The AI landscape is buzzing with new tools and features, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT is leading the charge. While many AI integrations feel superficial, ChatGPT’s Deep Research stands out as genuinely useful, albeit previously expensive. Now, OpenAI is democratizing access with a free, lightweight version of this powerful research tool.
This new version is powered by OpenAI’s o4-mini language model, promising cost-effectiveness without sacrificing quality. Most importantly, it’s available for free, removing the subscription barrier that previously limited access.
Deep Dive into Deep Research
Deep Research lives up to its name, acting as a virtual research assistant. Unlike standard chatbot responses, Deep Research conducts comprehensive web research on any given topic and delivers the results as a structured, well-written document—more akin to a research paper than a simple answer.
The lightweight version of deep research is powered by a version of OpenAI o4-mini and is nearly as intelligent as the deep research people already know and love, while being significantly cheaper to serve.
Responses will typically be shorter while maintaining the depth and… pic.twitter.com/H2UD5GThVj
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) April 24, 2025
Users can refine their searches by specifying source types, such as academic papers or press releases, and receive a curated, multi-page response complete with citations, headings, tables, and bullet points. Deep Research effectively condenses hours of research and writing into minutes.
Previously, the resource-intensive nature of Deep Research confined it to paid ChatGPT subscribers. This lightweight version not only extends access to free users but also enhances the search limit for subscribers.
A sample of Deep Research query.
Expanded Access and Usage Limits
OpenAI now allows free ChatGPT users up to five Deep Research queries per month, a significant increase from the previous single query limit. This puts ChatGPT on par with competitors like Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Perplexity.
ChatGPT Plus subscribers ($20/month) receive 25 Deep Research queries per month. This limit also applies to ChatGPT’s Education, Team, and Enterprise packages. The premium ChatGPT Pro package ($200/month) offers a substantial 250 queries monthly.
Upon exceeding their allocated queries, users seamlessly transition to the lightweight version. OpenAI assures users that this version maintains the intelligence and depth of the full-fledged Deep Research, albeit with shorter responses. This change is a game-changer for users seeking powerful AI tools for productive tasks, even without a paid subscription.
Conclusion: AI Research for Everyone
OpenAI’s move to offer a free, lightweight Deep Research makes advanced AI research capabilities accessible to a broader audience. While response length may be slightly reduced, the depth and quality remain, empowering users to efficiently gather and synthesize information. This update solidifies ChatGPT’s position as a versatile and powerful AI tool, beneficial for both casual and professional users.
