"Are you trying to create a video with Sora 2, but it's not working?" (Problem) As of January 10, 2026, OpenAI has officially discontinued the Free Tier video generation feature for Sora 2. Video generation has now become the exclusive privilege of Plus or Pro subscribers paying over $20 per month. (Solution) Behind this sudden policy change lies the inevitable choice to handle exploding GPU costs and maintain high-quality service. We have summarized the details of this policy change and strategies for different users. (Evidence)

💸 What Changed? (Policy Update)

1. Free Tier Access Blocked

• Previous: Sora 2 video generation possible within limited counts.
• New: Video generation impossible. (Image generation may also be partially restricted)
• Reason: The rendering cost of Sora 2 is tens of times higher than text models (GPT 5.2), making it difficult to sustain free traffic.

2. Enhanced Benefits for Plus / Pro Subscribers

Paid users receive a faster and more stable Priority Queue.

• Plus ($20/mo): Standard speed, daily generation limits apply.
• Pro ($200/mo): High-speed mode, commercial usage rights, higher generation limits.

Why Now? (Background)

Sora 2 shocked the world with Hollywood-level video quality upon release, but it was also criticized as an "energy-eating monster." As the user base recently skyrocketed, server load reached a critical point, and OpenAI pressed the button to end free use under the pretext of "maintaining service quality." This is similar to the restrictions during the early days of DALL-E 3, but much more radical.

👉 Action Guide for Users

1. Casual Users

If you created videos occasionally for fun, a $20 monthly fee might be burdensome.

• Alternative: Try the free tiers of Runway Gen-3 Alpha or Luma Dream Machine. Although restricted, they still allow free usage.

2. Creators and Developers (Pro/Dev)

If you use Sora 2 for work, a paid subscription is essential.

• API Users: API policies have also changed. Calls via API are billed separately, so if you integrated Sora 2 into existing apps, beware of cost bombs. Be sure to set a usage limit.

FAQ: Questions About Sora 2 Pricing

Q1. Will my previously generated free videos be deleted?

A. No, your existing videos will be preserved. However, features like 'Generate More' or 'Remix' will be locked until you switch to a paid subscription.

Q2. Will GPT 5.2 text chat also become paid-only?

A. Currently, this measure is limited to the video (Sora 2) generation feature. Text models like GPT 5.2.1 / 5.2 are still available (with limits) on the free tier.

Q3. Are there student discounts?

A. There are no official student discounts currently. Access may be possible only through school accounts that have adopted the ChatGPT Edu plan.

The era of the 'free lunch' is over. Generative AI, especially Video AI, has now established itself as a clear 'premium service worth paying for.' Are you ready to invest in your creative tools?