Overview
Your ChatGPT wallet is an account balance in US dollars that you can use toward eligible purchases on the ChatGPT website. It can include redeemed OpenAI gift-card funds and other account credits, such as billing adjustments.
Adding funds does not buy a subscription or add usage credits. Wallet dollars are separate from the usage-credit units described in Using credits for flexible usage in ChatGPT. Gifted ChatGPT credits are also a separate product, redeemed through a claim link.
Redeeming an OpenAI gift card adds its value to the account where you redeem it. For purchase options, redemption eligibility, and instructions, see: Buying and redeeming OpenAI gift cards.
Availability & Limits
Eligible ChatGPT Go, Plus, and Pro and Business purchases on the web can use wallet funds. The account must be present in the US, and only currencies in USD are currently supported. A plan name alone does not establish eligibility: your account, billing currency, location, and checkout options also matter. Some complimentary subscriptions may be ineligible. Wallet funds do not pay for API credits or subscriptions billed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. In Business workspaces, only owners can add or redeem funds in the wallet balance.
Funds stay with the account or workspace where the gift card was redeemed. Personal wallet funds cannot pay for the initial subscription that creates a new ChatGPT Business workspace, and they do not transfer when you merge your personal workspace into Business. Deactivating the personal workspace can leave those funds inaccessible. Review this before merging your workspaces.
Your wallet does not provide a feature for withdrawing funds to a bank account, credit card, or another payment method. Gift-card funds cannot be redeemed for cash, except where required by law. An approved refund of a purchase is separate from withdrawing your wallet balance.
Check your balance
For a personal account:
Sign in to ChatGPT on the web using the account that holds your funds.
Open Settings.
Select Billing.
Review Wallet balance, if available.
For eligible ChatGPT Business workspace, a workspace owner can review the separate workspace balance in Workspace settings > Billing. Personal and workspace funds are separate; switching workspaces does not move them.
For billing access and permissions, see: Managing billing for ChatGPT and the API platform.
Pay with wallet funds
Wallet balance applies automatically to eligible purchases. Before completing checkout:
Review the Wallet balance amount applied to the purchase. This can differ from your total available balance.
Check Due today, the remaining amount to pay after wallet funds and other amounts shown in checkout.
Enter the billing details and payment information requested.
Review the final total, including any tax shown, before confirming the purchase.
If wallet funds cover only part of the purchase, you need a payment method for the remainder.
Some fully covered subscription checkouts offer Payment method (optional). Where shown, you can finish without adding a backup method or select Add payment method to provide one. If you open the optional form, select Skip for now where offered to continue without adding a method.
Full wallet coverage does not make a payment method optional in every checkout. Trials and promotions can have different requirements. Follow the options shown for your purchase.
Plan for renewals
Wallet funds can apply to eligible subscription renewals. Before renewal, make sure your wallet can cover the charge or that you have a payment method for the remainder. A backup method added for the subscription can be charged for the uncovered amount. Without enough funds or another payment method, your subscription may not renew.
Review transactions and refunds
In your personal account's Settings > Billing, review Transaction history. Select View all for the full list. A Business workspace owner can review the workspace's records separately in Workspace settings > Billing.
History includes purchases and balance changes:
Gift card records funds added through redemption.
Credits, Gifted credits, and Credits auto-reload record usage-credit purchases, not wallet top-ups.
Adjustment can represent a refund, credit, or billing correction and may not have a linked invoice.
For balance-change records, Credit means an increase in available funds and Debit means a decrease. These labels are not usage-credit balances.
A purchase total can differ from the amount charged to a payment method. For example, a $20 purchase funded with $5 from your wallet and $15 from another method still totals $20. Full wallet funding can produce an invoice showing $0 due without the purchase being free. A new-subscription confirmation email may separate the funding amounts differently from the invoice or receipt.
For invoices, see: Finding past ChatGPT invoices.
An approved purchase refund may restore funds originally paid from your wallet. Paying with wallet funds does not create a new right to a refund or turn a purchase refund into cash withdrawal. For subscription refund requests, see: Requesting a refund for a ChatGPT subscription.
Troubleshoot balance and payment issues
Check a missing or unavailable balance
First check the account or workspace that holds the funds. Wallet balance is not shown for every account. For Business, ask a workspace owner to check.
Loading balance… or Not available means a current balance has not been displayed, not that it is $0 or that redemption failed. Refresh the page and try again later. Do not repeat redemption or make another purchase solely to test a missing balance.
If you see $0 but expected funds, review transaction history. Contact Support if the issue continues or you cannot access the account or workspace holding the funds.
Review an unexpected amount
Purchases, refunds, and adjustments can change your balance. If your account balance already includes an amount due, new funds can offset it, leaving less available than the gift card's value. A negative wallet balance can indicate an amount due.
If you do not recognize an Adjustment, ask Support to review it. The label alone does not explain the reason.
Check funds not applied at checkout
A visible balance does not establish purchase eligibility. Check the account or workspace, billing currency, and any country or eligibility message. Review the wallet amount applied and Due today. If the amounts are unexpected, stop before confirming the purchase and contact Support.
USD wallet funds do not apply to purchases billed in another currency. A balance can remain on your account without reducing the amount due for that purchase. Changing your billing currency does not convert wallet funds. Do not rely on a currency-switch option being available or use a different country or billing address to try to bypass eligibility requirements. For currency information, see: Multi-currency billing.
Check a renewal issue
Review your subscription status, wallet balance, payment methods, and any amount due in Billing. Follow the payment instructions shown. After making a change, check the subscription status rather than assuming renewal succeeded. Contact Support if the result is unclear.
Contact OpenAI Support
For help, see: Contacting OpenAI Support. Include:
Your sign-in email, plan, and relevant workspace name.
The date, time, and time zone of the purchase, redemption, or balance change.
Expected and displayed amounts and currencies, plus any invoice or receipt reference.
The error message, checks you tried, and a screenshot with sensitive details hidden.
Do not send full gift-card PINs or redemption codes, full payment-card numbers, card security codes, passwords, one-time verification codes, or another person's account information.