What is Codex?
OpenAI's coding agent that edits repos, runs tools and opens PRs.
Who is Codex best for?
Codex is best for developers on ChatGPT plans who want one coding agent across the terminal, editor and GitHub.
Developers who work in the terminal
Codex CLI reads your local repository, edits files and runs the tools already installed on your machine, with you choosing the model and permissions.
Long tasks in the background
Codex cloud runs tasks in parallel in isolated environments and hands back a summary and diff you can turn into a pull request.
Teams working on GitHub
Tagging @codex on an issue or pull request hands it work or asks for a review, and automatic reviews can be switched on for a repository.
Scripts and CI pipelines
codex exec and the Codex SDK run tasks from scripts and pipelines, and an API key suits shared environments such as CI.
How much does Codex cost?
Codex comes with ChatGPT plans: Free and Go ($8 a month) give limited use in the desktop app, full Codex starts with Plus at $20 a month, and Pro costs from $100 a month for 5x or 20x the usage of Plus.
- Quick coding tasks in the desktop app
- GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed, as it rolls out
- No image generation
- Lightweight coding tasks in the desktop app
- GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed, as it rolls out
- Codex on the web, in the CLI, the IDE extension and iOS
- Automatic code review, Slack and other cloud integrations
- GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna, with extra usage on credits
- Everything in Plus
- 5x the Codex usage of Plus for $100, or 20x for $200
New sign-ups and upgrades to the $200 Pro 20x tier are paused for now; Pro at $100 is open. Business costs $25 per user per month billed monthly, or $20 billed yearly, for 2 or more users, and adds a dedicated workspace, SAML SSO and no training on business data by default. Enterprise and Edu are priced through sales. Codex also runs in the CLI, SDK and IDE extension on an API key at standard API rates, without the cloud features. Usage is counted in five-hour windows, weekly limits may also apply, and Plus and Pro users who run out can buy credits instead of upgrading. Full pricing on learn.chatgpt.com. We checked these prices on .
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What are the best Codex alternatives?
Three tools on Recaply do Codex's job. All three are open source, so you can run them on your own server.
gooseOpen SourceChoose it when you want one agent for code and everyday tasks that is not tied to a ChatGPT plan
PiOpen SourceChoose it when you want to reshape the agent itself with TypeScript extensions for commands, tools or plan mode, on any model provider
Qwen CodeOpen SourceChoose it when you want to hand coding tasks to an agent from Telegram, WeChat or DingTalk, on whichever model provider you pick
Articles about Codex
Two of our articles name Codex the best for a job, and five more cover it.
Named best overall. The best AI coding agent for most developers is Codex: a free plan, and one subscription everywhere it runs. Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor and more compared.
Claude Code vs Codex: pricing, usage limits and which is betterVersusNamed best value. Claude Code vs Codex: Codex is the better buy for most developers, at the same $20 and $100 prices with more included. Plans, limits and models compared.
What is agentic AI? How it works, with real examplesExplainerWhat is agentic AI? AI that works toward a goal on its own: it plans, uses tools and checks its work. How it differs from a chatbot, with real examples.
MCP vs skills vs plugins: what each one doesExplainerMCP vs skills: MCP connects an AI agent to outside apps and data, skills teach it a job, and plugins bundle both. When to use each, with examples.
The best Claude Code skills to install in 2026BestThe best Claude Code skills to install first: Superpowers for testing and debugging, plus Anthropic's frontend-design and document skills.
How to install skills in Claude Code, Codex and CursorHow toHow to install skills in Claude Code, Codex and Cursor: copy the skill's folder into .claude/skills, .agents/skills or .cursor/skills, then check it.
What are agent skills? How SKILL.md works, tool by toolExplainerWhat are agent skills? Folders with a SKILL.md file that teach an AI agent one job. How they load, and where Claude Code, Codex and Cursor keep them.
Questions about Codex
What is Codex?
OpenAI's coding agent that edits repos, runs tools and opens PRs.
Who is Codex for?
Codex is best for developers on ChatGPT plans who want one coding agent across the terminal, editor and GitHub.
Is Codex free?
Yes. Codex has a free plan: quick coding tasks in the desktop app.
How much does Codex cost?
Codex's paid plans are Go at $8 per month, Plus at $20 per month and Pro at From $100 per month.
Is there an open source alternative to Codex?
Yes. goose, Pi and Qwen Code are open source tools that do the same job, so you can run your own.
What are the best Codex alternatives?
The closest alternatives on Recaply are goose, Pi and Qwen Code.
Where can I try Codex?
On its official website, learn.chatgpt.com.
How many Codex messages do I get on ChatGPT Plus?
It depends on the model and the task. OpenAI estimates about 15 to 150 local Codex messages per five-hour window on Plus with GPT-6 Sol, or 350 to 3,000 with the lighter GPT-6 Luna. Pro raises those ranges 5x or 20x, and weekly limits may also apply.
Can I use Codex with an API key instead of a ChatGPT plan?
Yes. Codex runs in the CLI, the SDK and the IDE extension with an OpenAI API key, and you pay standard API rates for what you use. Cloud features such as GitHub code review and the Slack integration need a ChatGPT plan.
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