What Is ChatGPT and How Do You Use It? (2026 Guide)

ChatGPT is an AI assistant from OpenAI that you chat with in plain language. OpenAI says it "helps you learn, create, and get things done". You can start on the free plan at chatgpt.com by typing a question, and you can try it before you create an account.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a conversational AI assistant. You type (or speak) a request, and it replies in the same chat. You can then ask follow-up questions, ask it to change the tone, or ask it to start again.

OpenAI's website describes what it does across chat, work and coding.

What can ChatGPT do?

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT can:

• Answer everyday questions, explain concepts and help you think through decisions
• Draft messages and help with writing
• Search the web and compare options
• Generate images
• Have voice conversations
• Create and edit documents, slide decks, spreadsheets, charts and PDFs, and connect to apps such as Gmail and Slack
• Help with coding through Codex, a coding agent

Not every feature is available on every plan. The free plan has limits on several of them, covered below.

How to start with ChatGPT for free

• Step 1: Go to chatgpt.com. Open the site in your browser. OpenAI also offers a mobile app.
• Step 2: Try it first if you like. OpenAI says you can try ChatGPT before creating an account. Logged-out chats are limited to one conversation at a time and cannot be saved.
• Step 3: Create an account or log in. OpenAI's help pages list email, "Continue with Google", "Continue with Microsoft" and "Continue with Apple" as sign-in options. You need an account to save chats, share them, export your data or use custom instructions. OpenAI advises using a personal email for personal use and a separate work email for work.
• Step 4: Type your first prompt. Use the text box and ask something specific, such as "Explain how superannuation works in simple terms" or "Write a polite email asking to reschedule a meeting".
• Step 5: Follow up. Reply in the same chat to adjust the answer. Start a new chat when you want a fresh topic.
• Step 6: Check your privacy settings. OpenAI's help page mentions an "Improve the model for everyone" option in settings if you want to opt out of training.
• Step 7: Check important answers. ChatGPT can make mistakes, so verify facts, figures and advice before you rely on them.

OpenAI says phone verification is not generally needed to create an account or use ChatGPT.

What does the free plan include?

OpenAI's pricing page lists the Free plan at $0 per month. It includes:

• Unlimited text chats, subject to abuse guardrails
• Limited messages with uploads, image creation, voice and deep research
• Limited memory
• Web search, data analysis, and file and image uploads, according to OpenAI's free tier help page

When you reach a limit on a tool such as image creation, ChatGPT tells you and you wait for the limit to reset. OpenAI says ads may appear in the Free tier in certain countries.

ChatGPT plans and pricing

These prices come from OpenAI's pricing docs and OpenAI's Go announcement, and are in US dollars. Go pricing is localized in some markets and OpenAI may change prices over time, so check the official ChatGPT pricing page before you pay.

OpenAI also lists ChatGPT Edu for universities and ChatGPT for Teachers, which it says is free for verified US K-12 educators through June 2027.

Everyday ways people use ChatGPT

You do not need technical skills to get value from ChatGPT. Common uses that match what OpenAI describes include:

• Learning: ask it to explain a topic in simpler words, then ask for an example.
• Writing: ask for a first draft of an email, cover letter or social post, then edit it so it sounds like you.
• Planning: ask it to compare options, list pros and cons, or turn a rough idea into a checklist.
• Documents: on plans that include it, ask it to create or edit documents, slide decks and spreadsheets.

Treat the first answer as a draft. The most useful results usually come from a few rounds of follow-up questions.

When does it make sense to pay?

Start on the free plan and see how far it takes you. If you keep hitting the limits on uploads, image creation or voice chats, Go is the lowest paid step ($8 USD per month in the US, as listed in OpenAI's pricing docs) and adds more of each, according to OpenAI. Plus at $20 per month adds expanded limits, advanced reasoning, projects and scheduled tasks. Pro adds higher usage tiers, and Business is for teams of 2 or more. Because limits apply on every plan, read the plan details on the official pricing page before you pay.

Tips for better answers

• Be specific about what you want, who it is for and how long it should be.
• Paste in the text you want help with instead of describing it.
• Ask for changes in the same chat, such as "make it shorter" or "use a friendlier tone".
• Do not share sensitive details such as passwords or private customer information.

How we checked this

We checked the facts in this guide against OpenAI's official websites on 20 October 2026. Where we could not confirm a detail, we left it out. Plans, prices and limits change often, so check the official page before you upgrade.

Frequently asked questions

Is ChatGPT free to use?

Yes. OpenAI offers a Free plan at $0 per month with unlimited text chats (subject to abuse guardrails) and limits on tools such as uploads, image creation and voice.

Do I need an account to use ChatGPT?

You can try it without one, but OpenAI says you need an account to save chats, share them, export your data or use custom instructions.

Can I use ChatGPT on my phone?

Yes. OpenAI offers a ChatGPT mobile app as well as the website at chatgpt.com.

What is the difference between Free and Plus?

Plus is $20 per month and, per OpenAI, adds advanced reasoning, expanded messages and uploads, projects and scheduled tasks compared with Free, though limits still apply.

Are there ads in ChatGPT?

OpenAI says ads may appear in the Free tier in certain countries, and its pricing page says the Go plan may include ads.

Is ChatGPT always right?

No. It can give wrong or incomplete answers. Check anything important, such as health, legal or money matters, with a reliable source or a qualified professional.

Can ChatGPT search the web?

Yes. OpenAI lists web search for current information among the features of the Free plan, and says it can search the web and compare options. It is still wise to open the sources it points to and confirm the details yourself.

Can ChatGPT help me write code?

OpenAI says ChatGPT can help with coding, and offers Codex, a coding agent for planning, writing, testing and reviewing code. The Free plan includes limited Codex access.