OpenAI's budget-friendly ChatGPT Go service launches across 16 Asian nations

OpenAI is expanding its affordable ChatGPT Go plan, priced under $5, to 16 additional Asian countries. The subscription service is now accessible in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

In several countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan, users can pay using local currencies. In the remaining nations, payments must be made in U.S. dollars at an approximate cost of $5, with the final amount subject to local taxes.

ChatGPT Go provides users with increased daily limits for messages, image generation, and file or image uploads. This plan also offers twice the memory of the free version, allowing for more tailored interactions.

OpenAI notes that this expansion follows a fourfold increase in weekly active users across Southeast Asia. The plan initially launched in India during August, reaching Indonesia the following month. Since its introduction in India, the number of paid subscribers there has doubled.

OpenAI is competing with Google to bring affordable AI chatbot subscriptions to more regions. Google introduced its similarly priced AI Plus plan in Indonesia in September, later expanding it to over 40 countries. The Plus tier grants access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most sophisticated AI model, alongside creative tools for image and video production—such as Flow (for design), Whisk (for image remixing), and Veo 3 Fast (for video creation)—as well as 200GB of cloud storage.

This growth comes at a critical time for OpenAI. At its DevDay 2025 conference in San Francisco, CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly active users worldwide, up from 700 million in August. The company also revealed a major platform shift, introducing apps that operate directly within ChatGPT, transforming the chatbot into an ecosystem resembling an app store with partners like Spotify, Zillow, and Coursera.

“Our goal over the coming years is to evolve ChatGPT into an operating system where users can access various applications,” explained Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, in a conversation with TechCrunch at the event. “Whether you need to write, code, or interact with goods and services, there’s an app for that purpose.”

Join 10k+ Tech and VC Leaders for Growth and Networking at Disrupt 2025

Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla—these are just a few of the 250+ industry leaders hosting 200+ sessions packed with insights to drive startup growth and give you a competitive advantage. Don’t miss TechCrunch’s 20th anniversary and this opportunity to learn from top tech experts. Secure your ticket now and save up to $444 before doors open.

Join 10k+ Tech and VC Leaders for Growth and Networking at Disrupt 2025

Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla—just some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss a chance to learn from the top voices in tech. Grab your ticket before doors open to save up to $444.

Despite OpenAI’s rapid expansion and recent $500 billion valuation, the company reported a $7.8 billion operating loss in the first half of 2025 due to heavy investments in AI infrastructure. Affordable subscription options like ChatGPT Go are considered essential for achieving profitability while expanding its global user base, especially in high-growth Asian markets where both OpenAI and Google are fiercely competing for dominance.