Codex “5 hours” usage limit feels misleading and unacceptable for paid users
OpenAI Developer Community
May 19, 2026
Serdjio:
> For a normal customer, “5 hours” clearly sounds like available working time.
Why would it?
The pricing page is quite clear, no?:
https://chatgpt.com/codex/pricing/
It contains this table:
It is a 5 hour window in which you can send a maximum number of messages, after which time it resets.
If you want to increase that ceiling you can either buy additional credits or increase your plan.
The token limit varies by account tier. The 5 hour limit stays the same.
This very similar to any SaaS.
It’s a well-trodden way of giving fair access so that systems are not overwhelmed and kept responsive whilst offering those that are willing to pay more a higher level of service.
How else should they manage it so it is both fair and protects the availability of the system?
Discussion in the ATmosphere