Good afternoon. Is ChatGPT now limited per number of messages? The "X messages left" flag appears even in normal chats, not GPTs. (I'm talking about chats where I didn't send images, anexes or created images.)
#Message limit in common chats
main holly
somber pulsarBOT
Hi @main holly. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
Yes, ChatGPT does have message limits, even in regular text-only chats (not just GPTs or chats with images/files). The specific message cap depends on your subscription tier:
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Free tier: You are limited to a certain number of messages (for example, 10 messages every 5 hours with GPT-5, or a limited number with GPT-4o). Once you reach this limit, you may see a message like "X messages left," and after hitting the cap, you’ll be switched to a mini version of the model until your limit resets. This applies even if you’re not using images, files, or advanced tools—plain text chats are still subject to these limits. The same message cap system applies to both regular chats and GPTs, as the limits are shared between them GPT-5 in ChatGPT ChatGPT Free Tier FAQ Accessing GPT-4o with ChatGPT.
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Plus/Pro/Business: These plans have much higher message limits (e.g., Plus users can send up to 160 messages every 3 hours with GPT-5, or 80 messages every 3 hours with GPT-4o), but there are still caps in place. When you reach your limit, you’ll see a notification, and the model may switch to a lower-capacity version until your limit resets GPT-5 in ChatGPT Accessing GPT-4o with ChatGPT.
So, the "X messages left" flag is normal and reflects these message limits, even in standard text-only chats.
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
main holly
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Yes, ChatGPT does have message limits, even in regular te...
Previously, when we reached the limit for GPT-5, it naturally switched to a more economic model. It no longer works that way? The free use is now limited? @somber pulsar
somber pulsarBOT
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
Yes, free use of ChatGPT is now limited by message caps. According to the latest information, when you reach the message limit for GPT-5 on the Free tier (currently 10 messages every 5 hours), chats will automatically switch to the mini version of the model until your limit resets. This means you can continue chatting, but with a less capable model. Free users also have access to only one GPT-5 Thinking message per day. These limits apply even in regular chats, not just in GPTs or when using advanced features GPT-5 in ChatGPT.