ChatGPT Projects on the Free Plan: How to Use Them
Short answer: ChatGPT Projects work on the free plan. OpenAI's help article says you can create an unlimited number of projects, but a free project holds up to 5 files (Go and Plus get 25, Pro and the business plans 40). A project keeps related chats, files and instructions together so you stop re-explaining your background. To start: select New project in the sidebar, name it, add files and instructions, then chat inside it.
Free vs paid: what you get
| Feature | Free | Go / Plus | Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of projects | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Files per project | 5 | 25 | 40 |
| Files per upload | 10 at a time, on every plan | ||
| Sharing a project | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Collaborators on a shared project | Up to 5 | Up to 10 | Up to 100 |
| Agent mode and deep research inside projects | Not listed for projects | "Paid plans may include" them, depending on subscription | |
Checked on October 13, 2026 against OpenAI's Projects in ChatGPT help article (the page said "Updated 24 days ago" when I read it). OpenAI changes limits often, so confirm in your own account.
Two things worth knowing. First, OpenAI says projects cost nothing extra: any usage limits or credits for models and tools apply to project chats the same as regular chats, and rate limits follow your subscription level. Second, the page lists the file counts but no size limit per file, so I can't give you one. For what the free plan caps outside of projects, see ChatGPT free plan limits.
Set one up in six steps
- Create it. Select New project in the sidebar.
- Name it and pick an icon and color. The icon matters a little: OpenAI notes a shared project only shows the "shared" indicator in the sidebar when you kept the default icon.
- Add files. Upload PDFs, spreadsheets, docs or images, or paste text. On free, that is 5 files in total, so pick the reference material you actually reuse. Re-uploading a file with the same name gives you "Upload anyway" or "Skip".
- Add project instructions. Open the more options menu (•••), choose Project settings, and write the instructions. They apply only inside that project and override your global custom instructions.
- Start chatting inside the project. Or move an existing chat in: drag it onto the project, or use Move to project in the chat's menu. Chats started with a custom GPT can't be moved in.
- Save good answers back. From a response's message menu, choose Save to project (OpenAI notes the label may vary) so the summary or draft becomes a source for later chats.
The 5-file limit is the real design constraint on free. Combine related notes into one document, and split the work into several projects rather than stuffing one. OpenAI's own suggestion for hitting the file limit is the same: remove older uploads, combine file data, or split work into multiple projects.
Inside a project you can use the same tools as outside it: canvas, image generation, voice and web search. Study mode doesn't apply to project conversations. You can also paste links to Google Drive files or folders and Slack channels as project sources, and use connected apps in project chats.
Three instruction templates to adapt
These are my suggestions, not OpenAI's templates. I haven't tested them across tasks, so treat them as a starting point.
| Project job | Instruction to start from | Files to add (within the 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing in your voice | "Write in a warm, plain style with short sentences. No jargon. End every draft with one clear next step. If you need a fact I haven't given you, ask instead of guessing." | Two or three of your own past emails or posts |
| Study helper | "Explain concepts using only the uploaded notes. Name the note you used. If the notes don't cover it, say so. End with three practice questions." | Lecture notes combined into one or two documents |
| Weekly report | "Turn the raw updates I paste into a report: three headline results, two risks, one decision needed. Use the same headings every time." | One example report you were happy with |
Specific rules beat general ones: "no jargon, one next step at the end" gives the model far more to act on than "be professional".
Memory in projects: default or project-only
When you create a project you pick a memory setting, and you can change it later in Project settings > Memory (OpenAI says changes may take a few hours to apply).
| Setting | What it does, per OpenAI |
|---|---|
| Project-only memory | Your saved memories are not used in project chats. Chats can reference other conversations in the same project only, and nothing outside the project can reference them. |
| Default memory | Your saved memories are referenced and chats can draw on other conversations in the same project. What else is reachable depends on your plan and settings. |
If your settings show Enable memory, turn it on; accounts with separate controls need Reference saved memories and Reference chat history. Switching a project to project-only removes that project's information from the memory used outside it. There is no global switch to make all projects project-only, and no list of project memories to browse.
Contrast this with Claude, where Anthropic says context isn't shared across chats in a project unless it is in the project knowledge (see Claude Projects on the free plan).
Sharing a project on the free plan
OpenAI lists project sharing as available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu, on web and mobile. On free you can invite up to 5 collaborators, with either chat access (see and use the project's chats, files and instructions) or edit access (also update instructions, upload or remove files, and invite others, but not remove members).
Three things to know before you share:
- Shared projects automatically use project-only memory and can't see anyone's personal memories or custom instructions.
- All members can view and download the files in the project, so don't add anything you wouldn't hand to the group.
- For personal accounts, OpenAI says shared project data may be used to improve models only when the owner and every contributor have Improve the model for everyone turned on.
ChatGPT Projects vs Claude Projects (free plans)
| ChatGPT Free | Claude Free | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of projects | Unlimited | Up to 5 |
| Files per project | 5 | No count stated in Anthropic's help articles |
| Sharing with other people | Yes, up to 5 collaborators | No (Team and Enterprise only, per Anthropic) |
| Context across chats in a project | Depends on memory setting | Not shared unless added to project knowledge |
| Extra cost | None; normal usage limits apply | None; draws from plan usage |
Claude column checked against Anthropic's pages on October 11, 2026 (see my Claude Projects guide). Neither limit is "bigger" in general: ChatGPT caps files, Claude caps the number of projects. For the wider free-plan picture, see Best free AI chatbots compared.
Project, custom instructions, memory or GPT?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| One-off question | A normal chat |
| Same files and rules reused for one job | A project |
| Rules you want everywhere | Global custom instructions (project instructions override them inside a project) |
| Facts about you ChatGPT should keep | Memory settings, not a project file |
| Working with a few other people on shared context | A shared project (multi-player, grows over time) |
| A reusable custom assistant for others | A GPT: OpenAI describes GPTs as single-player and static, shared projects as multi-player and evolving |
| You hit the 5-file cap | Merge documents, split into more projects, or compare plans in ChatGPT free plan limits |
Questions people ask
Are ChatGPT Projects free?
Yes. OpenAI's help article says access to projects is included with every qualifying plan at no extra cost, and lists 5 files per project for Free.
How many files can I upload to a ChatGPT project?
5 on Free, 25 on Go and Plus, and 40 on Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu. Only 10 files can be uploaded at the same time.
How many projects can I create?
OpenAI says users can create an unlimited number of projects.
Can I share a ChatGPT project on the free plan?
Yes. Sharing is listed for Free, and a free owner can have up to 5 collaborators.
Does ChatGPT remember other chats in a project?
It depends on the project's memory setting. With project-only memory, chats can reference other conversations in the same project and nothing outside it.
Do projects use up my usage limit?
Yes. OpenAI says credits or usage charges for models and tools apply to project chats the same as regular chats, and rate limits follow your subscription.
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