Detailed Guide to Using GPT-4o for Free: Is ChatGPT Plus Really Unnecessary?

The $20 monthly subscription fee for ChatGPT Plus has discouraged many users who are used to free tools. Once you enjoy using something for free, it's natural to want to keep it that way. This article focuses on whether those so-called "free access" methods to ChatGPT Plus actually work or not.

First: Official Access – Free in Some Regions

As of May 31, 2025, ChatGPT Plus still requires payment in most countries and regions, with the standard price being $20 per month. However, a few countries and specific user groups can enjoy free access through partnerships or limited-time promotional events. Let's take a closer look.

United Arab Emirates
The UAE government has reached a strategic agreement with OpenAI, aiming to provide free ChatGPT Plus access for all residents. However, there is no official announcement confirming that every UAE resident already enjoys this benefit. The actual implementation timeline and specific details remain unclear.

Australia and Colombia – Student Referral Program
In Australia and Colombia, some students can obtain one month of free ChatGPT Plus by referring new users to sign up using a special link provided by OpenAI. That said, if you are not a student in either of those countries, this method is not applicable.

United States and Canada – Student Program
Between March 31 and May 31, 2025, OpenAI offered students in the United States and Canada two months of free ChatGPT Plus. Students could redeem this offer by verifying their identity via school email. Unfortunately, this campaign officially ended on May 31, 2025. Whether it will return in the future remains uncertain.

As for online rumors claiming that Japan offers free access to ChatGPT Plus, there is no official support or confirmation as of now.

Second: Free Access via Third-Party Aggregator Platforms

Currently, many third-party AI platforms claim to offer free access to tools like Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and more.

However, one should ask: is there really such a thing as a free lunch? These platforms often require registration, meaning they can collect your personal data and track your input history.

Some platforms might genuinely provide free services, but always remain cautious about your personal information and data privacy when using them.

Third: Using Access Tokens

To use GPT-4o’s full capabilities via official channels, a Plus account is required. If you don’t have one, some online communities and developers share Access Tokens that may grant temporary access.

Theoretically, this method works, but it comes with many risks:

You may spend a significant amount of time looking for valid tokens.

If the token is shared by too many people, usage will hit concurrency limits, causing slow responses or failures.

Shared accounts are often throttled or banned by OpenAI due to overuse.

Moreover, some token-sharing websites may contain malicious scripts, phishing links, or code designed to steal your data. What seems “generous” may actually be harmful.

Fourth: Cheap Recharge and Shared Account Traps

Some users who feel that ChatGPT Plus is too expensive try to find cheaper alternatives.

One approach is using a shared account. But with shared access, your prompts may be visible to others, risking the exposure of personal data, work materials, or sensitive business information.

Another approach is finding “discount” purchase links. If these are provided through official events, then they’re relatively safe. But if you access unofficial or misleading websites, you may face serious consequences.

Financial loss
These illegal sites may ask for payment without delivering any product or may provide fake or unusable accounts. Worse, your credit card information might be stolen, leading to larger financial risks.

Data breaches
Malicious websites often trick users into inputting personal information such as names, emails, phone numbers, card details, and passwords. Once obtained, this information could be used for fraud, spam, or even sold to third parties.

Malware and virus risks
Clicking unsafe links or downloading files from suspicious sites could infect your computer or phone with viruses, trojans, ransomware, or spyware. This could result in data loss, system crashes, or even remote control of your device by attackers.

Final Reminder: There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Besides the free-tier version of ChatGPT, other AI tools like Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude also offer free plans that are worth trying.

If you truly need ChatGPT Plus, always purchase through official channels to ensure safety and reliability.