Codex usage limit reached: what now?
Short answer: Codex usage is shared with ChatGPT Work. On Plus and Standard Business, OpenAI publishes estimated local messages per 5-hour period by model (for example GPT-6.1 Sol 15-160, GPT-6 Luna 350-3,000). Weekly limits may also apply. Pro plans currently have no 5-hour limit. OpenAI says these are estimates, not fixed limits.
When it resets: Check your usage dashboard for current limits and reset times, or run /status in the Codex CLI.
learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19
When it resets: Check your usage dashboard for current limits and reset times, or run /status in the Codex CLI.
learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19
What you can do right now
- Wait for the reset shown in your usage dashboard or /status.
- Plus and Pro: buy additional ChatGPT credits to keep working without upgrading.
- Switch to a lighter model (GPT-6 Luna allows far more messages per 5 hours than GPT-6.1 Sol on Plus, per OpenAI's estimates).
- Run extra local chats with an API key, charged at standard API rates.
- Upgrade: Plus $20/mo; Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo.
Plans and stated limits
| Tool | Plan | Price | Stated usage limits | Window | Included models | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex | Free | $0 | not disclosed | not disclosed | GPT-6 Luna (Standard speed, desktop app, subject to rollout) | learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| OpenAI Codex | Go | $8/mo | not disclosed | not disclosed | GPT-6 Luna (Standard speed, desktop app, subject to rollout) | learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| OpenAI Codex | Plus | $20/mo | Estimated local messages per 5h: GPT-6.1 Sol 15-160; GPT-6 Sol 15-150; GPT-6 Astra 5-45; GPT-6 Luna 350-3,000. Weekly limits may also apply | 5-hour + weekly | GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Luna (plus GPT-6 Sol/Astra per limits table) | learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| OpenAI Codex | Pro | $100, $200 or $500/mo tiers | No 5-hour limit currently; weekly limit amounts not disclosed on pricing page. Ultrafast mode on Pro $500 | Weekly (5-hour currently off) | GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Sol, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-6 Astra | learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| OpenAI Codex | Business | $25/user/mo monthly (lower when billed annually, 2+ users) | Standard Business: same per-model 5h ranges as Plus | 5-hour + weekly | GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Sol, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-6 Astra | learn.chatgpt.com checked 2026-10-19 |
Cheaper or different alternatives
Lowest-priced paid individual plan for other tools (stated limits differ; check each):
| Tool | Plan | Price | Stated usage limits | Window | Included models | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Plus | $8/mo or $80/yr | Basic usage pool; exact size not disclosed | Weekly refresh | Cursor models: Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, Composer 2.5 at fixed settings; no Auto, Cloud Agents, Bugbot or third-party models | cursor.com checked 2026-10-20 |
| GitHub Copilot | Pro | $10/mo | 1,500 AI Credits/mo (1,000 base + 500 flex) | Monthly | A selection of models | docs.github.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| Claude Code | Pro | $20/mo monthly; $17/mo billed annually ($200 up front) | At least 5x Free usage per 5-hour session; weekly limits apply; exact count not disclosed | 5-hour + weekly | Opus, Sonnet, Haiku; Fable via usage credits | claude.com checked 2026-10-19 |
| Windsurf / Devin | Pro | $20/mo | Increased quotas (not disclosed); extra usage at API pricing | Daily + weekly | Frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, SpaceXAI + open source; free SWE-2 | devin.ai checked 2026-10-19 |
Find a plan for your budget with the plan calculator, or get alerts when limits change. OpenAI Codex change feed
Get an email when a plan or limit changes
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