THE VERDICT
● Google AI Plus at $4.99 if you mostly ask questions, summarise documents and write. Cheapest serious tier in the category.
● ChatGPT Go at $8 if you want Codex included, or you are already inside the OpenAI ecosystem.
● The catch on Go: Free and Go cannot buy extra credits. Hit a limit and you stop until the window resets.
Head to head
| Google AI Plus | ChatGPT Go |
|---|
| Monthly | $4.99 | $8 |
| Long documents | Handles very long context without chunking | Good, not class-leading |
| Coding tool | Gemini CLI separately | Codex included |
| Buy credits when capped | Check current terms | No |
| Ecosystem | Gmail, Docs, Drive | Widest third-party |
| Free tier beneath | Most capable of the majors | Usable, no credit purchase |
TRY BOTH FREE FIRST
Gemini has the most capable free tier of the major assistants and ChatGPT Free is genuinely usable. Spend a fortnight on the free tiers before paying anything. Most people never reach a ceiling, and that is a legitimate outcome rather than a failure to optimise.
Which one
| If you are... | Pick |
|---|
| Summarising long documents | Google AI Plus |
| Writing occasional code | ChatGPT Go for bundled Codex |
| Living in Gmail and Docs | Google AI Plus |
| Hitting limits regularly | Neither. Go to ChatGPT Plus at $20, where you can buy more |
FAQ
Is $4.99 really enough?
For a few sessions a week doing questions, summarising and writing, yes. Google cut AI Plus to that price in June 2026, making it the only serious sub-$5 option.
Why would I pay $20 instead?
Because Plus is the cheapest tier where you can buy extra credits when blocked. On Free and Go you stop until the window resets.
Can I use both?
$12.99 combined is still less than one $20 plan, and covers long-document work and bundled Codex at once.