OpenAI Codex has no standalone subscription — it's bundled into every ChatGPT plan, from Free up to $200/mo Pro, with higher rate limits at each tier. The open-source CLI is free but meters model usage through the API. Below is every plan, the token rate card, and what Codex actually costs a working developer.
Every Codex plan at a glance
Codex access comes with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise. The price you pay is really the price of the ChatGPT tier; Codex usage scales with it.
| Plan | Price | Codex usage |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited Codex access to try it out. |
| Go | $8/mo | Entry-level usage for light coding. |
| Plus | $20/mo | Generous limits; CLI, IDE, web, cloud tasks and auto code review. |
| Pro (5x) | $100/mo | 5x the usage of Plus. |
| Pro (20x) | $200/mo | 20x the usage of Plus — for the heaviest users. |
| Business | $25/user/mo | Team management, higher limits, min. 2 users ($20 annual). |
| Enterprise | Custom | SSO, admin controls, custom limits and security review. |
Notice how the Pro tier splits into two multipliers: $100 for 5x Plus usage and $200 for 20x. Most solo developers never need to go past Plus. Curious how the product itself holds up? Read our OpenAI Codex review.
How rate limits work
Two limits stack, and understanding them saves surprises. A 5-hour rolling window caps messages per model, and a separate weekly cap resets 7 days after your first message. Hit either and you wait.
On Plus ($20), the 5-hour window is roughly 15–90 messages on GPT-5.6 Sol, 20–110 on Terra and 50–280 on the lighter Luna. Pro 5x ($100) multiplies those by five, and Pro 20x ($200) by twenty — which is why Pro users almost never mention limits. Lighter models stretch further, so routing matters.
The API token rate card
The open-source CLI is free to install but bills model usage through the API. For GPT-5-Codex, that's roughly $1.25 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens, with cached input meaningfully cheaper.
This matters even on ChatGPT plans: since April 2, 2026, Codex usage was realigned to these API-style token rates (input, cached input and output) instead of flat per-message pricing. You still buy credits, but consumption now tracks the tokens your tasks actually burn — so a big, verbose task costs more than a short one.
What Codex really costs
On average, Codex runs about $100–$200 per developer per month once you account for the model used, how many instances you run in parallel, automations and how much fast mode you lean on. That's the real-world figure for a heavy daily user.
But the distribution is wide. A developer using Codex for a few tasks a day stays comfortably inside the $20 Plus plan and pays nothing extra. The cost climbs only when you run many parallel cloud tasks or push fast mode hard. Budget by your workload, not the headline Pro price.
Which Codex plan is worth it?
For most developers, Plus at $20/mo is the sweet spot — its limits cover normal daily coding, and it's the best value in the category. Step up to Pro ($100 for 5x) if you regularly run parallel tasks or hit the weekly cap, and to $200 (20x) only if you're a genuine power user or running automations around the clock.
Teams should start with Business at $25/user/mo for shared management and higher limits. Compared with Claude Code pricing, Codex generally offers more headroom before you hit caps — a big reason it wins on value in our Codex vs Claude Code comparison. To see where it ranks overall, check the best AI coding assistants roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Codex cost?
Codex is bundled into ChatGPT plans: Free ($0, limited), Go ($8/mo), Plus ($20/mo), Pro ($100/mo for 5x usage or $200/mo for 20x) and Business ($25/user/mo). The open-source CLI is free but bills model usage through the API.
Is there a separate Codex subscription?
No. There is no standalone Codex subscription. Codex access is included in ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans, with higher rate limits at each tier.
What are Codex's rate limits?
Two limits stack: a 5-hour rolling window and a weekly cap that resets 7 days after your first message. On Plus, the 5-hour window is roughly 15–90 messages on GPT-5.6 Sol and more on lighter models. Pro 5x multiplies those by 5 and Pro 20x by 20.
How much is the Codex API?
Through the API, GPT-5-Codex runs roughly $1.25 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens, with cached input cheaper. Since April 2026, ChatGPT-plan Codex usage is also metered by these API-style token rates.
Which Codex plan should I get?
For most developers, Plus at $20/mo is the sweet spot and covers daily use comfortably. Heavy users who run parallel tasks or fast mode should consider Pro at $100 (5x) or $200 (20x). Teams should look at Business at $25/user/mo.
What does Codex really cost per developer?
On average, Codex costs around $100–$200 per developer per month once you account for the model used, number of parallel instances, automations and fast-mode usage. Light users stay comfortably within the $20 Plus plan.