OpenAI's most powerful model, GPT-6 Astra, is landing for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, but not where you'd expect
Astra is appearing in the Work section of ChatGPT first, not the usual chat window. Here's what that means for people paying $20 a month.
Key points
- OpenAI began rolling out GPT-6 Astra, its most capable AI model to date, to ChatGPT Plus subscribers ($20/month) in mid-2025.
- Astra is appearing inside ChatGPT Work first, not the standard chat interface most Plus users open by default.
- Pro, Enterprise, and Business Premium subscribers already have Astra across ChatGPT Work, Codex (OpenAI's coding tool), and the developer API.
- Astra usage counts against existing subscription limits, with no extra fee required; free users remain on older models.
- OpenAI has not announced when, or whether, free-tier users will receive access to Astra.
If you pay for ChatGPT Plus and went looking for the new model this week, you may have come up empty. That's because GPT-6 Astra, OpenAI's newest and most capable model, is not showing up in the familiar chat window yet. As first reported by ThreatVectr, Astra is landing inside ChatGPT Work, a separate section of the product aimed at office-style tasks, before it reaches the standard model picker.
So: if you have a Plus account and want to try Astra today, open ChatGPT, find the Work tab, and look there.
What is GPT-6 Astra, and why does it matter?
Astra is OpenAI's new flagship model. Think of a model as the engine under the hood: it's the software that reads your message and decides what to write back. This one is built for longer, more complicated jobs.
OpenAI describes Astra as suited to tasks like browsing the web on your behalf, writing and checking code, working through scientific problems, and handling cybersecurity questions. The company also says it holds on to the thread of a long conversation better than its predecessor, GPT-5.6 Sol. Where Sol was a strong choice for a quick question, Astra is pitched as the right tool for a two-hour task.
Who gets it, and when?
Higher-tier paying customers got Astra first. Pro, Enterprise, and Business Premium subscribers already have it in ChatGPT Work, in Codex (OpenAI's dedicated coding tool), and through the API (the programming interface that lets developers build their own apps on top of the model).
Plus and standard Business subscribers are next, with OpenAI saying the rollout could take a few days to complete.
| Plan | Astra available? | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Pro / Enterprise / Business Premium | Yes | ChatGPT Work, Codex, API |
| Plus ($20/month) | Rolling out now | ChatGPT Work first |
| Business | Rolling out within days | ChatGPT Work |
| Free | Not announced | Still on GPT-5.6 Sol and GPT-5 |
Free users are not part of this rollout. OpenAI hasn't said whether Astra will reach the free tier at all, or in what limited form it might arrive if it does.
Does Astra cost extra?
No, not for paying subscribers. OpenAI confirmed Astra sits inside your existing subscription limits. If you use up your monthly allowance, you can buy additional credits, but there's no new plan to sign up for.
What should workplace users watch out for?
A more capable model tends to invite bigger, messier tasks. Bigger tasks tend to involve more sensitive information: client names, financial figures, internal reports. If your employer has a policy about what employees can paste into ChatGPT, that policy still applies. The model behind the chat box just got an upgrade; the rules around using it did not change.
