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Amol Ghemud Published: January 11, 2024
Summary
The GPT Store is OpenAI’s public library of custom GPTs, opened on January 10, 2024 and browsed through Explore GPTs. As of September 2026, all signed-in ChatGPT users can use GPTs, but only Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces can create or publish new ones. OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs across ChatGPT plans and move workflows to plugins, with retirement scheduled for December 11, 2026 in Enterprise workspaces and other plans expected to follow.
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Imagine the most relevant GPTs served to you from a pool of more than 3 million. That was the pitch when OpenAI opened the GPT Store on January 10, 2024: a public library where ChatGPT Plus, Team and Enterprise users could find and share custom versions of ChatGPT.
Since that launch, Free users gained GPT access, personal plans lost GPT creation and OpenAI now plans to retire custom GPTs. This explainer is updated for September 2026, with launch details dated.
What Is the GPT Store? (Quick Answer for 2026)
The GPT Store is OpenAI’s public library of custom GPTs, which you browse through Explore GPTs in ChatGPT. As of September 2026, any signed-in user can chat with existing GPTs, but only Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces can create or publish new ones, and OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs.
OpenAI’s custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ says the transition affects all ChatGPT plans. Enterprise workspaces retire on December 11, 2026, other plans are expected to follow, and dates are subject to change.
How to Explore GPTs in ChatGPT
Open Explore GPTs in ChatGPT (chatgpt.com/gpts), pick a GPT and sign in to start a chat. You can also use a direct link or GPTs shared in your workspace.
Open Explore GPTs at chatgpt.com/gpts
OpenAI’s GPTs in ChatGPT help article says GPTs are available to all ChatGPT users. Public GPT pages may be visible without an account, but you need to sign in to start a conversation.
Bring a GPT into any chat with @
On ChatGPT web, type @ in a conversation to bring in a GPT. This doesn’t work in the iOS or Android apps. Builders can’t see your individual conversations with their GPTs.
What OpenAI Announced at the GPT Store Launch (January 2024)
At launch, the store was open to ChatGPT Plus, Team and Enterprise users, showed trending GPTs by category and promised a revenue program for US builders.
A delayed opening and 3 million GPTs
OpenAI introduced GPTs on November 6, 2023, saying no coding was required and the store would launch later that month. It opened on January 10, 2024, when OpenAI’s launch announcement said users had created more than 3 million custom versions of ChatGPT.
Discovery and builder rules at launch
The launch post showed trending GPTs in DALL·E, writing, research, programming, education and lifestyle, plus new featured GPTs every week. To list a GPT, builders saved it for Everyone and verified a builder profile with their name or a verified website.
The builder revenue promise
OpenAI said it would launch a GPT builder revenue program in Q1 2024, starting with US builders paid based on user engagement with their GPTs.
OpenAI’s creating and editing GPTs article says personal accounts, including Free, Go, Plus and Pro, can’t create or publish new GPTs. GPTs you built earlier remain available to use, and editing depends on your current plan and permissions.
What happened to the builder revenue program?
We couldn’t find a current OpenAI page describing an active GPT builder revenue program. OpenAI’s old “Monetizing your GPT” help address now opens the sharing and publishing article, which doesn’t mention builder payments, so don’t build a GPT expecting payouts.
Who Can Build and Publish Custom GPTs in 2026?
Only Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces can create, edit and publish new GPTs, and only when workspace settings and role permissions allow it.
Confirm the GPT meets policy and product requirements.
Builder profile verification and blocked GPTs
Your builder profile can show your name, a website on a verified domain and supported verified social profiles. GPTs pass automatic checks before public sharing. If one is blocked, update and retry, appeal or keep it private.
What a custom GPT can do
Builders can add web search, image generation, canvas, data analysis and up to 20 knowledge files of up to 512 MB each.
Custom GPTs Are Being Retired: Dates and What Replaces Them
OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs across ChatGPT plans and recommends moving workflows to plugins. Enterprise workspaces have a scheduled retirement date of December 11, 2026.
The planned timeline
OpenAI’s ChatGPT release notes entry of September 11, 2026 announced the plan. The FAQ’s Enterprise dates, subject to change:
September 11, 2026: admin notice.
September 17, 2026: migration experience and user banner (targeted, and may not reach every account at once).
September 25, 2026: creation of new custom GPTs ends, while existing GPTs stay usable.
December 11, 2026: retirement, when custom GPTs stop running.
What plugins are
Plugins in ChatGPT and Codex package reusable instructions, connected tools and other capabilities. OpenAI says the plugin directory is available across ChatGPT plans. When a GPT migrates, its instructions become a skill in the new plugin and the original GPT turns read-only.
What to do if you rely on GPTs
Save each GPT’s instructions and knowledge files now. Custom actions don’t transfer, so plan to rebuild them with connectors or custom MCP servers. For public GPTs from other builders, what matters is where each was created, and access doesn’t guarantee access to the replacement plugin.
Browsing the GPT Library by Category (With upGrowth’s GPTs)
The 6 launch categories are still a handy way to think about the GPT library. Here are upGrowth’s own custom GPTs in each.
Trending News Ocean curates the latest news by topic. Digital Fitness Coach offers diet plans, gym tips and recipes. Like every custom GPT, these fall under OpenAI’s retirement plan.
Yes, for now. As of September 2026, OpenAI says all signed-in ChatGPT users can use GPTs through Explore GPTs. OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs across plans: Enterprise workspaces retire on December 11, 2026, other plans are expected to follow, and dates are subject to change.
How do I explore GPTs in ChatGPT?
Open Explore GPTs in ChatGPT, or go to chatgpt.com/gpts, and pick a GPT. Public GPT pages may be visible without an account, but you must sign in to chat. On ChatGPT web, type @ in a conversation to bring a GPT in. That doesn’t work in the mobile apps.
Can I still create a custom GPT on ChatGPT Plus?
No. OpenAI says personal accounts, including Free, Go, Plus and Pro, can’t create or publish new GPTs. Only Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces can, when workspace settings and permissions allow it. GPTs you built earlier on a personal plan remain available to use.
Does OpenAI pay GPT builders?
In January 2024, OpenAI said it would launch a GPT builder revenue program in Q1 2024, paying US builders based on user engagement. As of September 2026, we couldn’t find a current OpenAI page describing an active program, and its old monetization help address now opens an article with no payment details.
What is replacing custom GPTs?
OpenAI recommends moving custom GPT workflows to plugins, which package reusable instructions, connected tools and other capabilities. A migrated GPT’s instructions become a plugin skill. The migration experience was targeted for September 17, 2026, but may not reach every account at once. Custom actions don’t transfer.
Your Next Move: Plan for Life After Custom GPTs
If your team runs daily work through custom GPTs, start the move to plugins now, not in December.
Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.
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