Codex Credits: How They Work, How to Buy Them, and What They Cost
Codex credits are a flexible pay-as-you-go add-on in ChatGPT that extend your coding capacity after you reach your plan's standard included usage limits, without requiring a full subscription upgrade. Your included plan allowance is always consumed first; once exhausted, eligible tasks automatically begin drawing from your credit balance.
Personal Plus and Pro subscribers can buy credits where available, while selected Free and Go accounts are in a limited rollout. Credits are managed under Settings > Usage in ChatGPT or Usage & Billing in the Codex desktop app. Rather than charging a flat prompts-per-credit fee, OpenAI meters credit consumption under the ChatGPT Work and Codex rate card based on model, context length, and token inputs, cached inputs, and outputs.
Standard plan quotas are consumed first. Credits only kick in after your included plan limits are exhausted.
Purchase one-time top-ups or enable auto-reload via ChatGPT settings or Codex app Usage & Billing.
Billed by model tier and input, cached-input, and output tokens. No fixed prompt-to-credit ratio.
Purchased credits expire 12 months after purchase; promotional credits follow specific offer terms. Non-refundable except where required by law.
How Codex Credits Work
Credits are a buffer on top of your plan, not a replacement for it. Three rules govern how they behave:
Codex always uses your plan's included rolling 5-hour and weekly subscription quota first. Your credit balance sits untouched until you fully deplete your plan's base allowance. To see how close you are, check your remaining included usage.
When your included limit is exhausted, active turns do not terminate abruptly. If you have a credit balance, subsequent prompts automatically draw from credits without manual mode-switching.
Credits provide flexible pay-as-you-go usage after included limits are reached rather than resetting or replacing your included subscription allowance.
How to Buy Credits & Check Your Balance
OpenAI exposes credit balances and purchase options through official ChatGPT account settings, desktop app preferences, and CLI commands:
Settings > Usage
Click your profile avatar in the bottom-left corner and open Settings > Usage (or navigate directly to chatgpt.com/settings/usage). You will see your remaining credit balance, recent consumption history, and an Add credits button.
Usage & Billing
In the Codex desktop application, open app settings and navigate to the Usage & Billing section. Here you can inspect live credit balances, check remaining allowances, view receipt history, and manage automatic reload thresholds.
When running terminal agent sessions, execute /status to check your active 5-hour rolling burst percentage, weekly quota percentage, and exact reset timestamps:
For a detailed walkthrough of all official dashboards and analytics tools, see our Codex usage dashboard & analytics guide.
What Codex Credits Cost & How Consumption Is Calculated
Credits do not cost a fixed amount per prompt or per completion, which is the usual assumption. They are metered per token under OpenAI's rate cards.
Token-Based Metering Under the Credit Rate Card
Flexible credit usage for Codex is billed under the official ChatGPT Work and Codex credit rate card. OpenAI does not charge a flat per-request fee; instead, every interaction draws credits based on three primary token metrics:
- Input Tokens: Prompt instructions, system prompts, conversation history, and project files loaded into context.
- Cached Input Tokens: Repeated repository context and prompt prefixes eligible for prompt caching, billed at a discounted rate.
- Output Tokens: Code generated by Codex, explanation text, tool execution instructions, and internal reasoning tokens produced by reasoning models.
Model choice can dramatically change credit consumption. GPT-6 Astra sits at the high end of the current Work and Codex rate card, while GPT-5.6 Luna sits at the low end. Reasoning tokens generated during multi-step planning are billed as output tokens. See our guides to Luna Reserve and GPT-6 Astra usage limits.
A targeted single-file edit reading 2,000 tokens consumes vastly fewer credits than an autonomous multi-file refactor that reads dozens of files, executes terminal commands, and inspects test outputs across repeated agent loops. For image-related work, see how image generation can affect Codex usage and credits.
Plan Eligibility & Rollout Status
Credit purchase eligibility depends on your account tier, workspace configuration, and region:
| Plan Tier | Credit Purchase Eligibility | How Credits Are Managed | Relevant Limit Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) | Eligible where available | Personal Settings > Usage or Codex app | Plus Codex Limits → |
| ChatGPT Pro ($100 / $200/mo) | Eligible where available | Personal Settings > Usage or Codex app | Pro Codex Limits → |
| Free ($0/mo) & Go ($8/mo) | Limited rollout | Visible in settings only if account is enrolled in rollout | All Plan Limits → |
| Business, Enterprise & Edu | Workspace pools (not personal) | Centralized credit pools configured by workspace admins in Billing | Business Limits & Credits → |
*Note: Availability, pricing, minimum purchase denominations, accepted payment methods, and spend limits vary depending on your account standing, billing country, and region.
Automatic Reload & Target Balances
If you run long autonomous sessions, auto-reload keeps a task from stalling halfway through:
You configure a minimum trigger balance (for example, reload whenever balance drops below 10 credits).
You specify the target balance you want maintained (for example, replenish up to 50 credits).
When breached, OpenAI bills your default payment method for the exact amount needed to reach your target.
Automatic reloads purchase usage credits directly for Codex and ChatGPT Work. They do not top up or add money to your general ChatGPT USD wallet balance.
What Features Share Your Credit Balance?
Your credit balance is not Codex-only. Other agentic features on the same account draw from it too:
Agentic code execution, workspace refactoring, bash commands, tests, and file edits in VS Code, Cursor, the Codex desktop app, and the terminal CLI.
Extended agentic tasks, document drafting, deep research, and data synthesis workflows in ChatGPT Work environments where available.
Advanced spreadsheet computations, formula generation, and data transformation tasks powered by OpenAI's Excel integration.
For full coverage of which activities consume subscription quota versus credits, see our guide on what counts toward Codex usage.
Codex Credits vs. Wallet Funds vs. Platform API Credits
OpenAI runs three separate balances, and they are easy to mix up:
| Dimension | Usage Credits (Codex & Work) | ChatGPT Wallet Funds | OpenAI Platform API Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where Hosted | ChatGPT Account / Codex App | ChatGPT Web Account | platform.openai.com |
| Denomination | Feature usage credit units | US Dollars ($USD) | Prepaid balance ($USD) |
| What It Funds | Codex, ChatGPT Work, ChatGPT for Excel overflow | Eligible web checkout purchases & gift card redemptions | Developer API requests using OPENAI_API_KEY |
| Interoperability | Cannot fund developer API calls | May be applied at checkout for eligible credit packs; does not fund auto-reload | Cannot be used for ChatGPT subscription features or Codex app login |
| Rate Limiting | Subject to fair-use and feature limits | N/A (payment storage) | Governed by Platform Tier RPM and TPM limits |
Zero & Negative Balances: Concurrent Tasks & Active Turns
What happens if your credits run out while Codex is mid-operation? OpenAI addresses edge cases around concurrent tasks and active turns:
Credits vs. Paid Instant Resets & Other Alternatives
When your included quota runs out, credits are one of five options:
| Option | How It Works | Eligibility | Cost / Billing | Weekly Schedule Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchased Credits | Prepaid flexible pay-as-you-go balance consumed automatically after included plan limits run out | Plus and Pro where available; some Free and Go accounts in limited rollout; Business/Enterprise/Edu governed separately via workspace credit pools | Metered under the ChatGPT Work and Codex credit rate card based on input, cached-input, and output token usage (ChatGPT credits, not Platform API credits; auto-reload available) | Adds pay-as-you-go usage after included limits rather than resetting your included allowance |
| Paid Instant Reset | Pulls your next regular weekly subscription allowance forward immediately upon purchase, restoring your five-hour and weekly usage allowances | Eligible personal ChatGPT Plus and Pro accounts (not Free, Go, Business, Enterprise, or Edu) | Account-specific one-time fee (displayed at checkout; varies by account and region; non-refundable) | Resets your weekly cycle; next automatic reset scheduled 7 days after first post-reset prompt |
| Banked Reset | Promotional rate-limit grant applied manually in Settings > Usage to refresh 5-hour and weekly allowances | Qualifying promotional accounts (varies by offer, plan, and campaign) | Free grant ($0 promotional benefit) | Refreshes 5-hour and weekly windows; updates weekly reset date upon redemption |
| Wait for Recovery | Natural cooldown; wait for normal rolling 5-hour window recovery or scheduled weekly reset | Accounts with a resettable included Codex allowance | Free ($0) | Preserves your existing weekly reset date and schedule |
| Platform API Billing | Bypasses ChatGPT subscription entirely by authenticating the Codex CLI with an OpenAI API key | Any user with an OpenAI Platform developer account and funded API credit balance | Direct token billing at OpenAI Platform rates (deducted from developer platform balance) | Completely independent of ChatGPT 5-hour and weekly subscription windows |
When to buy credits, and when to buy an instant reset
- Choose Purchased Credits: If you only need to complete a few remaining tasks, want flexible incremental overflow, or prefer paying as you go after included limits are reached rather than buying a full weekly reset.
- OpenAI Codex pricing and plan comparison guide — plan costs and break-even points, if you are weighing credits against an upgrade.
- Choose a Paid Instant Reset: If you exhausted your weekly quota days before your reset date, you are on an eligible personal Plus or Pro account, and you need a full fresh week of high-volume usage immediately. (Learn more in our dedicated Codex instant reset guide).
- Use an Available Banked Reset: If you have an unused promotional reset stored in your account, apply it in Settings > Usage before spending money. (See our Codex banked resets guide).
- Wait for Recovery: If only your 5-hour rolling burst window is capped, wait for it to recover at the reset time shown in /status or Settings > Usage. (See our guide on when Codex usage resets).
- Authenticate with an OpenAI API Key: If you are working in the terminal CLI and already maintain a funded developer API account on the OpenAI Platform:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Codex credits and how do they work?
Codex credits are a pay-as-you-go add-on for flexible usage in ChatGPT. When you reach your plan's included usage limits, eligible tasks automatically begin drawing from your credit balance so you can continue working without upgrading your subscription tier. Your standard included plan allowance is always consumed first before any credits are used.
How do I buy Codex credits and check my balance?
Eligible users can view their balance and buy credits in ChatGPT by navigating to Settings > Usage on the web or mobile apps, or under Usage & Billing in the Codex desktop app. When your included allowance is depleted, in-app banners and prompts also provide direct links to add credits. You can also monitor your 5-hour and weekly window status from the terminal CLI using the /status command.
Can ChatGPT Free or Go users buy Codex credits?
Plus and Pro users can purchase credits where available. Some Free and Go users are currently included in a limited credit-purchase rollout, but credit purchases are not yet available to all Free or Go accounts. Business, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces manage credit allowances centrally through workspace billing settings.
What is the difference between Codex credits and a paid instant reset?
A paid instant reset pulls your full weekly subscription allowance forward immediately, restoring both your five-hour and weekly usage allowances and starting a new weekly period from your first subsequent request according to documented reset behavior. Purchased credits act as a pay-as-you-go buffer that adds flexible usage after included limits are reached rather than resetting your included allowance, so you only pay for the extra tokens you consume beyond your plan cap.
Are Codex credits the same as OpenAI Platform API credits?
No. Codex credits are consumer ChatGPT flexible usage credits designed for ChatGPT features like Codex, ChatGPT Work, and ChatGPT for Excel. OpenAI Platform API credits are developer balances hosted on platform.openai.com and consumed via API keys (OPENAI_API_KEY) under developer rate limits (RPM/TPM). The two balances cannot be shared, exchanged, or transferred.
What is the difference between my credit balance and my ChatGPT wallet?
Your usage-credit balance is metered for feature consumption (Codex, Work, Excel), whereas your ChatGPT wallet is an account balance in US dollars (often funded via redeemed gift cards) used for eligible web store purchases. While available wallet funds can sometimes be applied toward eligible one-time credit purchases during web checkout, a wallet balance is not automatically usable for every credit purchase and does not directly fund automatic reloads.
How much do Codex credits cost and how many prompts do I get per credit?
OpenAI does not publish a universal fixed prompts-per-credit ratio or flat prompt price. Codex usage is metered under OpenAI's ChatGPT Work and Codex credit rate card based on token inputs, cached inputs, and output tokens. Multi-file refactors, large context windows, and high reasoning effort settings consume more tokens—and therefore more credits—than brief terminal queries or simple code completions.
How does automatic reload work for Codex credits?
When enabled in Settings > Usage (or Usage & Billing in the Codex app), automatic reload monitors your credit balance. When your credits drop below a selected minimum threshold, OpenAI automatically charges your default payment method to purchase enough usage credits to return your balance to your configured target level. Auto-reload purchases usage credits directly, not USD wallet funds.
Can my Codex credit balance go negative?
Yes. If a task begins while your credit balance is positive but finishes after concurrent tasks or intense multi-agent steps deplete your remaining credits, your balance can temporarily become negative. If this happens, subsequent one-time credit purchases or automatic reloads will first offset the negative balance before adding newly available credits.
Do Codex and ChatGPT Work share the same credit balance?
Yes. Supported agentic and flexible features on your account—including Codex, ChatGPT Work, and ChatGPT for Excel where available—draw from the exact same shared flexible credit balance. Usage from any of these tools reduces your available credit total.
Do Codex credits expire?
Purchased credits expire 12 months from the date of purchase. Granted, gifted, or promotional credits are governed by the specific terms and expiration conditions of the applicable offer. Credits are generally non-refundable except where required by applicable law.
- Codex usage limits table — published numbers for every plan.
- ChatGPT Plus Codex limits — model-specific range estimates.
- ChatGPT Pro Codex limits — high-volume individual capacity.
- ChatGPT Business Codex limits and workspace credits — how Standard and Premium seats handle pooled overages.
- GPT-6 Astra Codex usage limits and quota drain — why Astra burns credits faster.
- Codex Fast mode speed and credit multipliers — 2x to 2.5x credit multipliers across supported models.
- when does Codex usage reset — how the reset windows work.
- how Codex paid instant resets work — buying your next week early.
- promotional banked resets — restoring quota for free.
- why am I rate limited on Codex — diagnosing a 429.