OpenAI has started limiting how many paid ChatGPT accounts can be used on one device, and how many subscriptions can be linked to the same payment card. A new page in OpenAI’s help centre describes the limits as part of the company’s privacy and security protections.
What changes. If a device has reached its limit, ChatGPT shows a “Device limit reached” message and that paid account cannot be used on the device. ChatGPT may also block a new subscription purchase when too many are already linked to the same card or device. OpenAI has not said how many accounts are allowed.
Who is affected. The limits apply to the Go, Plus, Pro 100, Pro 200 and Pro 500 plans. Free accounts and Business, Enterprise and Edu workspace plans do not count. Reports citing the help page say signing out of one account does not free up a slot. OpenAI notes that a shared household or public device can also reach the limit when several people use their own accounts, and it offers a support route for unexpected restrictions.
Why it matters. Some heavy users have run several low-cost paid accounts on one device to get more usage than a single plan allows. For people who need more, OpenAI points to buying credits, which pay for usage after a plan’s included limits. The Decoder notes that credits are generally more expensive than an extra subscription.
The change lands days after OpenAI began rolling out account switching in its iOS and Android apps, which lets people stay signed in to two ChatGPT accounts, typically a work account and a personal one. The new limits target a different habit: stacking several paid accounts to multiply usage.