ChatGPT Deep Research
otherby openai
An agentic research capability that autonomously browses the web, synthesizing hundreds of sources into comprehensive cited reports. Now powered by the GPT-5.5 model family.
Key features
Free tier available, Plus at $20/mo
Researchers needing comprehensive literature reviews with hundreds of cited sources
Produces comprehensive reports that would take hours to compile manually, complete with structured sections and inline citations from hundreds of sources
What it does
Autonomous Web Browsing
The agent autonomously browses the web for 5 to 30 minutes, planning its own research strategy, searching multiple angles, reading full articles, and following leads without human intervention.
Learn moreStructured Reports with Inline Citations
Every report is organized with clear sections, summaries, and inline citations linking back to the original sources. You can verify any claim by clicking through to the source page.
Learn moreReal Time Progress Tracking
A sidebar shows what the agent is doing in real time: which sources it is reading, what searches it is running, and what reasoning steps it is taking. You can monitor the entire investigation as it happens.
Learn moreFile and Spreadsheet Upload
Upload PDFs, spreadsheets, documents, and other files to give the agent additional context. It incorporates your data into its research, building on what you already know.
Learn morePowered by the Latest GPT-5.5 Models
Deep Research is powered by the latest models in the GPT-5.5 family by default, delivering stronger reasoning and synthesis quality than the original o3 version. You can also choose legacy models if preferred.
Learn moreConnected Apps (February 2026)
Connect Deep Research to external apps and data sources. The agent can pull from Google Drive, SharePoint, and authenticated industry data sources like FactSet, PitchBook, and Scholar Gateway during its research. Deep Research only uses read actions from connected apps.
Fullscreen Document Viewer
Read and navigate completed Deep Research reports in an expanded fullscreen view. Provides a better reading experience for lengthy, multi section research outputs.
Trusted Site Restriction
Restrict the agent's web searches to specific trusted domains. Useful for ensuring research draws only from verified, authoritative sources.
Image and PDF Interpretation
The agent can read and interpret images, charts, graphs, and PDF documents it encounters during web browsing, not just text content.
Interruptible with Follow Up Prompts
Pause the research at any time, provide additional context or redirect the investigation, and the agent adjusts its strategy accordingly.
Pricing
Free
Limited Deep Research access. Good for occasional research needs. Reports include citations and source links.
- Limited Deep Research queries
- Structured reports with citations
- Real time progress tracking
- File upload for context
Plus
10 Deep Research sessions per month. Powered by the latest GPT-5.5 models. The best value for regular research needs.
- 10 Deep Research sessions/month
- Powered by GPT-5.5 models
- Connected apps (Google Drive, SharePoint, etc.)
- File upload for context
- Downloadable reports (Markdown, Word, PDF)
- All report features
Pro $100
50 Deep Research sessions per month (5x the Plus quota). Launched April 2026. Built for professionals who consistently hit Plus limits.
- 50 Deep Research sessions/month
- 5x the Plus usage quota
- GPT-5.5 Pro model access
- Connected apps (Google Drive, SharePoint, FactSet, PitchBook, etc.)
- Trusted site restriction
- Priority access to new features
Pro $200
Unlimited Deep Research sessions. The highest research capacity with 20x Plus usage and maximum model access.
- Unlimited Deep Research sessions
- 20x the Plus usage quota
- GPT-5.5 Pro model access
- Connected apps (Google Drive, SharePoint, FactSet, PitchBook, etc.)
- Trusted site restriction
- Priority access to new features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Produces comprehensive reports that would take hours to compile manually, complete with structured sections and inline citations from hundreds of sources
- Inline citations from hundreds of sources let you verify every claim and dig deeper into any specific finding
- Real time progress tracking shows exactly what the agent is doing, so you can monitor the investigation and redirect if needed
- Available on the Free tier with limited access, making it accessible for occasional research needs
- Now powered by the GPT-5.5 model family, delivering stronger reasoning and synthesis quality compared to earlier models
- Connected apps (February 2026) allow the agent to access Google Drive, SharePoint, and authenticated industry data sources like FactSet and PitchBook during research
- Fullscreen document viewer provides an improved reading experience for lengthy research outputs
- Can process uploaded files (PDFs, spreadsheets, documents), so the agent builds on your existing knowledge rather than starting from zero
Cons
- Slow by design: each research session takes 5 to 30 minutes, making it unsuitable for time sensitive questions that need immediate answers
- Limited queries on Free and Plus (10/month) tiers; heavy researchers will hit limits quickly and need Pro $100 (50/month) or Pro $200 (unlimited)
- Pro $100 at $100/mo or Pro $200 at $200/mo is expensive if Deep Research is your primary use case
- Cannot access paywalled content; the agent can only read freely accessible web pages
- No API access for Deep Research specifically; developers cannot integrate this capability into their own applications
How to get started
Open ChatGPT
Go to chatgpt.com or open the ChatGPT app. Deep Research is available on all plans, including Free (limited access).
Select Deep Research
Select Deep Research from the tools menu (+) in the ChatGPT prompt window, type /deepresearch in the prompt, or select it from the sidebar. Deep Research is powered by the latest GPT-5.5 models by default, with legacy models available if preferred.
Describe your research question
Be extremely specific. Instead of "Tell me about electric vehicles," ask "Analyze the competitive landscape of electric vehicle manufacturers in Europe, focusing on pricing, battery technology, charging infrastructure partnerships, and market share trends from 2024 to 2026." Specificity produces dramatically better results.
Upload context files (optional)
Attach PDFs, spreadsheets, or documents that contain relevant data or context. The agent will incorporate your files into its research, building on what you already know rather than duplicating it.
Monitor progress and redirect if needed
Watch the real time progress sidebar as the agent browses, reads, and reasons. If it goes down an unproductive path, send a follow up message to redirect the investigation. You can also add new sources or constraints mid research.
Review the report
When the agent finishes (5 to 30 minutes), review the structured report. Check the inline citations for key claims. Ask follow up questions to drill deeper into specific findings.
Deep dive
Detailed guides with comparisons, tips, and visuals for each feature.
How Deep Research Works
The agentic research loop: browse, read, reason, pivot, synthesize. Powered by the GPT-5.5 model family with legacy model option available.
Use Cases and Best Practices
Market research, competitive analysis, academic literature review, due diligence, and technical deep dives. How to get the best results from Deep Research.
Deep Research vs Perplexity Pro vs Google Deep Research
How ChatGPT Deep Research compares to Perplexity's deep research capabilities and Google's equivalent feature across depth, speed, citations, and pricing.
Links
Official
Documentation
Pricing
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Last updated: 2026-06-01