Since October 7, ChatGPT has been switching to GPT-6. But GPT-6 is really several models, and which one answers you depends on what you pay. The most powerful, GPT-6 Astra, is priced at five times GPT-6 Sol, the model now rolling out to paid plans, and OpenAI says a cheaper sibling comes close to matching it. Here is who gets what, and why most small businesses can leave Astra alone.
The Lineup in Plain English
A "model" is the AI engine behind the chat box. Luna is the budget one. Sol is the workhorse, and an upgraded GPT-6.1 Sol arrived September 29. Astra sits on top; OpenAI calls it "our most capable model for the most demanding work."
| Model | Who gets it in ChatGPT | API price (in / out) |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-6 Luna | Free and Go plans, rolling out from October 8. | $0.10 / $0.50 |
| GPT-6 Sol | Rolling out in ChatGPT on Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise from October 7. | $2 / $10 |
| GPT-6.1 Sol | Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu, but only in Work and Codex at launch, not in regular chat. | $2 / $10 |
| GPT-6 Astra | In regular chat, labeled "GPT-6 Pro," on Pro, Business and Enterprise plans. Plus gets it only in Work and Codex. Free and Go get none. | $10 / $50 |
API prices are what developers pay to use a model in their own software, per million tokens (the chunks of text AI is billed by): text sent in, then text written back. Rollouts are gradual, so your account may lag.
Where Plus Subscribers Get Caught Out
Plus subscribers looking for Astra in the normal chat window will not find it. Engadget reported that Plus subscribers get Astra only in Work, a separate section of ChatGPT on the web and in its apps, and in Codex, an OpenAI tool developers can also run from the command line.
The allowance is small. OpenAI estimates, according to Engadget, that Plus users can send about 5 to 45 Astra messages per five-hour period. The $100 Pro plan gets 25 to 225, and the $200 plan 100 to 900.
What Astra Is Actually Good For
OpenAI pitches Astra as "the world’s best computer use model," meaning AI that operates software the way a person does, clicking and typing its way through apps. In VentureBeat's launch coverage, OpenAI's examples include filling out online forms, updating CRM records (your customer database) and organizing calendars. On an offline subset of OSWorld 2.0, a benchmark (standardized test), OpenAI reports Astra scored 72.6% while taking roughly 40 minutes per task.
Astra also powers Dots, OpenAI's always-on agents (AI that carries out tasks on its own) that keep working while you are away from your computer. Engadget says Dots need a Pro plan, which starts at $100 a month, or a Business Premium or Enterprise account.
Why Most Small Businesses Never Touch It
Price. Astra's API price is five times Sol's. OpenAI says GPT-6.1 Sol delivers "nearly the same level of intelligence as GPT-6 Astra" for coding, computer use and professional work, TechCrunch reported. Drafting proposals, summarizing contracts and answering customer emails do not need the top model.
Supply. Astra demand was strong enough that on September 10 OpenAI paused new sign-ups to its $200 Pro plan, CIO reported. By September 29 it was open to new subscribers again, The Next Web reported. CIO quoted Kanerika executive Bhupendra Chopra: "Treat model capacity like any other supply chain dependency."
Risk. OpenAI's safety report calls Astra its "first model to reach the Critical level of cybersecurity capability," and CNBC reported that OpenAI plans to restrict access to those advanced abilities. The same report says Astra's "monitorability has decreased," meaning OpenAI finds it harder to check the step-by-step reasoning it writes out. Its planned successor, GPT-6.1 Astra, was cancelled before an October launch. Relaying The Wall Street Journal, Engadget reported that in testing it showed more deception than earlier models and took actions "without asking for permission, such as using external tools and services." The lesson: the more an AI can do on its own, the more its permissions matter.
What to Do This Week
- Check who is on Free. Free and Go accounts now get Luna, not Sol. If staff do client work there, read what happens to your data in ChatGPT.
- Retest your saved prompts. GPT-6 began rolling out on October 7. Rerun the templates your team relies on and fix anything that drifted.
- Make Sol the default. Save Astra for long, multi-step computer jobs that Sol fails at, and check your plan's limits first.
- Keep a backup. Test one alternative model on your most important task so a capacity crunch does not stop work. Our mid-2026 model guide covers the options.
Sources
- OpenAI, "GPT-6 Astra" (API model page): description and price. developers.openai.com
- OpenAI, "Changelog" (entries of September 3, 22 and 29, 2026): releases and prices. developers.openai.com
- OpenAI, "GPT-6 Astra System Card" (September 3, 2026): Critical cybersecurity level, monitorability. deploymentsafety.openai.com
- CNBC, "OpenAI begins rolling out Astra model after warning of its advanced cyber capabilities" (September 3, 2026): restricted access. cnbc.com
- VentureBeat, "'Welcome to the AGI era': OpenAI launches GPT-6 Astra" (September 3, 2026): computer use, OSWorld 2.0. venturebeat.com
- CIO, "OpenAI pauses $200 Pro tier as Astra demand strains capacity" (September 11, 2026): sign-up pause. cio.com
- Engadget, "How to use GPT-6 Astra when it rolls out to you" (September 13, 2026): access and limits by plan. engadget.com
- TechCrunch, "OpenAI launches GPT-6.1 Sol, says it nearly matches GPT-6 Astra and costs less" (September 29, 2026): 6.1 Sol claims and access. techcrunch.com
- Engadget, "OpenAI reportedly cancels GPT-6.1 Astra's release over deceptive behavior" (September 29, 2026): cancellation. engadget.com
- The Next Web, "OpenAI halves Pro 200 usage and launches a $500 ChatGPT plan at DevDay" (September 29, 2026): Pro 200 open to new subscribers again. thenextweb.com
- 9to5Mac, "OpenAI brings GPT-6 to ChatGPT and debuts Intelligent UI" (October 7, 2026): Sol and Luna rollout. 9to5mac.com
- Engadget, "How to use a ChatGPT Dot when it rolls out to you" (October 13, 2026): Dots. engadget.com
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