GPT-5: Best Features, Pricing & Accessibility
We now have GPT-5, the latest and one of the most advanced language models.
GPT-4 vs. GPT-5
The interactive comparison below shows how GPT-5 differs from GPT-4 across architecture, performance, and pricing.
Historical Progression
- GPT-5 (2025): Uses multiple sub-models (main, mini, thinking, nano) with a router that picks which one to use based on your prompt.
- GPT-4 Turbo (2024): Expanded context to 128k tokens and reduced costs.
- GPT-4 (2023): Added image input alongside text, used an estimated 1.76 trillion parameters.
- GPT-3.5 (2022): Optimized for conversation, instruction-following improvements
- GPT-3 (2020): 175 billion parameters, few-shot learning capabilities
- GPT-2 (2019): 1.5 billion parameters, demonstrated unsupervised multitask learning
- GPT-1 (2018): 117 million parameters, initial transformer implementation
Release & Architecture
- Launch Date: GPT‑5 was officially released on August 7, 2025. It supersedes earlier AI models GPT-4, GPT‑4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.5, and variants such as o3 and o4-mini.
- System Design: GPT‑5 is a hybrid system featuring multiple sub-models (e.g., main, mini, thinking, thinking-mini, nano), with a real-time router that selects the optimal model variant dynamically based on task complexity and user intent.
What’s Different in GPT-5
Multiple Models, One System
GPT-4 ran every prompt through the same model. GPT-5 picks from five options: main, mini, thinking, thinking-mini, and nano. Simple questions get routed to the faster, smaller models. Complex reasoning tasks go to the full model. You don’t choose manually the router decides for you1
Better at Coding
GPT-5 handles software engineering tasks better than GPT-4-based models. OpenAI reports improvements in code generation, debugging, and cross-language development. The model performs exceptionally well on complex programming problems, though OpenAI hasn’t published specific benchmark scores like SWE-bench or Aider scores.
Explains Why It Won’t Do Something
When GPT-5 can’t complete a request, it explains which policy prevents it and suggests safer alternatives. This is different from GPT-4’s shorter refusals and makes the moderation process more transparent.¹
Source2
Expanded Tool & API Integration
Developers can link GPT-5 to custom applications through the API. It’s built to work with ecosystems like Microsoft Copilot and Apple Intelligence, though OpenAI hasn’t confirmed direct integrations for every platform yet.
Adaptive Response Modes
- Offers Auto, Fast, and Thinking modes to balance speed, detail, and reasoning effort.
- Users can control verbosity and depth with new parameters (
Makes Fewer Mistakes
OpenAI says GPT-5 hallucinates less and gets facts right more often than GPT-4-based models. They haven’t published exact error rates. Like earlier models, GPT-5 can still make mistakes on specialized topics or very recent information3 .
Source4
Adjusts Its Tone
GPT-5 defaults to a more professional tone than GPT-4. OpenAI is expanding the personalization options over time, giving you more control over writing style.
Writes Front-End Code Better
Ask GPT-5 to create a web interface and it produces functional HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It understands layout and UX design better than previous versions, making the output more visually coherent.
Capabilities
Coding: Writes, debugs, and explains code across multiple languages.
Design Work: Creates simple prototypes and web layouts from descriptions.
Health & Research Questions: Provides structured reasoning and asks clarifying follow-ups. Not a substitute for medical advice.
Safety: Explains why it can’t do something instead of just refusing.
Accuracy: Fewer hallucinations and better at following instructions than GPT-4o.
Access & Usage
- ChatGPT Availability: GPT‑5 is now the default model across Free, Plus, Pro, and Team plans; free users may be shifted to lighter versions (mini/nano) under load.
- API Access: Available in three sizes (gpt‑5, gpt‑5‑mini, gpt‑5‑nano) with pricing tiers reflecting performance and context length.
- Developer Controls: New parameters like
How GPT-5 Works
GPT-5 builds on the transformer architecture from GPT-4 but splits work across multiple models. Here’s how the system processes your prompts.
Multi-Model Design
GPT-5 uses several variants—gpt-5, gpt-5-mini, and gpt-5-thinking—chosen automatically by a router. Simple prompts go to lighter models for speed. Complex ones use deeper reasoning models. All variants build on the transformer architecture (Vaswani et al., 2017), with more layers and reasoning depth than GPT-4.
Training Data
OpenAI trained GPT-5 on text, code, and images together from the start. The training data includes books, web content, and licensed datasets. After initial training, human feedback (RLHF) refined the model for accuracy and safety.
Model Size
OpenAI hasn’t disclosed the parameter count. GPT-5 likely exceeds GPT-4’s scale but achieves efficiency through coordinated sub-models rather than one massive model.
Text Generation
GPT-5 predicts tokens one at a time. It supports longer context windows, letting you include more documents or conversation history. Developers can adjust reasoning_effort to trade speed for analytical depth.
Image Understanding
All main GPT-5 variants accept image input. You can upload charts, screenshots, or visual layouts. The model combines image analysis with text reasoning to produce insights or generate code.
Safety Features
When it can’t complete a request, GPT-5 explains why. It hallucinates less than GPT-4o and gives you more control over tone and formality.
Pricing and Plans
ChatGPT-5 Pro Plan
- $20/month (as of August 2025).
- Provides access to GPT-5 with priority response times, improved reasoning capabilities, and multimodal support (text + image input).
- Includes new “Auto,” “Fast,” and “Thinking” modes for adjusting response depth and speed.
API Pricing
- Pay-as-you-go model, billed per token (words/characters processed).
- Pricing varies by model size:
- gpt-5 (full model) – optimized for complex reasoning and long context windows.
- gpt-5-mini – faster, lower cost for lightweight tasks.
- gpt-5-nano – designed for ultra-low latency, embedded use cases.
- Context window and rate limits depend on the selected tier.
Enterprise Plans
- Custom pricing for organizations requiring large-scale deployments, API integrations, or dedicated infrastructure.
- Available through ChatGPT Enterprise and Azure OpenAI Service partnerships.
FAQ
Reference Links
Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE and NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and resources that referenced AIMultiple.
Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.
He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.
Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Comments 1
Share Your Thoughts
Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.
Hello, Is it possible to chat gpt-4 in the development of intelligent household utensils that can judge by themselves when to heat or cool food and drinks.
Hello Kiril, I think what you're referring to is asking the latest version of ChatGPT to help you develop smart utensils, which would qualify them IoT devices? In any case, we asked. And it did give us the high-level steps to follow, such as creating concept sketches, collecting the required hardware components, developing the appropriate software, etc. Hope this helps!