OpenAI unveils GPT‑5.5 at double price
- OpenAI said on April 23 it is releasing GPT‑5.5 for ChatGPT and Codex, then added API access on April 24, pitching it as a model built for coding and computer-based work. - OpenAI’s API pricing page lists GPT‑5.5 at $5 per 1 million input tokens and $30 per 1 million output tokens, versus GPT‑5.4 at $2.75 and $11 respectively. - The launch lands as ChatGPT Business adds usage-based Codex-only seats and a credit promotion, sharpening OpenAI’s split between chat, coding, and agent tools. (help.openai.com)
OpenAI released GPT‑5.5 on April 23 and opened API access a day later, putting a new coding-focused model above GPT‑5.4 in its lineup. (openai.com 1) (openai.com 2) OpenAI calls GPT‑5.5 “a new class of intelligence for real work” and says it is its first fully retrained base model since GPT‑4.5, rather than a system layered on an earlier model. (openai.com) The company is selling that jump at a higher rate. OpenAI’s pricing page lists GPT‑5.5 at $5 per 1 million input tokens and $30 per 1 million output tokens, while GPT‑5.4 is listed at $2.75 for input and $11 for output. (openai.com) OpenAI’s product pitch centers on “agentic” work: models that can use tools, browse files, and handle longer chains of steps with less user supervision than a standard chatbot exchange. (openai.com 1) (openai.com 2) The benchmarks OpenAI highlighted were aimed at software and knowledge work. In the company’s release materials, GPT‑5.5 scored 82.7% on Terminal‑Bench 2.0 and 84.9% on GDPval. (openai.com 1) (openai.com 2) The launch arrived alongside changes to ChatGPT Business that split access by job. OpenAI says that since April 2, 2026, a Business workspace can mix standard ChatGPT seats with “Codex seats” that provide Codex-only access and are billed on usage. (help.openai.com) (help.openai.com) OpenAI also says eligible ChatGPT Business workspaces can earn $100 in credits for each new Codex seat that sends its first Codex message, up to $500 total during the promotion. (help.openai.com) That setup gives OpenAI three separate lanes at once: ChatGPT for general workplace use, Codex for coding workflows, and GPT‑5.5 in the API for companies that want to build their own agents on top. (help.openai.com) (openai.com) (openai.com) OpenAI also published a GPT‑5.5 system card and said on April 24 that it updated the card with additional safeguards tied to the API release of GPT‑5.5 and GPT‑5.5 Pro. (openai.com) (openai.com) The immediate question is whether customers pay the premium for fewer hand-holding steps. OpenAI’s own pricing and seat changes suggest it expects buyers to choose models by task, not one plan for everything. (openai.com) (help.openai.com)
