OpenAI Pauses $200 Pro Plan Due to Astra Demand

OpenAI temporarily paused new sign-ups and upgrades for its $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan on September 10, 2026. The company attributed the move to unprecedented demand for Astra, a new AI model launched on September 3 designed to advance reasoning, coding, and computer use. OpenAI described the model as a generational leap and the beginning of the AGI era.

Thibault Sottiaux, head of core product and platform, stated that the pause was necessary to ensure existing users maintain an incredible experience and continued access to Astra. He noted that the company is pulling all possible levers to sustain demand, which has placed significant strain on system capacity. While the $200 tier is restricted, other subscription levels—including Free, Go, Plus, the $100 Pro plan, and Enterprise contracts—remain available.

Chief Executive Sam Altman previously characterized the Astra launch as messy due to initial access issues for some paying users. OpenAI is currently working to scale its infrastructure to accommodate the surge in demand but has not provided a specific timeline for when the highest-usage consumer plan will reopen.