Guide to Free vs Paid ChatGPT Token Limits

ChatGPT is extremely helpful for remote work, making sharing information and structuring a breeze. However, it is challenging to deal with ChatGPT token limits, which prevent ChatGPT from remembering anything beyond a specific word count.

Knowing the difference between the token limits of a free ChatGPT version and a paid plan can help you work faster and more efficiently. This article will explain how ChatGPT token limits work and how you can get around them.

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What is a ChatGPT Token?

A ChatGPT token is a sequence of characters, including a single word, parts of words, punctuation marks, spaces, or non-English characters. One ChatGPT token is usually equivalent to four characters of an English text or about three-fourths of a word.

You can access OpenAI's Tokenizer to visualize how its AI language model tokenizes a text and shows its total token count.

Below is a sample text I entered on the Tokenizer:

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What is the ChatGPT-3.5 Token Limit?

ChatGPT’s latest pricing plan shows that ChatGPT-3.5's token limit for context length is up to 8,000 tokens, including tokens used for the prompt and ChatGPT's response. You can access ChatGPT-3.5 with a free OpenAI account.

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What is the ChatGPT-4 Token Limit?

ChatGPT-4 has a context window of 32,000 tokens. You can access ChatGPT-4 with a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs $20 per user per month. The subscription includes uninterrupted access to ChatGPT-4, real-time web search capabilities, DALL-E 3's image generation feature, ChatGPT plugins, and a GPT builder for creating chatbots.

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How do ChatGPT Token Limits Work?

A ChatGPT token limit restricts the number of tokens it can handle as part of the same prompt. Suppose you type in a prompt that contains 50 tokens and receive a response with 150 tokens. In that case, the chat will consume a total of 200 tokens.

Tokens are limited depending on the ChatGPT model you use. When you're using ChatGPT's web chat interface, that's not such an issue.

However, the token limit can be pretty restrictive when integrating ChatGPT's AI into your application with the GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 turbo models.

Although ChatGPT can retain information until it exceeds its token limit for context length, long prompts or extensive conversation history can result in missing details or shorter responses.

To illustrate, in the prompt below, I asked ChatGPT 3.5 to summarize three essays. The total token count for the prompt and essays reached 4,794, with over 3,700 words and 23,956 characters.

Below is part of the summary ChatGPT generated for me, with 819 tokens used. That's over 590 words and 4,097 characters. The prompt and ChatGPT’s answer used 5,613 tokens, within ChatGPT-3.5’s 8,000-token limit for context length.

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What are the Differences between ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4?

OpenAI uses GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 AI language models. While GPT-4 has more new features, GPT-3.5 is a helpful tool for everyday tasks. Here are some of the main differences between the two GPT models:

Context window

The number of tokens ChatGPT can 'remember,' known as the context window, is over 8,000 for GPT-3.5. GPT-4's context window is even more impressive, with an average of 32,000 tokens, which allows it to understand nuances in a language such as humor and sarcasm.

Programming power

GPT-4 is better at generating code snippets and debugging existing code more effectively than GPT-3.5. That's because it's better informed by a more significant, more up-to-date data source and has a larger context window for processing code.

Multimodal capabilities

GPT-3.5 focuses on text, but GPT-4 goes further by handling images, voice, and programming languages. GPT-4 can also analyze photos, understand context, and offer practical suggestions. For example, it can generate recipe ideas from a picture of your fridge or code websites from a sketch.

Free vs. paid ChatGPT version

You can choose a free or paid ChatGPT version that fits your needs. The free version of ChatGPT offers unlimited messaging and access to GPT-3.5 on the web, iOS, and Android. Aside from the Plus Plan, there's also the Team Plan, available for $30 per user monthly, which includes:

• Higher message caps on GPT-4.
• Tools such as DALL·E and Advanced Data Analysis.
• The ability to create and share GPTs within your workspace while managing team data effectively.

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How to Get Around Token Limits

Now that we understand ChatGPT tokens, let's explore how to navigate their token limits.

• Draft clear and concise prompts: Write specific prompts to maximize your ChatGPT token allowance, especially if you want a more detailed response.
• Specify a length limit to ChatGPT's response: To efficiently use your ChatGPT tokens, set a response limit to your prompt so that ChatGPT can avoid generating excessively long responses. For example: "What are the top five famous tourist spots in Bali, Indonesia? Be concise and use bullet points."
• Summarize complex questions: Sometimes, you may need to provide specific details or elaborate on a query, which can use up more of your tokens. For instance, if you need to summarize a long meeting transcript, consider copying only the essential parts of the discussion. You can use this prompt: "Summarize the main decisions and action items in this conversation."

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The Token-Friendly Alternative for Transcriptions and Meeting Summaries

If you use ChatGPT to take meeting notes and create summaries, Tactiq might be a more practical choice.

The AI transcription tool offers a team plan with unlimited AI credits at only $16.70 per user per month, significantly cheaper than the ChatGPT Plus subscription. You also get templated prompts and the option to ask questions to your bank of transcripts.

Here are simple ways to enhance your meeting experience with Tactiq:

Meeting Summaries and Transcripts

With Tactiq, you can easily capture significant points from your meetings. It processes conversations and highlights takeaways, providing insightful transcripts and summaries.

AI Meeting Kits

Tactiq's AI Meeting Kits allow you to customize prompts and meeting notes for each discussion. This feature is valuable when drafting meeting minutes or revisiting decisions made during a meeting.

Action Items

During discussions, Tactiq actively identifies action items and recognizes tasks and follow-ups, making post-meeting tasks more productive and manageable.

Ask Questions of Your Transcript

You can ask questions and maximize your meeting transcript using Tactiq's AI. Easily find the information you need within the transcript, making it a smoother and more efficient way to navigate your discussions.

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How to Sign Up To Tactiq?

You can easily install Tactiq for free from the Chrome Web Store. Once you’ve signed up, Tactiq will instantly pop up on Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom meetings to take notes and transcribe your conversations.

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FAQs

Does ChatGPT have a token limit?

Yes, it has token limits for context windows, depending on your plan and model. These plans cater to different user needs, whether you're an individual just getting started or a business looking for scalable solutions.

How many tokens can ChatGPT handle?

ChatGPT can handle different numbers of tokens for context windows based on the model you use. ChatGPT-3.5 manages up to 8,000 tokens, while ChatGPT-4 within Plus and Team plans can handle up to 32,000 tokens. For ChatGPT Enterprise, it can process up to 128,000 tokens. Each model might have separate limits for input and output tokens, so it's best to check the model's guidelines for specific details.

What are the features included in the free version of ChatGPT?

The free version of ChatGPT includes unlimited messages, interactions, and history with access to the GPT-3.5 model.

What is the message limit of ChatGPT-4?

The message limit for ChatGPT-4 is set for ChatGPT Plus users at 40 messages every 3 hours. This limit may change based on demand and system performance. It is not possible to store unused messages for future use.

What additional features does the ChatGPT Plus plan offer?

The Plus plan offers access to GPT-4, faster response times, a larger context window, and additional tools like DALL·E and Advanced Data Analysis.

How do I get around ChatGPT’s token limit?

To work around ChatGPT's token limit, consider breaking significant inputs into smaller parts, providing summaries or critical points, and using context windows for conversations. You can also request multiple responses for more extended interactions and prioritize essential information to ensure clarity within the token constraints.

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Moving Forward

While ChatGPT excels in natural language processing, its token limits can pose difficulties for budget-conscious teams. If you're using ChatGPT paid plans for meeting summaries and notes, consider trying out Tactiq! Its AI-driven transcriptions and summaries make it the top choice for boosting meeting productivity and enhancing team efficiency.