Following the launch of Perplexity Pro, Google’s Gemini announcement with Jio collaboration, OpenAI has now dropped ChatGPT Go for free in India for a full year. This is basically their premium lightweight model, but now ₹0 for 12 months. So if you’re an AI lover, this is one of those updates you don’t want to miss.

In this quick article, I’ll walk you through:

• What this “ChatGPT Go Free for 1 Year” offer actually is
• How to activate it step-by-step
• What’s inside the Go plan
• Important notes about the payment mandate

Let’s get into it.

What Is ChatGPT Go? (Quick Overview)

ChatGPT Go is basically the upgraded, faster version of ChatGPT that sits between the free model and the full GPT-5 level pro models.

It includes:

• Faster replies

• Better reasoning

• Better accuracy

• Access to better writing & summarising tools

• Early-access features that usually stay behind a paywall

How to Claim ChatGPT Go for Free (Step-by-Step Guide)

When you open ChatGPT today, you’ll notice a pop-up about the new Go plan.  If you missed or closed the pop-up by mistake, simply visit this page, and you’ll get the offer.

1. Click on “Try Go”

Visit chat.com. A pop-up will appear as soon as you log in. Just tap or click Try Go.

Click “Try Go.”  You will now see that ChatGPT Go is available at no cost. Tap “Upgrade to Go.“

2. Approve Mandate

A Payment Screen Will Appear.  Don’t worry. It won’t charge anything today. This is just a ₹0 activation mandate for the yearly renewal. You can activate the mandate in two ways:

• UPI AutoPay

• Debit/Credit Card

Choose whatever works for you.

You’ll see a message like “Mandate approval for ₹399”

Many users face issues with UPI payments. A quick fix is to use your debit/credit card instead to complete the mandate smoothly.

This is only for the next year. Nothing will be deducted right now. Just approve it.

UPI payments are failing. Try using your card to complete the purchase.

ChatGPT Go Is Activated

Once the mandate is approved, your free 1-year access starts instantly. You’ll now see “Go” enabled inside your model options.

Do You Get Charged Right Now?

No. Zero. Nothing. The mandate is only for auto-renewal after one year. If you cancel before the renewal date, you won’t be charged at all. So note this:

• Cancel anytime before renewal → No charges
• Keep it activated → ₹399 gets deducted next year

What’s Included with ChatGPT Go?

Now let’s talk about what ChatGPT Go actually offers. Yes, it’s a premium plan, but it still has some limits.

1. 10x Messages

• Free plan: ~50 messages every 3 hours
• Go plan: ~500 messages every 3 hours

So if you chat a lot, Go lets you stay active much longer.

2. 10x Image Generations

• Free: ~5 images per 3 hours
• Go: ~50 images per 3 hours

Useful if you create graphics, thumbnails, memes, or simple designs.

3. 10x File Uploads

• Free: ~5 files per 3 hours
• Go: ~50 files per 3 hours

Helpful when you upload PDFs, docs, screenshots, or notes.

4. Higher Usage Caps

You still hit a limit — just later.
After ~500 messages (or ~50 images/files), the plan temporarily locks for 3 hours.

5. Custom GPTs

You’ll get limited deep research access, plus projects, custom GPTs, and tasks. And the best part is you can literally train your own GPT. If you want it to copy someone’s tone or writing style, just paste their articles/posts/micro-blogs. Basically, if you like how someone writes or create content, you can train a GPT to write exactly like that.

Limitations of ChatGPT GO

1. Limited Model Access

Go only gives you the basic GPT-5 model. No access to:

• GPT-4o
• o1-preview
• Any higher “reasoning” models

So don’t expect pro-level reasoning.

2. Voice Mode Is the Same as Free

Voice chats count as messages.
If you talk a lot, you’ll burn through the 500-message limit fast.

3. 2x Longer Memory

• Free plan memory: ~4,000 words
• Go plan memory: ~8,000 words

So it remembers previous chats for longer, but it still forgets after a point.

4. No Custom GPTs

You cannot create or use custom mini-chatbots.
This feature stays locked behind the premium paid plans.

5. No API Access

You can’t connect ChatGPT Go with:

• Apps
• Websites
• Coding workflows
• Automations

API access is only for paid developer accounts.

Feature	Free Plan	Go Plan
Message limit (~every 3 hours)	~50 messages	~500 messages (≈10×)
Image generations (~every 3 hours)	~5 images	~50 images (≈10×)
File uploads (documents/spreadsheets)	~5 files	~50 files (≈10×)
Memory / Context size	~4,000 words (approx)	~8,000 words (≈2×)
Model access	Basic GPT-5 access, tighter limits	GPT-5 access, longer usage & higher limits
Voice Mode	Included, counts toward message limit	Same mode, counts toward message limit (no extra benefit)
Custom GPTs / API access	No (or very limited)	Still no API access; custom GPTs often restricted
Price in India (regular)	₹0	₹399/month (though free for 1 year promo)