Quick Answer
GPT-6 Astra is the AI model OpenAI calls its most capable, released on September 3, 2026, for complex reasoning, coding, computer use, research, and document creation. ChatGPT labels it GPT-6 Pro in Chat on Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans, Plus gets it only in Work and Codex, and the API starts at $10 per million input tokens.
Key Takeaways
- Name: ChatGPT shows Astra as GPT-6 Pro in Chat, so there is no option called “ChatGPT Astra”
- Plans: Plus includes Astra in Work and Codex only, and OpenAI does not list it for Free or Go
- API price: $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens as of November 2026
- Size: a 1,050,000-token context window and up to 128,000 output tokens
- Safety: OpenAI says Astra is its first model to meet the Critical cybersecurity threshold
What is GPT-6 Astra?
GPT-6 Astra is OpenAI’s highest-end model, built for long and difficult tasks rather than everyday chat. OpenAI’s model documentation describes Astra as its most capable model for the most demanding work, and lists complex reasoning, coding, computer use, research, and document creation as its main uses. That ranking is OpenAI’s own description, so it is best read as the company’s positioning rather than as an independent result.
GPT-6 Astra matters because it is designed to carry a task from an initial request to a finished result, using the context and tools a person provides. A reader might ask an ordinary chatbot to explain a bug, while Astra is aimed at investigating the bug across a codebase and working through a fix. OpenAI offers Astra in ChatGPT Work and Codex, which are built for multi-step work, as well as in Chat on higher plans.
GPT-6 Astra reached the OpenAI API on September 3, 2026, according to the OpenAI API changelog. Access in ChatGPT began with a limited group of organizations and then widened, as described in our report on the first Astra rollout.
Is ChatGPT Astra the same as GPT-6 Pro?
ChatGPT Astra and GPT-6 Pro are the same model under different labels. OpenAI’s ChatGPT model guide says GPT-6 Pro is powered by GPT-6 Astra. A person using the Chat tab will therefore see the Pro thinking level or GPT-6 Pro, not an option named Astra.
The label changes across OpenAI’s products, which causes most of the confusion around the name:
- Chat: Astra appears as GPT-6 Pro and is selected through the Pro thinking level.
- Work and Codex: Astra appears under its own name in the model picker, GPT-6 Astra.
- API: developers call the model with the ID gpt-6-astra.
GPT-6 Pro should also not be confused with GPT-6 Sol, which powers the Instant, Medium, High, and Extra High levels in Chat. A subscriber who selects GPT-6 at any of those levels is using Sol rather than Astra, and our guide to the Sol and Luna models explains that part of the family.
Which ChatGPT plans include GPT-6 Astra?
GPT-6 Astra is included on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans, although the products covered differ by plan. The main dividing line is between Chat and the Work and Codex tools. Plus includes Astra in Work and Codex but not GPT-6 Pro in Chat, according to OpenAI’s Astra usage guide.
| Plan | GPT-6 Pro in Chat | Astra in Work and Codex |
|---|---|---|
| Free and Go | Not included | Not listed by OpenAI |
| Plus | Not included | Included, 5 to 45 local messages per five hours (estimate) |
| Pro 100 ($100/month) | Included | Included |
| Pro 200 ($200/month) | Included | Included, higher usage than Pro 100 |
| Pro 500 ($500/month) | Included | Included, highest usage, adds Ultrafast |
| Business | Included on eligible plans | Standard and Premium seats |
| Enterprise | Depends on workspace permissions | Depends on workspace permissions |
The usage figures above are OpenAI’s estimates rather than guaranteed counts, because usage varies with the model, the task, and the settings. Pro plans currently have no five-hour limit in Work and Codex, although they still have an included allowance, according to OpenAI’s Pro tiers page. Plan details change often, so subscribers should check Settings, then Usage, for their current allowance and reset times.
Astra also needs a recent app version. OpenAI says Astra requires Codex CLI version 0.153.0 or newer, and a person who cannot see it in the desktop app should open Menu, then Check for Updates.
How much does GPT-6 Astra cost in the API?
GPT-6 Astra costs $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens in the OpenAI API as of November 2026. Cached input costs $1 per million tokens, and cache writes cost $12.50 per million, according to OpenAI’s model documentation. These are standard rates, and several options change the final bill:
- Long prompts: prompts over 272,000 input tokens cost 2 times the input and cache rates and 1.5 times the output rate for the full request.
- Batch and Flex: both are priced at 50% of the standard rates.
- Fast mode: this costs 2 times the applicable rates.
The long-prompt rule deserves attention because Astra’s 1,050,000-token context window makes very large requests possible. A developer who sends a whole codebase in one request can cross the 272,000-token line, and the higher price then applies to the entire request rather than to the excess tokens. Astra is not available on OpenAI’s free API tier.
What can GPT-6 Astra do, and what are its limits?
GPT-6 Astra can work with tools and connected systems, but it accepts only text and images and produces only text. OpenAI lists support for web search, file search, code interpreter, hosted shell, computer use, MCP connections, skills, and function calling in the Responses API. A team can therefore connect Astra to documents, code, and external services, which is the main reason to choose it over a lighter model.
GPT-6 Astra has several limits that buyers should weigh before relying on it:
- Knowledge cutoff: the model’s training data ends on April 30, 2026, so recent facts need a search tool.
- Media: audio and video are not supported as input or output.
- Customization: fine-tuning is not supported.
- ChatGPT visuals: Intelligent UI is not available with the Pro level in Chat.
- Allowance: higher reasoning settings use more allowance and do not always produce a better result, according to OpenAI.
How does GPT-6 Astra compare with GPT-6.1 Sol and rival models?
GPT-6 Astra sits near the top of independent rankings, but it is not first, and it costs far more than close alternatives. The table below uses the Intelligence Index from Artificial Analysis, checked on November 1, 2026, with each company’s published API prices.
| Model | Index | Input / output per million tokens | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 4 Carbon | 59 | $2 / $10 intro, then $4 / $20 | 1M (Artificial Analysis) |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 58 | $4 / $20 | 1M |
| GPT-6 Astra | 57 | $10 / $50 | 1.05M |
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 55 | $2 / $10 | 1.05M |
The index is one measure and does not settle which model suits a specific task. The price gap inside OpenAI’s own lineup is still the most useful comparison, because GPT-6.1 Sol costs one fifth as much as Astra, and OpenAI describes it as built for complex coding and professional work at a lower cost than Astra. OpenAI also says Astra at low effort can outperform Sol at high effort, although that is the company’s claim rather than an independent finding. The wider field is covered in our ranking of current AI models.
Why did OpenAI rate GPT-6 Astra as a Critical cybersecurity risk?
OpenAI rated GPT-6 Astra as Critical because it concluded the model can find and exploit unknown security flaws with little human direction. In a September 1, 2026, safety post, OpenAI said that with the right tools and access, Astra can find previously unknown flaws and develop ways to exploit them across many well-protected systems without a person guiding each step. OpenAI said Astra is the first model it has designated at this level under its Preparedness Framework.
For most users, the rating shows up as safeguards rather than as a different product. OpenAI said it trained Astra to refuse harmful cyber requests more reliably and added monitoring that can stop potentially unauthorized activity. OpenAI also said advanced cybersecurity work would first go to a group of testers, with wider defensive access to follow through Daybreak Blue. OpenAI’s assessment of these safeguards is its own, so organizations should still review permissions and keep a person responsible for anything Astra does on connected systems.
OpenAI has also dropped the planned update to the model. The company confirmed on September 28, 2026, that GPT-6.1 Astra would not ship after safety testing raised concerns about scope and authorization, so GPT-6 Astra remains the current Astra model.
Should you use GPT-6 Astra?
GPT-6 Astra makes sense for long, difficult work where a failed attempt costs more than the model does. Debugging across a large codebase, multi-step research, and complex document work are the tasks OpenAI itself points to. Most everyday questions do not need it, and GPT-6 Sol in Chat already handles them on paid plans.
A Plus subscriber can try Astra in Work or Codex without upgrading, which is the cheapest way to judge the difference on real tasks. A developer should test GPT-6.1 Sol first, because the same workload costs one fifth as much, and move to Astra only for the tasks where Sol falls short. OpenAI’s plans and prices change often, so readers should confirm current details on OpenAI’s own pages before paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GPT-6 Astra free?
GPT-6 Astra is not free. OpenAI includes it in paid plans, starting with Plus in Work and Codex, and it does not list Astra for Free or Go. The API also charges for it, and the free API tier does not support the model.
Is GPT-6 Astra available on ChatGPT Plus?
GPT-6 Astra is available on ChatGPT Plus in Work and Codex, but not in the Chat tab. OpenAI estimates 5 to 45 local messages per five-hour window on Plus, and weekly limits may also apply.
What is the difference between GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6 Pro?
GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6 Pro are the same underlying model. GPT-6 Pro is the name used in ChatGPT’s Chat tab, while Work, Codex, and the API use the Astra name.
How much does GPT-6 Astra cost?
GPT-6 Astra costs $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens in the API as of November 2026. In ChatGPT, it comes with paid plans, and the Pro plans cost $100, $200, or $500 per month.
Is GPT-6 Astra the most powerful AI model?
GPT-6 Astra is the model OpenAI calls its most capable, but it does not lead every independent ranking. Artificial Analysis placed it third on its Intelligence Index on November 1, 2026, behind Gemini 4 Carbon and Claude Opus 5.5.