# ChatGPT Feature & Plan Reference Every ChatGPT feature named in the course material with when to use it, the plan matrix and pricing, context windows by plan, enterprise controls, data residency, education programmes and a build-vs-buy decision table. import { Steps } from '@prosefly/astro-components'; This is the product reference for the non-developer [OpenAI tracks](/openai/) — the ChatGPT features, plans and controls the courses assume you can name and place. Feature availability and rollout state change often and many features are **plan-dependent** or in beta; where that is the case it is flagged. Prices are USD as published in September 2026; re-verify on OpenAI's plan pages before quoting them. ## Feature reference | Feature | One line | Use it when | | --- | --- | --- | | Projects · shared projects | Group chats, files and instructions in one workspace | Recurring work with shared context; collaborating on it | | Skills (beta) | Reusable capability packages | You repeat a specialised task and want it packaged | | Plugins | Extend ChatGPT with added functionality | You need a capability the base product lacks | | Memory (expanded) | Remembers preferences/facts across chats (memory with past chats "coming soon") | You want continuity without re-stating context | | Search | Answers grounded in current web results | The question needs fresh information | | Canvas | Side-by-side editing surface for docs and code | Iterating on a long document or code with the model | | File uploads | Attach documents/data for analysis | Working from your own files | | Scheduled tasks | Run a prompt on a schedule | Recurring reminders/reports | | Sites | Publish a site from ChatGPT | Standing up a simple page quickly | | Built-in browser | Browse within ChatGPT | Reading/interacting with live pages | | Workspace agents | Agents operating inside the workspace | Delegating structured workspace tasks | | Data analysis | Analyse data and produce charts | Exploring a dataset | | Vision | Understand images | The input is a photo/screenshot/chart | | Interactive apps · apps connecting to internal tools | Apps inside ChatGPT, some reaching internal systems | Task-specific UIs, internal integrations | | Excel / PowerPoint / Google Sheets extensions | ChatGPT inside those tools | Working directly in office documents | | Company knowledge | Answers grounded in your organisation's content | Internal questions needing internal sources | | Developer mode (beta) | Advanced/developer-oriented controls | You need lower-level control | | Record mode | Capture a session | Documenting or replaying work | | GPTs (discover · create · share · workspace sharing) | Custom, shareable assistants | A reusable, configured assistant for a defined job | | Image generation (and with Thinking) | Generate images, optionally with reasoning | Visual output | | Interactive tables and charts | Manipulable data views | Presenting/exploring structured results | | Deep research (and apps for deep research) | Multi-step researched reports with sources | A question needing thorough, cited investigation | | Study mode | Guided, tutor-style learning | Learning a topic step by step | | Voice · voice with video | Spoken interaction, optionally with video | Hands-free or conversational use | | Code edits on macOS | Edit code in local apps on macOS | Coding on a Mac | ## Plan matrix | Plan | Price (published Sept 2026) | Who it is for | | --- | --- | --- | | **Free** | $0 | Trying ChatGPT; basic access | | **Go** | Entry paid tier | Light individual use above Free | | **Plus** | Individual paid tier | Regular individual use | | **Pro** | Higher individual tier (Pro $100 / Pro $200 variants unlock GPT-6 Pro) | Power users; heaviest individual usage | | **Business — standard seat** | **$20/mo** annual, **$25** monthly | Teams (2–200 employees) | | **Business — premium seat** | **$100/mo** annual, **$125** monthly; **5× usage**, no 5-hour limit | Heavy business users | | **Enterprise** | Custom (credit-based or token-based) | Large orgs needing controls and scale | Business is for organisations of **2–200 employees**. Nonprofits get up to **75% off** Business/Enterprise. The exact features per tier are rollout-dependent — confirm on the plan page before committing. ## Context windows by plan Context windows are **plan-dependent**, and the usable **user-input share is smaller than the total** because system instructions, memories and internal processing consume part of the window. | Model class | Business | Enterprise | | --- | --- | --- | | GPT Instant (total) | 54K | 128K | | GPT Reasoning (total) | 256K | 256K | :::caution[Total is not your budget] The numbers above are **total** windows. Your prompt plus uploaded content competes with system instructions, memory and internal processing for that space, so plan for less than the headline figure. This is a frequent trap: a stem quoting the total window as the amount of text you can paste is overstating it. ::: ## Models in ChatGPT GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Sol Pro, GPT-5.6 Terra, GPT-5.6 Luna and GPT-5 Thinking Mini are available; **GPT-6 Pro (powered by GPT-6 Astra)** is on Pro $100 / Pro $200 / Business / Enterprise. Legacy models remain available. See the [model lineup](/appendix/openai/model-lineup/) for the API-side IDs and prices. ## Enterprise security and admin controls | Control | Detail | | --- | --- | | Identity | SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, RBAC, domain verification | | Keys | EKM (enterprise key management) | | Network | IP allowlisting | | Visibility | Analytics dashboard, Compliance API logs | | Data | **No training on business data by default** | | Certifications | SOC 2 Type 2; ISO 27001 / 27017 / 27018 / 27701 (Enterprise) | | Encryption | TLS 1.2 in transit, AES-256 at rest | ## Data residency Enterprise data residency is available in **ten regions**: US, EU, UK, JP, CA, KR, SG, IN, AU, UAE. Match the region to the regulatory requirement before rollout; residency is an Enterprise-level control. ## Education and nonprofit programmes - **ChatGPT for Teachers** — free for verified U.S. K–12 educators through **June 2027**. The AFT partnership targets **400,000** K–12 educators. - **ChatGPT Edu** — the education plan for institutions. - **ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers** — a separate K–12 educator course (launched on Coursera, Dec 2025), distinct from the plans above. See the [credential landscape](/openai/credentials/) for how the courses and credentials fit together. - **Nonprofits** — up to **75% off** Business/Enterprise. ## Decision table — prompt vs Project vs custom GPT vs workspace agent vs API | Option | Best when | Not when | | --- | --- | --- | | **A single prompt** | One-off task, no reuse, no shared context | You will repeat it or others need it | | **Project** | Recurring work needing shared files/instructions/context, often collaborative | A single throwaway question | | **Custom GPT** | A reusable, configured assistant for a defined job, shareable across a workspace | Deep system integration or programmatic control | | **Workspace agent** | Delegating a structured, multi-step task inside the workspace with oversight | Simple Q&A | | **API / Responses API** | You need programmatic control, integration into a product, custom orchestration or scale | The work fits inside ChatGPT and no code is warranted | ```text reuse & sharing rises ▲ integration & control rises ► prompt → Project → custom GPT → workspace agent ───────────────► API one-off shared reusable delegated task programmatic, embedded, context assistant with oversight scaled ``` ## Worked choice — which surface for an internal policy assistant? 1. **Many colleagues, shared source documents, ongoing** → not a one-off prompt. A **Project** holds the files and instructions; a **custom GPT** packages it as a named, shareable assistant. If answers must draw on internal content, enable **company knowledge**. 2. **Needs to act, not just answer** (open tickets, update records) → a **workspace agent** with approvals, not a GPT. 3. **Needs to live inside another product or run at scale** → the **API** (Responses API), not ChatGPT. 4. **Regulated data / residency** → check the plan: Enterprise for data residency (one of ten regions), no training on business data by default. :::tip[Assessment signal] "Reusable, shareable assistant for a defined job" → **custom GPT**. "Shared files and context for recurring team work" → **Project**. "Delegate a multi-step task with oversight" → **workspace agent**. "Embed in our product / at scale / programmatic" → **API**. A stem quoting a total context window as the pasteable amount is testing the **user-input-share** caveat. ::: ## Key facts to memorise - Plans: Free · Go · Plus · Pro · Business (standard $20/$25, premium $100/$125 with 5× usage, 2–200 employees) · Enterprise (custom). Nonprofits up to 75% off. - Context windows are plan-dependent and the **user-input share is smaller than the total** (Instant 54K Business / 128K Enterprise; Reasoning 256K both). - Enterprise controls: SAML SSO, SCIM, EKM, RBAC, domain verification, IP allowlisting, Compliance API, no training on business data by default; SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO certifications. - Data residency in **ten regions** at Enterprise level. - Education: ChatGPT for Teachers free for verified U.S. K–12 through June 2027; ChatGPT Edu; AFT targets 400,000 educators. - Decision order for reach/reuse: prompt → Project → custom GPT → workspace agent → API.