On July 9, 2026, OpenAI replaced ChatGPT’s App Directory with a new Plugin Directory. That brought the word “plugins” back two years after OpenAI retired its original plugin system. The new plugins do more than the old ones. They can create designs, edit PDFs, book tables, and check out groceries without leaving the chat. Some work on the free plan, and others need a paid tier covered in our ChatGPT pricing breakdown.
The timing matters too. Since September 23, 2026, ChatGPT Voice can also use plugins on web, iOS, and Android, so you can use them by voice as well. Region is the catch: several of the best picks only work in the US and Canada, and most roundups leave that out. Every pick below lists where it works, what it costs, and where it falls short.
What are ChatGPT plugins in 2026?
A ChatGPT plugin is an installable package. It can bundle three things:
- Skills: reusable instructions for a specific workflow
- Connected apps: links to your accounts on services like Canva or Google Drive
- App templates: apps an admin sets up for a workspace
These plugins are not the 2024 plugins. OpenAI shut those down in 2024 and moved to GPTs. Your existing app connections carried over to the Plugin Directory automatically. OpenAI marks reviewed plugins with an OpenAI Verified badge, and some plugins only run in the desktop app. Availability also depends on your plan, region, and workspace settings.
How we picked these ChatGPT plugins
Each pick had to meet three criteria:
- It takes action, like editing a file or placing an order, instead of only searching.
- It has a clear use case where it beats opening the native app.
- OpenAI or the developer has published details on its plan and region access.
Best ChatGPT plugins in 2026
1. Canva
- Best for: Social posts, posters, and slide decks
- Regions: Global
- Extra cost: None for the ChatGPT integration
- Try this: “@Canva turn this image into an editable Instagram post”
Canva’s plugin creates designs from a prompt, but Magic Layers is the standout. It takes an image you made in ChatGPT and rebuilds it as a layered Canva design, so you can edit the text, objects, and background separately. According to Canva, people used Magic Layers over nine million times in its first four weeks.
Watch out for: AI-generated designs can include distorted elements or typos. Check them before you publish.
2. Adobe Photoshop, Express, and Acrobat
- Best for: Quick photo edits and PDF tasks
- Regions: Global
- Extra cost: None
- Try this: “Adobe Photoshop, blur the background of this photo”
Adobe offers three separate apps in ChatGPT, all free. Photoshop adjusts parts of an image and applies effects. Express edits templates and animates designs. Acrobat handles most PDF chores: edit, merge, compress, convert, extract tables, and redact sensitive text. For heavier work, you can send the file to Adobe’s full desktop apps.
Watch out for: At launch, Android only had Express. Photoshop and Acrobat were listed as “coming soon” for Android.
3. Figma
- Best for: Flowcharts, roadmaps, and quick slide decks
- Regions: Not available in the EU
- Extra cost: Works with any Figma plan. Paid Full seats get the largest usage allowance.
- Try this: “Figma, turn this brainstorm into a user flow diagram”
Figma turns a conversation into a FigJam diagram or a Figma Slides deck. It works well after a messy brainstorm: ChatGPT organizes the ideas, and Figma lays them out visually.
Watch out for: Slides support is in beta, and it has limited support for image and PDF uploads. Files you haven’t claimed stay publicly viewable until you sign in and claim them.
4. Notion
- Best for: Searching and updating your team wiki or notes
- Regions: Depends on plan and workspace
- Extra cost: Requires a Notion account
- Try this: “Find our Q3 launch notes in Notion and add a summary page”
Since March 27, 2026, the Notion app can do more than read. Where your permissions allow, it can create and update pages. In July 2026, Notion was also among the first services to support Sign in with ChatGPT, which cuts the number of steps to connect.
Watch out for: ChatGPT only sees the pages your Notion account can access. Some Notion features aren’t supported, and the old sync option no longer exists.
5. Google Drive
- Best for: Asking questions about your Docs, Sheets, and Slides
- Regions: Depends on plan
- Extra cost: None
- Try this: “Compare the budget numbers in my two latest Sheets”
Since March 25, 2026, one Google Drive connector covers Docs, Sheets, and Slides, so you no longer connect each app separately. In August and September 2026, ChatGPT added support for connecting more than one account, so you can use your personal and work files in the same chat.
Watch out for: On Free and Plus, OpenAI may use connected content for training if the “Improve the model” setting is on. Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans exclude it by default.
6. Instacart
- Best for: Turning a recipe into a paid grocery order
- Regions: US and Canada
- Extra cost: Standard Instacart pricing and fees
- Try this: “@Instacart, shop for apple pie ingredients for eight people”
Instacart was the first app in ChatGPT with Instant Checkout, which lets you pay without leaving the chat. It covers more than 1,800 retailers and nearly 100,000 stores. Stripe processes the payment, and you can pay by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
Watch out for: You’re paying real money inside a chat, so review the cart before you confirm.
7. Spotify
- Best for: Playlists built around a mood or a trip
- Regions: 145+ markets, including the UK, Switzerland, and the EU
- Extra cost: Premium unlocks personalized picks
- Try this: “@Spotify, make a 2-hour road trip playlist with 2000s indie rock”
The Spotify plugin behaves differently depending on your Spotify plan. Free users get Spotify’s existing playlists, such as Discover Weekly. Premium users get tracks picked for their prompt and listening history. Since March 23, 2026, it also supports French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. Our Spotify in ChatGPT guide covers the setup.
Watch out for: Connecting shares your playlists and listening history with ChatGPT. Spotify says it doesn’t share audio content with OpenAI for training.
8. Zillow
- Best for: Early-stage home and rental searches
- Regions: US only
- Extra cost: None (Free, Plus, and Pro)
- Try this: “Show 3-bedroom rentals under $2,500 near downtown Austin with a yard”
Zillow shows live listings with photos, maps, and prices, and you can narrow the results by chatting. It covers rentals, agent-listed homes, and homes listed by owners. Zillow also added a fair housing classifier to reduce bias in its neighborhood descriptions.
Watch out for: You’ll still leave for Zillow.com to book tours, contact agents, or look at financing. New construction and 3D tours are listed as coming later.
9. OpenTable, Resy, and Yelp
- Best for: Last-minute dinner reservations
- Regions: US and Canada
- Extra cost: None
- Try this: “Find a table for four near me at 8 PM tonight”
Since August 10, 2026, ChatGPT can find open reservations on OpenTable, Resy, and Yelp and book one in the chat. Yelp can also add you to a restaurant’s waitlist. Checking three services at once is the main advantage over the separate apps.
Watch out for: To change or cancel a booking, you have to go to the partner’s own app or site.
10. Apple Messages
- Best for: Searching old iMessage, SMS, and RCS threads
- Regions: Macs with Apple silicon
- Extra cost: Requires ChatGPT Work, which Free and Go plans don’t include
- Try this: “Find the address my landlord texted me last month”
This is a desktop-only plugin, released on August 20, 2026. It reads and searches your iMessage, SMS, and RCS conversations through ChatGPT Work and Codex. It’s useful for finding details buried in long threads, which Messages’ own search struggles with.
Watch out for: Few plugins get more personal access than this one. Review its permissions before you turn it on.
How to install a plugin in ChatGPT
- Open Plugins in the ChatGPT sidebar.
- Search for the plugin and read what it includes, its requirements, and its permissions.
- Click Install plugin.
- Sign in to the service and approve access when asked.
Once it’s installed, type @ and the plugin’s name in any chat, or pick it from the tools menu.
Before you connect: data and permissions
A plugin can see the relevant parts of your conversation and, if Memory is on, your saved memories. The service also gets your IP address and approximate city-level location. Since June 18, 2026, you can choose when ChatGPT asks for approval before it uses a connected app. For anything that spends money or sends messages, keep approval turned on.
