OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT chatbot, estimates that by 2030, at least 220 million people will pay for it. This means that roughly 8.5% of the estimated 2.6 billion weekly users will be paying subscribers. This estimate comes from information published by The Information, based on a source familiar with the matter. For comparison, that number of subscribers would put ChatGPT among the world's largest subscription services, on par with Spotify today.
Current figures
According to a report from July, ChatGPT has around 35 million paying users, representing about 5% of its weekly active user base. They can choose between two plans: "Plus" for $20 per month (approximately CZK 460) or "Pro" for $200 per month (approximately CZK 4,600). These figures show that interest in paid versions is growing and has not yet peaked. OpenAI sees this as the foundation for future expansion, with the number of paying users expected to rise to 220 million.
OpenAI expects to reach annual revenue of around $20 billion (approximately CZK 460 billion) by the end of this year. This is an enormous leap, but the company is also facing growing losses, according to sources cited by Reuters. In the first half of 2025, OpenAI generated revenue of $4.3 billion (approximately CZK 99 billion), which is 16% more than in the entire previous year. On the other hand, it spent $2.5 billion (approximately CZK 57.5 billion), mainly on artificial intelligence research and development and on operating ChatGPT. These costs are high because the company is investing in new technologies.
New features and products
OpenAI plans to generate about 20% of its revenue from new features, such as shopping and advertising tools. Last week, it introduced a personal shopping assistant for ChatGPT, which could open the door to revenue from advertising or sales commissions. This new feature is intended to help users shop directly within the chatbot, which could attract more people to the paid versions. The company is thus looking for ways to expand its business beyond basic chat features.
