Guides · · 7 min read
Does ChatGPT have ads? Yes, on Free and Go
Yes. ChatGPT shows ads on its Free and $8 Go plans. When they started, what they look like, how to avoid them, and which other AI apps run ads.
TH
Tom Hill
Works at an AI startup
I write the Plainly articles: plain-English guides to cheap ChatGPT alternatives, cheap open-source models, and getting good AI answers without the big subscription.
The articles come from a simple belief: most people don't need the most expensive AI — they need one that just works. I use cheap open models daily, track how the frontier moves, and write down what actually holds up. Everything is dated, sourced, and honest about where it isn't.
Articles
All posts on the Plainly blog, newest first.
Guides · · 6 min read
How to turn off ChatGPT ads: every option
ChatGPT shows ads on Free and Go. Switch Free to ad-free for lower limits, use a Temporary Chat, or pay for Plus. Exact steps and what each costs you.
Guides · · 3 min read
Plainly vs Perplexity: which to use
Both search the web and cite sources. Perplexity is built around research at $20 a month. Plainly is a $5 everyday assistant. How to choose.
Guides · · 6 min read
Claude Pro usage limits: how they work
Claude Pro limits reset every five hours, with a weekly cap on top, shared with Claude Code. What uses them up, Fable access, usage credits and Max.
Guides · · 8 min read
How do AI apps make money? The revenue models
Subscriptions, ads, API sales, business seats, partner bundles, your data and investor cash, with October 2026 prices. Then how a $5 app pays its way.
Guides · · 7 min read
How to switch from ChatGPT to another AI app
Export your chats (it can take a few days), copy your memory and custom instructions, import them into Claude or Gemini, then cancel. Step by step.
Guides · · 13 min read
The best AI apps in 2026, ranked by value
Ten AI assistant apps ranked on what you pay against the work you do, with prices, ads, training defaults and platforms checked October 2026.
Guides · · 7 min read
What's the catch with cheap AI? A scope limit
The catch is scope: a model a step behind the frontier, no images, no projects. Plus the data, price-rise and quality questions, answered with numbers.
Guides · · 9 min read
LLM vs AI: what LLM means, in plain English
In AI, LLM means large language model, one kind of AI (it's also a law degree). LLM vs AI vs chatbot compared, and 22 AI terms in a sentence or two.
Guides · · 6 min read
Is Plainly right for me? Who it's for
Plainly suits anyone who wants one simple AI chat app for $5 a month, with web search and file reading. Skip it if you need an API, images or memory.
Guides · · 9 min read
ChatGPT student discount: 4 free months of Plus
US college students get four free months of ChatGPT Plus if they claim by October 31, 2026. The terms, the renewal, and every other AI student discount.
Guides · · 6 min read
Plainly vs ChatGPT: where each one wins
ChatGPT is faster, has a good free plan and far more features, with ads on Free and Go. Plainly is $5 a month, no ads, never trains on chats.
Guides · · 9 min read
ChatGPT Plus vs Pro: what $100 to $500 buys
ChatGPT Plus is $20 a month; Pro is $100, $200 or $500. What Pro adds over Plus, how the three Pro tiers differ, and where Business seats fit.
Guides · · 5 min read
Is ChatGPT Plus worth it? Who should pay $20
ChatGPT Plus is worth $20 if you program, your work pays, or you use it professionally. What it adds, and how it compares with Claude Pro.
Guides · · 7 min read
Is ChatGPT Go worth it? Go vs Free vs Plus
ChatGPT Go costs $8 a month. What it adds over Free, what Plus adds over Go, its real limits and ads, and who should pay for it.
Guides · · 12 min read
Best cheap ChatGPT alternatives in 2026, ranked
Eleven cheap ChatGPT alternatives ranked on price, ads and data: Google AI Plus at $4.99, Plainly at $5, Claude, DeepSeek, Copilot, Poe and more.
Guides · · 3 min read
Does Plainly train on your chats?
No. Your chats are never used to train AI, and nobody at Plainly reads them unless you ask or the law requires it. Where they go and what is kept.
Guides · · 12 min read
Best AI for writing? I tested three
ChatGPT, a $5 app and a frontier model on five everyday writing tasks. Every answer printed. The $5 app tied ChatGPT; the frontier model came last.
Guides · · 6 min read
DeepSeek app vs ChatGPT app: which to use
The DeepSeek app is free and ad-free but stores chats in China. ChatGPT is smoother and does more, with ads on Free and Go. Features and privacy compared.
Guides · · 6 min read
Will AI get cheaper? What the prices show
The same AI ability gets about 13 times cheaper each year (Epoch AI). Top models and $20 plans hold their price. Dated prices, and my forecast.
Guides · · 6 min read
Chinese AI models in 2026: how close are they?
The main Chinese AI models in October 2026, how they score against ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and their prices. Close for everyday use, behind at the top.
Guides · · 8 min read
Free vs paid AI apps: every tier compared
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity free vs paid, from $4.99 to $500 a month, and why heavy users should skip the $20 plan.
Guides · · 9 min read
Best AI app for beginners, and how to set it up
Which AI app to give a beginner: free ChatGPT, a $5 app or a $20 plan, depending on the person. Plus a five-minute setup and first prompts to try.
Guides · · 6 min read
Is a $5 AI subscription good enough? Yes
For everyday asking, yes. How $5 compares with free ChatGPT, Go at $8, Google AI Plus and the $20 plans, and the one thing $5 can't buy.
Guides · · 9 min read
Why is China open-sourcing its AI models?
China's top AI models are open; America's top ones are closed. The published reasons, my view, what open weights means for you, and GPT-OSS vs DeepSeek.
Guides · · 9 min read
Why are Chinese AI models cheaper?
Each answer uses a small slice of a huge model, dozens of hosts compete to serve open weights, and labs price for growth. Prices checked October 2026.
Guides · · 8 min read
Why is ChatGPT so expensive? Where $20 goes
Running frontier AI costs more than OpenAI earns: $13.1B revenue in 2025 against about $34B in costs. What each ChatGPT price, from $8 to $500, buys.
Guides · · 7 min read
Which AI model should I use? October 2026
As of October 2026: Claude Opus 5.5 for writing and coding, ChatGPT for research, any current model for everyday questions. The picks change fast.