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How to Buy Codex: The Complete Flow for Subscribing to ChatGPT Through the US App Store

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Before You Start: Codex Doesn’t Need a Separate Purchase

As of July 2026, according to OpenAI’s official documentation, Codex is included in every ChatGPT plan, including Free and Go — the main difference between plans is the usage allowance. So strictly speaking, there is no separate “Codex plan” that you need to buy.

The process documented below is, in essence, buying a ChatGPT subscription through the US App Store, and then signing in with the same ChatGPT account to the web version, the desktop app, IDE extensions, or the Codex CLI.

A note: what follows is a record of my personal steps, not official purchasing advice from Apple or OpenAI. Actions such as switching an account’s region, using a VPN, or buying gift cards from third parties may be affected by the laws of your region, platform terms, account status, and payment risk controls. Use your own judgment, and give priority to Apple’s and OpenAI’s official rules.

Step 1: Create a New China-Region Apple ID

The first step is to create a China-region Apple ID, at account.apple.com/account. Note this: after creating the China-region Apple ID, go and change the country — set it to China Mainland. At the same time, verify via text message. Once verification is done, you will see China shown in your personal information.

One thing to note: don’t try changing the country or region on an already-registered account, because the system will then prompt you to bind a bank card.

So we need to create a brand-new China-region Apple ID, and make the change as part of that creation flow.

Step 2: Change the Country, Region, and Language

The second step is to change the country, region, and language.

The specific steps are as follows:

  1. We can make the change through Apple Music on a Mac: (a) First, sign out in Apple Music. (b) After signing out, sign in with the account you just registered. (c) Once signed in, go into the account settings, click “Country or Region,” choose “United States,” and set the payment method to “None.” (d) If you don’t see an “Agree” option or similar, you can try displaying the whole Music window in full screen. (e) If you run into the problem of not being able to set the payment method to “None,” you need to change the region and language in your Mac’s settings to “United States” and “English.”

Step 3: Sign In to the US Account on Your Phone

The third step is making the changes on the phone: (a) Change both the region and the language in your phone’s system settings to “United States.” (b) Turn on a VPN and connect globally to the United States. (c) Open the App Store, tap the avatar in the top-right corner, scroll to the very bottom and tap Sign Out, then sign in with the newly registered US-region ID.

Step 4: Buy an Apple Gift Card

The fourth step is buying a gift card — you can just buy one on Alipay. Switch the location to Los Angeles, then select gift cards and search for “apple.”

Step 5: Subscribe to ChatGPT and Use Codex

The fifth step is to sign in with this US-region account. After signing in, search for ChatGPT and complete the purchase in the app. Once the purchase is done, you can actually use this account to sign in to ChatGPT. Use the ChatGPT account you registered to sign in to the web version of ChatGPT, and then download Codex.

Things to Keep in Mind

  1. Codex is currently included in ChatGPT plans and doesn’t need to be purchased separately; paid plans mainly offer higher usage allowances.
  2. According to Apple’s official guidance, before changing your country or region you usually need to spend down your account balance and deal with your subscriptions, and the system may require a valid payment method for the new region.
  3. Apple gift cards and account balances are usually tied to a country or region, so before buying, make sure the gift card’s region matches your Apple Account’s region.
  4. Buying gift cards through third-party channels carries risks around price, source, and redemption. It is recommended to buy only through trustworthy channels, and to keep your order receipts.
  5. After completing the purchase, you should sign in to Codex with the ChatGPT account that actually holds the ChatGPT subscription, rather than signing in to Codex directly with your Apple ID.
  6. OpenAI’s and Apple’s product rules may change at any time, so check the official documentation again before you start.

References

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