ChatGPT plugins: what they are in 2026 and how to use them
ChatGPT plugins are add-ons that connect ChatGPT and Codex to outside apps and data, packaged since July 2026 as one plugin that can hold an app (an MCP connection), skills, or both. Users find them in the plugin directory, or ChatGPT suggests one in the middle of a chat (since September 29, 2026). The first ChatGPT plugins from 2023 shut down in April 2024. Today's plugins are a new format that reuses the old name.
ChatGPT plugins are back under the same name with new internals
Yes. OpenAI brought the name back in July 2026, when apps started to ship inside plugins.
| Year | What users had |
|---|---|
| 2023 | First ChatGPT plugins |
| April 2024 | Plugins shut down (no new chats after March 19, off April 9) |
| 2024 to 2025 | GPTs |
| December 2025 | Apps in ChatGPT, built on MCP, in an app directory |
| July 2026 | Plugins: apps, skills and templates in one package, in one directory for ChatGPT and Codex |
Three parts a ChatGPT plugin can contain
- An app. An MCP connection to an outside service, such as a calendar or a CRM, so ChatGPT can read and act on your data.
- Skills. Saved steps and instructions that tell ChatGPT how to do a task well.
Want installs? Rank your ChatGPT plugin in directory search and the suggestion picker.
ChatGPT plugins vs apps vs GPTs vs connectors
| What it is | Who builds it | Where users find it | Status in 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plugin | A package of an app, skills or both | Companies and developers | Plugin directory, chat suggestions | Current |
| App | An MCP connection inside a plugin | Companies and developers | Inside plugins | Part of plugins since July 2026 |
| GPT | A custom ChatGPT with its own instructions and files | Anyone | GPT store | — |
| Connector | A link to a data source, such as Google Drive | OpenAI and partners | Settings | — |
A plugin is the package you install today. Apps live inside plugins. To understand the tech below them, read what MCP apps are.
How to install and use a ChatGPT plugin
- Open Plugins in ChatGPT, from the side bar or the tools menu.
- Pick a plugin by browsing a category or searching.
- Click Install and sign in to the app it connects to.
- Use it. Ask ChatGPT to use it by name, or let ChatGPT suggest it when your request fits.
On Business and Enterprise plans, an admin may need to allow a plugin first.
How ChatGPT suggests plugins during a conversation
Since September 29, 2026, ChatGPT can search the plugin directory while you chat. If a plugin fits your request, it shows a small picker with a few plugins and an Install button for each. You do not need to know the plugin's name.
For plugin makers, this means your tool names and descriptions now work like keywords. See how ChatGPT suggests plugins before users search.
For more, learn how the ChatGPT plugin directory works, category by category.
How to build and publish a ChatGPT plugin
You build the app part with OpenAI's Apps SDK, which runs on MCP. You add skills if you need them, package everything as a ZIP, and submit it from the OpenAI Platform dashboard after you verify your organization. OpenAI reviews it before it goes live. Read how to submit an app to ChatGPT for each step.
How plugins get found: directory search and chat suggestions
Plugins get found in two places: the directory (search and categories) and the picker inside chats. In both, your name, subtitle, starter prompts and tool descriptions determine whether you show up. OpenAI says "strong real-world utility and high user satisfaction" may earn directory placement or proactive suggestions.
Frequently asked questions
Does ChatGPT have plugins?
Yes. Since July 2026, ChatGPT plugins hold apps, skills or both, and you install them from the plugin directory.
What are the best ChatGPT extensions?
Browser extensions for ChatGPT are a different thing. They run in Chrome or another browser, not inside ChatGPT. Plugins run inside ChatGPT.
Are ChatGPT plugins free?
Some plugins also need a paid account with the app they connect to.
Are ChatGPT apps just MCP servers?
The app part of a plugin connects through an MCP server. A plugin can also hold skills, which are not MCP.
Can I use plugins in Codex?
Yes. One plugin directory serves ChatGPT and Codex.