OpenAI Pauses $200 ChatGPT Pro Sign-Ups as Astra Demand Strains Its Systems
September 11, 2026 – 5:34 pm
Credit: Focal Foto
OpenAI has stopped selling the $200 tier of ChatGPT Pro, stating that demand for its Astra model is overloading its systems. European organizations face an additional constraint; despite the pause, no paid Astra deployment ensures data processing remains within the EU boundary.
Key Takeaways:
- Paused Tier: OpenAI has paused new sign-ups for the $200 ChatGPT Pro tier (Pro 20X).
- Remaining Plans: The $100 Pro plan is still available, along with Plus, Go, API, and enterprise accounts.
- EU Data Zone Issue: Astra lacks a European data zone deployment, and no paid option keeps processing within the EU boundary.
- Supply Constraints: This pause is due to supply issues rather than safety concerns as seen in August when OpenAI paused Astra over cybersecurity fears.
- Regulatory Testing: ENISA received access to Astra about a week after launch and is testing it alongside Anthropic’s Mythos 5.
- Model Capacity: Analysts view the freeze as an allocation signal, with consumer power users acting as a release valve while enterprise contracts are protected.
"We wanted to take the smallest step that allows us to continue giving the broadest access possible." – Thibault Sottiaux, Product Lead for Codex and ChatGPT
OpenAI assures continuous capacity additions but provides no reopening date for the paused tier. Until an EU deployment is established, Europe’s cloud dependency extends to AI models as well.