ChatGPT's new, lightweight Deep Research tool is free for all

If you have been a free ChatGPT user and wondered what it’s like to use the Deep Research tool, well, it’s your time. Yesterday, OpenAI rolled out the ‘lightweight’ version of ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool. As the name suggests, this powerful research tool allows you to deep dive into complex topics within a few clicks. 

OpenAI rolls out lightweight version of ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool—even for free users

Since the launch in February 2025, ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool has been exclusive to Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers. However, OpenAI is now open to free users trying it. As noted in the announcement tweet, the Deep Research tool uses OpenAI’s o4-mini model launched earlier this month. 

The lightweight version of ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool promises nearly the same depth and quality as the standard version. However, you can expect it to deliver shorter responses. OpenAI notes, “Once limits for the original version of deep research are reached, queries automatically default to the lightweight version.”

Users on a free account will get to use the lightweight Deep Research tool five times a month. On the other hand, Plus and Team accounts receive 10 full tasks and 15 lightweight queries monthly, while Pro users get 125 of each. Once you exhaust full-task limits, queries seamlessly switch to the lightweight version.

The company wants to stay in the competition

It won’t be wrong to say Perplexity’s offering has influenced this move from OpenAI. For the uninitiated, Perplexity currently offers five daily queries for free users and unlimited queries for Pro subscribers. The company has announced that Enterprise and Edu accounts will get access to ChatGPT’s lightweight Deep Research tool starting next week. 

All in all, OpenAI is doing its bit to blend affordability and pro-level research capabilities with its new AI tools. So, whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone always searching for something, this new research tool can be handy in numerous ways. Not to forget, the company is also aiming to mass-produce its AI chips starting next year.