🎯 Quick Answer: Codex Pricing in 2026
Codex does not have its own subscription. It is included in ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), Pro ($100, $200 or $500/month), Business and Enterprise, with a limited amount on Free. You can also run it with an API key and pay per token at API prices. Extra usage can be bought with ChatGPT credits.
Best for: Developers deciding between a flat ChatGPT plan and pay-as-you-go API billing.
Three ways to pay for Codex
1. A ChatGPT plan. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu all include Codex. Plus costs $20/month, and Pro tiers run $100, $200 and $500/month with more usage as you go up. See the full breakdown in our ChatGPT pricing guide.
2. ChatGPT credits. When you hit your plan limit, credits extend usage on Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise plans.
3. An API key. Use Codex in the CLI, SDK or IDE extension and pay only for the tokens it uses, at OpenAI API prices. Cloud features like GitHub code review and Slack are not part of API-key use, and the models available follow what your key can access.
What changes by plan
| Option | Cost | Codex access |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited Codex access |
| Plus | $20/month | Codex on web, CLI, IDE and iOS; cloud integrations; credits to extend |
| Pro | $100, $200 or $500/month | More usage than Plus; longer sessions; GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark research preview for Pro |
| Business | $25/user/month ($20 annual) Standard; $125 ($100 annual) Premium | Codex in both seat types; Premium has 5x the usage of Standard |
| Enterprise | Custom | Priority processing, SCIM, EKM, RBAC, audit logs |
| API key | Pay per token | CLI, SDK, IDE; no cloud-based features |
ChatGPT Work shares your Codex usage
OpenAI says ChatGPT Work and Codex share usage, so Work tasks inside ChatGPT draw on the same pricing, credits and limits. If you use both, your Codex allowance runs down faster.
Which should you pick?
Start with Plus if you code a few hours a week. Move to Pro when you hit limits daily. Use an API key if you want predictable per-token billing or run Codex in CI. Compare with Cursor pricing if you prefer an editor-first tool.
What people mean when they search Codex pricing
There is no standalone Codex price tag, which is why the search is confusing. Codex is bundled into ChatGPT plans, can be topped up with ChatGPT credits, or can be run on an API key where you pay per token. So the real question is which of those three billing routes fits how you code, not what Codex costs on its own.
Plan route vs API-key route
A ChatGPT plan gives you a flat monthly price and the full Codex experience, including cloud features like GitHub code review and Slack. Plus is $20 per month. The Pro tiers are $100, $200 and $500 per month and add more usage as you go up. The tradeoff is that usage is capped by plan, and ChatGPT Work shares that same allowance.
An API key means you pay only for tokens used, at OpenAI API prices. It works in the CLI, SDK and IDE extension, which makes it a good fit for CI jobs or occasional use where a monthly plan would sit idle. It does not include cloud features such as GitHub code review or Slack, and the models you can use follow what your key can access. Because the bill scales with usage, a heavy month can cost more than a flat plan, so set a spending limit.
How to decide: three typical users
A weekend builder who codes a few hours a week should start on Plus at $20 and see whether the limit ever bites. A full-time developer who hits limits most days should look at the Pro tiers, picking the lowest one that stops the interruptions rather than jumping straight to $500. A team automating code review or running agents in pipelines should compare Business or Enterprise with an API key, since the right answer depends on whether they need the cloud features.
Ways to avoid overpaying
Buy credits instead of upgrading a tier when you only occasionally run out. Keep tasks scoped so each run uses less of your allowance. Remember that anything you do in ChatGPT Work counts against the same pool. And if you already pay for another coding tool, compare Cursor pricing and Devin pricing before adding Codex on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Codex free?
Free ChatGPT accounts include limited Codex access. For regular use you need a paid ChatGPT plan or an API key.
How much does Codex cost?
There is no separate Codex subscription. It is included in ChatGPT Plus at $20/month, Pro at $100, $200 or $500/month, and Business and Enterprise plans. With an API key you pay per token.
Can I buy more Codex usage?
Yes. ChatGPT credits extend usage once you reach your plan limit on Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise.
Does Codex with an API key include cloud features?
No. API-key use covers the CLI, SDK and IDE extension, but not cloud-based features like GitHub code review or Slack integration.
Should I use a ChatGPT plan or an API key for Codex?
Use a plan for a flat price and cloud features like GitHub code review. Use an API key for pay-per-token billing in the CLI, SDK, IDE extension or CI.
Does ChatGPT Work use my Codex allowance?
Yes. OpenAI says ChatGPT Work and Codex share usage, so heavy use of one reduces what is left for the other.
Do I need a Pro plan for Codex?
Not necessarily. Plus at $20 per month includes Codex. Move to a Pro tier only if you hit limits regularly.
Which models can I use with an API key?
The models available follow what your API key can access.
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