-to-start options among the 6 AI coding agents on Klyvoo
- Pricing checked
- October 2026 on chatgpt.com
Our verdict
Codex is the easy choice if you already pay for ChatGPT, since Plus covers the cloud agent, CLI, IDE extension and GitHub code review. Free and Go only suit light tasks and Plus usage resets every five hours, so heavy users end up on Pro from $100 a month.
Pros
- Free and Go plans let you try it
- Open-source CLI plus IDE extension and desktop app
- GitHub code review included on Plus and Pro
Cons
- Codex cloud starts at Plus ($20/mo)
- Plus has five-hour usage windows; Pro starts at $100/mo
- Usage varies by model and task, so limits are hard to predict
OpenAI Codex pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | Codex access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Quick coding tasks in desktop app |
| Go | $8/mo | Not listed | Lightweight tasks; CLI and IDE extension |
| Plus | $20/mo | Not listed | Codex cloud, CLI, IDE, iOS; 5-hour limits |
| Pro | $100, $200 or $500/mo | Not listed | No five-hour limit; extend with credits |
| Business | $25/user/mo | $20/user/mo | Plus-level usage; buy credits for more |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Contact sales |
| API key | Per token | Per token | Pay at API pricing |
Source: learn.chatgpt.com/docs/pricing (Codex pricing), checked October 3, 2026.
OpenAI Codex alternatives
| Agent | Starting price | Pricing model | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex | Free; Go $8/mo | Included with ChatGPT plans; credits or API pay-as-you-go | ChatGPT users who want a coding agent | This page |
| Claude Code | $20/mo (Claude Pro) | Subscription with usage limits; or API pay-as-you-go | Developers working on real, large codebases | Claude Code review |
| Cursor | Free; Pro $20/mo | Freemium subscription with usage pools; on-demand usage | Developers who want AI inside their editor | Cursor review |
| GitHub Copilot coding agent | $10/mo (Copilot Pro) | Subscription with monthly AI credits; extra credits pay-as-you-go | Teams that already work in GitHub | GitHub Copilot coding agent review |
| Replit Agent | Free; Core $20/mo | Freemium subscription with credits; effort-based paid modes | Non-coders building and hosting real apps | Replit Agent review |
| Lovable | Free; Pro $25/mo | Freemium subscription with credits | Founders launching MVPs without coding | Lovable review |
OpenAI Codex head-to-head comparisons
OpenAI Codex FAQ
How much does OpenAI Codex cost?
Codex comes with ChatGPT plans: Free, Go at $8/mo, Plus at $20/mo and Pro at $100, $200 or $500/mo. Business is $25 per user monthly or $20 billed yearly. You can also pay per token with an API key.
Is OpenAI Codex free?
Yes, in a limited way. The Free plan lets you try Codex on quick coding tasks in the desktop app. Codex cloud needs Plus or higher.
Where can I use Codex?
In the cloud, the open-source Codex CLI, an IDE extension, the ChatGPT desktop app, the web and iOS. It also does GitHub code review on Plus and Pro.
What are Codex usage limits?
Plus and standard Business have five-hour message windows that depend on the model and task. OpenAI says Pro plans currently have no five-hour limit.
What are the best Codex alternatives?
Claude Code (from $20/mo), Cursor (free Hobby plan) and GitHub Copilot coding agent (from $10/mo) are the closest. Replit Agent and Lovable suit people building apps without code.