ChatGPT’s free tier is about to become far less restrictive for its most basic use: talking. But OpenAI’s move removes only the text-message ceiling, leaving the more expensive parts of the product firmly metered.

The rollout begins this week, when Free and Go accounts shift to GPT-5.6 Luna as their default model. Next week, those users will receive unlimited text chats and a new “Think” button for tougher prompts. The fine print matters: chats involving uploads, images, image generation or voice will still face separate limits.¹

That makes the update an access expansion rather than a wholesale opening of ChatGPT. OpenAI is offering free users more room to converse and, occasionally, more reasoning power; it is not making every costly capability unlimited. The company says Luna produced 62% fewer factual errors than GPT-5.5-Instant in an internal evaluation, according to reporting on the announcement.²

Paid subscribers are getting a different package. Plus and Pro users receive an updated GPT-5.6 Sol now, alongside a slider that lets them decide how much “thought” the chatbot applies to a response. OpenAI said Sol is designed to make “fewer mistakes” when answers hinge on dates, numbers, sources, rules or assumptions, while producing more direct answers.¹

OpenAI executives framed the changes as a broadening of access. Greg Brockman said the company was “bringing unlimited text chats with Luna, a quite capable model, to free users,” while touting an updated Sol for subscribers.Greg Brockman (gdb)³ Sam Altman offered the shorter version: “5.6 Sol much better in chat now and unlimited text chat for free users!”Sam Altman (sama)⁴

The timeline is clear: paid users get their upgraded model and controls first; free users get Luna this week; and the unlimited-text promise lands next week. The catch is equally clear—text may be unlimited, but ChatGPT’s broader multimedia experience is not.