Last updated: September 30, 2026
The quick answer
GPT-6.1 Sol is OpenAI’s new mid-priced model, launched at DevDay on September 29, 2026, and pitched as delivering close to GPT-6 Astra’s coding performance at roughly one-fifth of the cost. If you pay for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu, you can use it today in ChatGPT Work and Codex, but not yet in regular chat. Free and Go users do not get it for now.
What happened
OpenAI announced more than 20 launches at its developer conference, and alongside the always-on agents it calls dots, it released an updated model, GPT-6.1 Sol. It succeeds GPT-6 Sol as the company’s lower-cost workhorse, sitting below its flagship model, GPT-6 Astra.
OpenAI says the new version brings “substantial improvements” over GPT-6 Sol in coding, understanding documents and running multi-step business workflows. The company’s headline claims, repeated in coverage by TechCrunch, SiliconANGLE and The New Stack, are:
- Coding: on OpenAI’s DeepSWE 1.1 benchmark, it matches GPT-6 Astra at roughly one-fifth of the cost per task.
- Fewer factual errors: OpenAI reports about 32% fewer factual errors than GPT-6 Sol at low reasoning effort. TechCrunch puts the change at 11.4% down to 7.7%.
- Computer use: The New Stack reports a seven-point gain in computer-use performance at about half the cost.
These are OpenAI’s own benchmark results, not independent tests, so treat them as a starting point rather than a guarantee.
Where you can use it
| Where | Who gets GPT-6.1 Sol |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT Work | Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users |
| Codex (desktop app, command line and IDE extension) | Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users |
| Regular ChatGPT chat | Not yet available |
| ChatGPT Free and Go | Not available |
| OpenAI API | Available to developers |
DataCamp’s guide notes that Enterprise and Edu workspaces keep the model switched off until an administrator enables it. OpenAI has not given a date for adding it to regular chat.
For developers, OpenAI lists API pricing of $2 per million input tokens, $0.10 per million cached input tokens and $10 per million output tokens. The New Stack also reports that a faster “Ultrafast” version is coming to Codex.
What changes for you
For most ChatGPT users, nothing changes in the chat window you use every day. The model is aimed at work that happens in ChatGPT Work and Codex: writing and debugging code, digging through long documents and automating multi-step tasks.
If you are already a paying subscriber and use those tools, the main benefit is getting stronger results for the same subscription. OpenAI has not announced any changes to plan usage limits alongside the launch.
If you build apps on OpenAI’s API, the case is more direct. A model that comes close to Astra on coding at a fraction of the price can cut costs for coding assistants, document tools and agents.
How to try GPT-6.1 Sol
- Check your plan. You need ChatGPT Plus or higher. Business, Enterprise and Edu users may need an admin to turn it on.
- Open ChatGPT Work or Codex, not the standard chat view, since the model is not there yet.
- Choose GPT-6.1 Sol if your workspace offers a choice of models.
- Start with a real task you already know well, such as fixing a bug or summarizing a long report, so you can judge the results yourself.
- Review its output. Fewer errors does not mean zero errors, especially for code that will run in production or facts you plan to publish.
Is it worth upgrading for?
Probably not on its own. If you mainly use ChatGPT for questions, writing help or brainstorming, GPT-6.1 Sol does not appear in regular chat yet, so upgrading from Free to Plus just for this model would not change your daily experience today.
It is more compelling if you already write code, work with long documents, or were considering Codex anyway. In that case, a Plus subscription now includes a model OpenAI says rivals its flagship for coding. For heavier always-on automation, see our explainer on OpenAI dots and who gets them.
Who it affects and who it doesn’t
- Affects: Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu subscribers using ChatGPT Work or Codex, and developers using the OpenAI API.
- Affects later: regular ChatGPT chat users on paid plans, once OpenAI adds the model there.
- Doesn’t affect: Free and Go users, for now.
Google is also reshaping its assistant this fall; our guide to Gemini Gems becoming skills explains what changes there.
FAQ
Is GPT-6.1 Sol better than GPT-6 Astra?
Not across the board. OpenAI says it matches Astra on a key coding benchmark at much lower cost, but Astra remains OpenAI’s flagship. The real advantage is value for money.
Can I use GPT-6.1 Sol in the normal ChatGPT chat?
Not yet. At launch it is limited to ChatGPT Work and Codex on paid plans, plus the API. OpenAI has said it is not yet available in chat.
Does GPT-6.1 Sol cost extra?
Not for eligible ChatGPT subscribers. It is included with Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans. Developers pay per token through the API.
Sources
- OpenAI: Introducing GPT-6.1 Sol
- TechCrunch: OpenAI launches GPT-6.1 Sol, says it nearly matches GPT-6 Astra and costs less
- SiliconANGLE: OpenAI’s GPT-6.1 Sol delivers Astra-like performance at a dramatically lower price
- The New Stack: OpenAI’s new GPT-6.1 Sol undercuts its own Astra flagship
- DataCamp: GPT-6.1 Sol features, benchmarks, pricing and access
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