Temporary issue or best available model has been actually downgraded for free tier users?

Codex
1

For a few hours I’ve been unable to access neither gpt-5.4 nor gpt-5.3-codex via both cli and macOS app, getting the following errors:

{“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.4’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}

(the same for gpt-5.3-codex model).

Is it basically a downgrade for free tier users (as gpt-5.2 seems to be available) or just a regression?

The former would be quite annoying given the official web site says: “Try with Free and Go, or enjoy 2x rate limits on other plans for a limited time” and features screenshot with gpt-5.3 selected.

❯ codex --version
codex-cli 0.113.0

❯ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c ‘print CFBundleShortVersionString’ /Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Info.plist
26.305.950

5 Likes
4

Hi and welcome to the community!

I am working with these models right now and cannot confirm this issue.
But I will keep monitoring for additional reports.
I suggest to use the /feedback command and send this report to the team.
To my best knowledge the inbox is monitored by the Codex team directly.

3 Likes
5

for me as well

i get “{“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.3’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}” im free tier but the toekn should reset today to me but apperntaly 5.3codex is not free tier anymore :roll_eyes: :confused:

1 Like
6

I am on the free tier and another person is on the business plan tier; and I can confirm that starting very late March 9 / early March 10 that this keeps showing up for multiple different models, including the best in class; GPT 5.4 and GPT 5.3-codex. The person on the business plan is getting the exact same problem as people on free tier, which is very very surprising!

2 Likes
7

I have also made sure that Codex is up-to-date and also tried going one version back and there is still the same problem.

2 Likes
8

I get the same for 5.3-Codex and 5.4…

9

Getting the same
{“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.4’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}

{“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.3-codex’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}

Only gpt-5.2-codex works.

It’s bad

1 Like
10

Same issue, Started late last night for me around 11pm EST I was hoping this was a error or fluke but even making a new thread in codex I got the same error this morning.

11

@OpenAI_Support
**
Multiple users across free AND paid plans are reporting that gpt-5.4 and gpt-5.3-codex are no longer accessible via Codex CLI and the macOS app as of March 10, 2026. The issue was confirmed working on March 9th and broke today; some users report it was still working just hours ago.

Error returned:
{“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.4’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}
(identical error for gpt-5.3-codex)

Only older and less powerful models (like gpt-5.2) remain functional.

AFFECTED PLANS:

  • Free tier: confirmed by multiple users
  • Business Plan (paid): confirmed by stargt and Glenn-Domin
  • New paid account (just activated today): confirmed by Glenn-Domin

This rules out a free-tier-only restriction and suggests a broader backend regression.

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENTS:

  • CLI versions: codex-cli 0.107.0, codex-cli 0.113.0, and the newest version available.
  • Codex.app 26.305.950 (macOS)
  • Windows (PowerShell), macOS, VSCode extension
  • NOTE: akyourowngames reports the model IS still listed in Codex CLI and Codex app, but NOT in the VSCode extension, suggesting partial UI inconsistency on top of the API error

NOTABLE ADDITIONAL DETAIL:

  • stepanslyusarev reports that after restarting Codex CLI, gpt-5.4 disappeared entirely from the models list, so the model is being actively hidden post-restart, not just erroring
  • ivanglushko confirms the error message itself is unhelpful and gives no indication of why access was revoked
  • ink-splatters notes that the OpenAI community forum advised using /feedback from the CLI app as the fastest way to reach Codex devs directly; which is why this report is being submitted

COMMUNITY REPORTS:

OpenAI Community thread: Temporary issue or best available model has been actually downgraded for free tier users?

GitHub Issue #14181: The (‘gpt-5.4’, ‘gpt-5.3-codex’) model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account. · Issue #14181 · openai/codex · GitHub

—

Confirmed affected users (20+): HeyWorldP, testatox1-source, hazulifidastian, David-T-Campos/David_Campos1, Xiaolo-Y, rossaai, stargt, akyourowngames, MarcGiaccone, egormaksgrom2706-create, ink-splatters, ubes111, Glenn-Domin, ivanglushko, cstribal, OsamaHayyan-Akhdar, stepanslyusarev, sharjeel-ahmed, yuval.kahan

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

  • One free-tier user (yuval.kahan) confirmed their token quota reset today yet the model remains inaccessible, meaning this is not a quota issue
  • The official website still advertises gpt-5.3 as available on Free and Go plans with a feature screenshot showing it selected; now inconsistent with actual behavior
  • GitHub Actions bot flagged a potential duplicate against issue #12295, while the original reporters dispute this

Asking for clarification: is this a temporary regression or an intentional access change? If intentional, the website and documentation need to be updated immediately.

5 Likes
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1 Like
14

5.3codex still not working in free tier even though i have full quota

15

Is this a permanent change? This is very annoying, I knew the day OpenAI screwing over the free tier users would come one day, but not this soon :frowning:

1 Like
17

It happens to me, too. I use the Codex Windows app, and I am free tier user. It shows: {“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.4’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”}

18

same here! {“detail”:“The ‘gpt-5.4’ model is not supported when using Codex with a ChatGPT account.”} which applies for gpt 5.3 codex too but i tried even changing version but to no avail

1 Like
19

it’s not a bug, gpt 5.3+ are only avalaible to paid subscriptions

check this issue : https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/10873

1 Like
20

“@lwmxiaobei, yes. We’ve limited access to our latest models (gpt-5.3-codex and gpt-5.4) to paid subscriptions.” - is this permanent?

21

Is this permanent or due to high load?

22

Ok, so this is not a bug but a feature.

Hey, OpenAI / codex guys, do you think it’s a proper level of handling the situation?

Without notification, without anything you just dropped free tier users, without providing a iota of time for decision making, effectively locking them to either pay or loose the progress, because gpt 5.2 is not going to pickup from where 5.4 was standing, and handle it properly, in my case it could not.

Damn, what a pity, I was planning to buy the subscription, I don’t know what to say now, I mean, what stops you from suddenly denying paid users access to your top tier models, because those are paying but only a little 20$?

This is serious trust issue, and this is absolutely awful level of support. How many users needed to post you before you hesitantly acknowledged the restriction was made deliberately?

Come out and say something besides that you needed to restrict access to save SLAs for paid users - it’s obvious and your restriction is not per-se the biggest problem, your attitude to users is.

2 Likes
23

well, they can do what ever they want … i hope the free tier will be back maybe even with lower rates it better then nothing

24

by the way in mid february there was a message in codex cli who said the codex free access was ending 2nd march, at least codex is still free but with lower model