OpenAI caps paid ChatGPT accounts per card and device, closing a popular workaround

The trick of stacking cheap ChatGPT subscriptions on one laptop is ending.

OpenAI has added limits on how many paid ChatGPT subscriptions can be tied to one payment card or one device, The Decoder's Matthias Bastian reported. Hit the cap and you can't start another subscription, and users see a "Device limit reached" message, after which that account stops working on the device. Logging out doesn't free up a slot, according to OpenAI's support page.

Every consumer paid tier is covered, from Go and Plus up through the three Pro levels. Free, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts are exempt.

Who this hits

People who switch between several paid accounts on one machine to get more usage out of flat-rate plans. OpenAI's suggested alternative is buying extra credits or usage resets, which generally cost more than another subscription. The Decoder reads it as part of a broader shift toward revenue over growth, alongside OpenAI's move to merge Chat and Work.

The takeaway

Flat-rate AI was always going to collide with heavy users. If your workflow depends on account juggling, it's time to price out the API or a team plan, and to treat consumer subscriptions as the convenience tier they are.

Scoreboard update: Draw. OpenAI tightens the meter on its heaviest users.

Stay undead.