Recently came across news that OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Go in India with a free one-year trial, and it even directly supports GPT-5!
I was completely stunned: This is such a huge loss! I just spent money last week to upgrade to Plus 😭.
I tried it myself and found the process super simple:
No Indian phone number required, no bank card required,
Just switch regions and link your PayPal account—done in a minute.
To help everyone avoid pitfalls, I've compiled a complete guide covering the full activation process, traffic routing settings, region switching, and key solutions like “What to do if the pop-up doesn't appear.”
Want to get GPT-5 for free for a whole year?
Just follow this tutorial step by step, and you'll get it set up without any hiccups.
What is ChatGPT Go?
Recently, OpenAI launched a new version in India — ChatGPT Go.
Simply put, this is a “cheap and functional ChatGPT.”
Monthly fee is just ₹399 (roughly 32 RMB),
ChatGPT Plus costs $20 (roughly 145 yuan),
The price difference is a full five times!
In a nutshell:
ChatGPT Go = “The everyday GPT-5 that gets the job done.”
Writing copy, researching, translating, programming, chatting, writing reports... I can handle it all.
Free 12-month ChatGPT Go subscription for India
Here are the detailed steps (personally tested and effective 👇):
1️⃣ Prepare an Indian node
- If an overseas node already exists, simply switch to India.
- If not, you can:
- Fly with a niche airline that operates routes to India;
- Self-hosted Indian VPS + Warp Tunnel;
- Or borrow a friend's node (most convenient).
⚠️Important: OpenAI traffic must route through India; this is not a global proxy.
Routing Suggestions: Domestic Direct / International Proxy / OpenAI → India
2️⃣ Create an OpenAI account
Visit the official website:https://chat.openai.com
Register with your email address (no phone number verification required at this stage).
After successful registration, a prompt stating “ChatGPT Go Free One-Year Trial” will appear.
If prompted for a phone number, it indicates node identification has failed. Switch to another line and try again!
3️⃣ Go to the subscription page → Switch regions
On the Upgrade page, you'll find the “Region” option in the bottom-right corner:
- If no Indian payment methods (bank card / Paytm / RuPay) are available → Switch to France
- If you have an Indian bank card → Keep it in India.
⚠️ PayPal is not supported in the UK region. We recommend using the French region for the most reliable service.
4️⃣ Select the “Upgrade to Go” plan
While it appears to be an upgrade to Plus, the system actually detects your region and payment method.
After verification, your Go Free eligibility will be automatically activated.
The process is roughly as follows:
- Select ChatGPT Plus on the France region upgrade page
- When redirected to the payment interface, the PayPal option will appear.
- No actual payment is required at this time.
- Return to the plan page, and you'll find the ChatGPT Go free option has automatically appeared.
5️⃣ Link PayPal and enter your billing address
Sample Invoice (Format may vary):
Address line: 561, 221, Maker Chambers V, Nariman Point City: Mumbai Postcode: 400021 State: Maharashtra
Or generate one yourself:UK Address Generator – UK Identity Generator – UK Credit Card Generator
PayPal can be used with accounts from any country, including China.
6️⃣ Check Subscription Status
Open Account Settings. If you see "You enjoy 100% of Go credit,"
Congratulations! You've just secured a free one-year subscription to ChatGPT Go!
You will also receive a confirmation email.
Summary:
ChatGPT Go is the lightweight, everyday version of GPT-5, offering significantly better performance than the free version at an extremely low price. You can currently get a free one-year trial.
For everyday writing, studying, programming, and office work, it offers unbeatable value for money.
ChatGPT Go = GPT-5 for everyday use,
Performance far surpasses the free version, yet priced five times lower than Plus.
Get a free year—unbeatable value! 💥
