OpenAI Codex

Editor reviewed

OpenAI's coding agent that writes, reviews and runs code from terminal, IDE, desktop or cloud

Freemiumopenai.comUpdated 20 Oct 2026

About OpenAI Codex

OpenAI Codex is OpenAI's coding agent. It reads a codebase, edits files, runs commands and tests, and proposes changes for review. It is available as an open-source command-line tool, an extension for Visual Studio Code and compatible editors, a section of the ChatGPT desktop app, and a cloud service where tasks run in a hosted environment connected to a repository. Users sign in with a ChatGPT account or use an OpenAI API key.

Best for

Delegating coding tasks to an agent
Code review of diffs and pull requests
Terminal-based workflows
Running parallel coding tasks in the cloud
Delegating coding tasks: Hand a bug fix or feature to Codex and review the resulting diff.
Code review: Review uncommitted changes or a branch before merging.
Terminal automation: Run `codex exec` in scripts and CI for repeatable tasks.
Parallel cloud work: Send longer tasks to Codex on the web while continuing in the editor.
Team rollout: Use Business or Enterprise plans with SSO, audit logs and retention controls.

Not ideal for

Non-developers
Users who need unlimited usage on a low-cost plan

Popular with

Software developers
Engineering teams
Enterprise engineering organizations
Open-source maintainers

Key features

Codex CLI
IDE extension
Desktop app
Cloud tasks
Code review
Non-interactive mode
MCP, skills and plugins
Subagents and web search
Session resume and images
Mobile remote control

Pros and cons

Pros

Included with ChatGPT plans, with a free tier and an $8 Go tier
Open-source CLI under the Apache-2.0 license
Available in the terminal, VS Code-based editors, the ChatGPT desktop app and the cloud
Supports MCP, skills, plugins and subagents
API-key option lets teams pay at API rates instead of a subscription

Cons

Plus has message limits per five hours that vary widely by model
Cloud features are not available on the API Key plan
Higher usage needs Pro, which starts at $100 per month
Free and Go plans offer only GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app

Pricing

Plans as listed by the vendor on 20 Oct 2026. Check their site for current prices.

See openai.com

Free

Quick coding tasks

GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app
Subject to rollout

Go

$8/month

Lightweight coding tasks

GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app

Plus

Pro

$100/month

Plans at $100, $200 or $500 per month

Everything in Plus
No five-hour limit currently
Ultrafast mode on the $500 plan

Business

$25/user/mo

2 or more users; $20 per user per month when billed annually

Desktop and mobile apps
Larger cloud VMs
Add-on credits
SAML SSO and MFA
No training on business data by default

Enterprise & Edu

Custom/user/mo

Contact sales

Priority request processing
SCIM
EKM and RBAC
User analytics
Compliance API audit logs
Retention and residency controls

API Key

Pay-as-you-go/usage

Billed at OpenAI API pricing

Codex in the CLI
SDK and IDE extension
No cloud features
Models depend on the API key

Our ratings

Scored out of 10 by the Finder Atlas editorial team.

8.5overall

Code Generation: 9.0
Agentic Autonomy: 8.8
Ease of Use: 8.3
Value for Money: 8.0
Ecosystem & Integrations: 8.5

Platforms and integrations

Available on

Web
macOS
Windows
Linux
CLI
VS Code Extension
JetBrains Plugin
API

Works with

GitHub
Slack
Visual Studio Code
Cursor
Windsurf
Xcode
JetBrains IDEs
MCP

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Release history

Oct 15, 2026
Adds a /config panel, immediate redirection by follow-up messages and /daemon restarts
Adds a /config panel, immediate redirection by follow-up messages and /daemon restarts.
Oct 14, 2026
Users signed in with ChatGPT should switch to GPT-6.1 Sol; API-key sessions are not affected
Users signed in with ChatGPT should switch to GPT-6.1 Sol; API-key sessions are not affected.
Oct 9, 2026
Beta in the desktop app that suggests the next message, for personal Pro plans
Beta in the desktop app that suggests the next message, for personal Pro plans.
May 14, 2026
Codex added to the ChatGPT iOS and Android apps as a remote control
Codex added to the ChatGPT iOS and Android apps as a remote control.

Reviews

No reviews yet

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Frequently asked questions

How do I access OpenAI Codex?

Sign in with a ChatGPT account in the Codex CLI, the IDE extension or the ChatGPT desktop app, or use an OpenAI API key with the CLI, SDK or IDE extension. Free and Go plans have limited access.

Is OpenAI Codex free?

Partly. The Free plan costs $0 and gives limited access to GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout. Plus is $20 per month, Go is $8 per month and Pro starts at $100 per month.

Is this the same as the old Codex model from 2021?

No. The 2021 Codex was a code-generation model used in early tools such as GitHub Copilot. The current Codex is a coding agent that edits code and runs commands, and it is a separate product.

Is the Codex CLI open source?

Yes. The openai/codex repository on GitHub is licensed under Apache-2.0 and describes itself as a lightweight coding agent that runs in your terminal.

What are the usage limits?

Plus and standard Business plans have estimated local message limits per five-hour period, which vary by model: 15 to 160 for GPT-6.1 Sol and 350 to 3,000 for GPT-6 Luna. Pro currently has no five-hour limit. Credits can be bought for extra usage on eligible plans.

Can I use Codex on my phone?

Partly. Since May 2026 the ChatGPT iOS and Android apps can connect to a machine running Codex so you can review outputs, approve commands and start tasks. The work runs on the connected machine, and there is no separate Codex app.

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