The original ChatGPT plugins from 2023 were fully shut down on April 9, 2024, replaced first by custom GPTs, then by Apps and Connectors. In July 2026, OpenAI brought the word “plugin” back by renaming the App Directory to the Plugin Directory — so “plugins” is current terminology again, but it now refers to a different, more capable system that can combine skills, MCP-backed apps, and workflow templates. If a guide tells you to open a “Plugin Store” from ChatGPT’s settings menu the old way, it’s describing a feature that hasn’t existed since early 2024.
Why This Topic Is So Confusing
Searching “ChatGPT plugins” in 2026 turns up a genuinely messy mix of results: outdated 2023 tutorials describing a feature that no longer exists, 2024–2025 articles explaining the GPT-based replacement, and a wave of very recent coverage reflecting OpenAI’s July 2026 decision to reuse the word “plugin” for something new entirely. All three eras are technically accurate for their moment, which is exactly what makes current search results so unreliable without a clear timeline in front of you.
The Full Timeline
| Date | What happened | What it meant |
| March 2023 | ChatGPT Plugins launch in beta | First way for third-party tools to act inside ChatGPT, via a plugin store and waitlist |
| November 2023 | GPTs announced | Custom, instructable versions of ChatGPT begin replacing the plugin model |
| April 9, 2024 | Original plugin system fully shut down | No new plugin conversations after March 19, 2024; the old Plugin Store stopped working entirely |
| 2024–2025 | GPTs, then Apps and Connectors, become the integration layer | GPT Actions and MCP-based connectors take over what plugins used to do |
| July 9, 2026 | OpenAI renames the App Directory to the “Plugin Directory” | The word “plugin” returns as the primary discovery layer for skills, apps, and app templates — a different, more capable system than 2023’s |
Dates and details per OpenAI’s official documentation and independent reporting as of the date noted above. Check OpenAI’s current Apps in ChatGPT documentation directly for the latest, since this system has changed direction multiple times already.
What “ChatGPT Plugins” Means Right Now, in Plain English
As of July 2026, OpenAI states that the Plugin Directory is the primary discovery layer for workflow capabilities across both ChatGPT and Codex. In the current architecture, a “plugin” is a packaged extension that can include one or more of the following:
- Apps — official integrations (Canva, Notion, Asana, Spotify, and similar) that you connect through OAuth and use directly inside a ChatGPT conversation
- Skills — packaged instructions and workflow logic for a specific task or use case, without necessarily requiring an external connection
- MCP connectors — custom, self-hosted or third-party integrations added through Developer Mode by pasting an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server URL, extending ChatGPT to tools outside the official directory
Existing app connections you’ve already set up continue working under the new naming — nothing broke when the rename happened. The practical shift is that the Plugin Directory is now the one place to browse and discover all three types, rather than having apps, GPTs, and connectors scattered across different menus.
What Happened to the Old 2023 Plugins Specifically
The original plugin store held roughly 1,000 third-party plugins at its peak — things like Wolfram for calculations, Zapier for automation, and AskYourPDF for document analysis. Every one of those, in their original form, is gone. But nearly everything they did has a stronger current equivalent:
- Wolfram → available as a GPT in the GPT Store, or increasingly folded into the broader Plugin Directory
- Zapier → moved to AI Actions inside Custom GPTs, and later into app/connector form
- AskYourPDF and similar document tools → exist today as GPTs or apps with similar function, accessed through a completely different path than the old plugin menu
- Anything highly specific or long-tail that never got an official replacement → generally achievable today through a custom MCP connector
If a 2023-era workflow you relied on seems to have vanished, the almost-certain explanation is that it exists today under a different name and a different menu — not that the capability disappeared entirely.
Best ChatGPT Plugins and Apps Worth Using Today
Canva
Best for: turning a description into an editable design draft
Unlike ChatGPT’s built-in image generation, which produces a static file you can’t edit, the Canva integration produces an actual draft you can open and refine directly inside Canva — text, layout, colors, and format all remain editable. If Canva is already part of your workflow, ChatGPT can also draw on your existing designs when building something new.
Best for: marketers, teachers, and small business owners who need a fast, editable design starting point.
Watch out for: output quality and available features depend on your specific Canva plan and the permissions you’ve granted.
Notion
Best for: drafting and updating content directly in your workspace
The Notion app connects ChatGPT to your existing workspace, letting you draft content directly into pages, pull context from existing briefs, and update status fields without leaving the ChatGPT conversation.
Best for: teams already using Notion for documentation or content planning.
Watch out for: requires OAuth connection to your workspace — review exactly what access you’re granting before connecting.
Asana
Best for: turning a brief into actual tasks and tracking status
The Asana integration can turn a written brief into structured projects and tasks, follow up on assignments, and check portfolio status — useful for teams that want ChatGPT to actually act on planning conversations rather than just describing what should happen next.
Best for: teams that want ChatGPT to create and track real project work, not just plan it.
Watch out for: like any app with write access to your project tools, review what actions it’s permitted to take before granting broad access.
Zapier
Best for: connecting ChatGPT to thousands of other apps and automations
Zapier remains the practical answer for the long tail of integrations that don’t have a dedicated official app — if a service has a Zapier integration, it can generally be triggered from a ChatGPT conversation through this connector.
Best for: automating workflows across apps that don’t have a dedicated ChatGPT integration.
Watch out for: setup can require more configuration than a purpose-built official app.
MCP Connectors (Developer Mode) — For Anything Not in the Directory
Best for: connecting ChatGPT to internal tools or niche services with no official app
For tools that don’t have an official app or GPT, Developer Mode lets you add a custom MCP server URL directly, extending ChatGPT to internal business tools, niche APIs, or self-hosted services. This is the modern equivalent of what a long-tail 2023 plugin used to do, now built on a more standardized, more secure protocol.
Best for: connecting ChatGPT to internal or specialized tools with no official integration.
Watch out for: requires more technical setup than clicking install on an official app; intended for developers and technical users.
Security: Watch Out for Clone GPTs
One genuine risk in the current system: searching for a well-known integration by name in the GPT Store or Plugin Directory often surfaces the real one alongside several near-identical clones with similar names and icons. These clones can farm interactions and, in some documented cases, quietly inject prompt instructions the user never agreed to.
How to check you have the legitimate version: look for a publisher verification badge and compare conversation or usage counts — the authentic version typically has usage numbers orders of magnitude higher than any clone. When in doubt, navigate to the integration from the official publisher’s own site rather than searching for it inside ChatGPT.
For Developers: What Actually Replaced the Plugin API
If you built something against the original 2023 plugin API specifically, GPTs and Actions aren’t really the direct migration path — OpenAI’s Responses API, released in March 2025, is the forward-looking interface for building programmatic integrations. Check OpenAI’s official deprecations documentation directly for the current migration timeline, since specific dates and requirements have shifted more than once already.
For teams building a business-facing integration rather than a personal workflow tool, OpenAI launched dedicated business-tier plugin categories starting in June 2026, beginning with Creative Production and Data Analytics as the first two — worth checking if you’re building something intended for enterprise distribution rather than the general Plugin Directory.
FAQs
Do ChatGPT plugins still exist in 2026?
The original 2023 plugin system does not — it was fully shut down in April 2024. However, OpenAI revived the word “plugin” in July 2026 for a new, more capable system combining apps, skills, and MCP connectors, so “plugins” is accurate current terminology again, just for a different thing than it meant in 2023.
How do I access ChatGPT plugins now?
Through the Plugin Directory, accessible from within ChatGPT (previously called the App Directory). Official integrations like Canva, Notion, and Asana connect via OAuth in a couple of clicks; custom MCP connectors are added through Developer Mode by pasting a server URL.
What happened to specific old plugins like Wolfram and AskYourPDF?
Their original plugin form is gone, but the functionality generally exists today as a GPT or app with a similar name and purpose, accessed through the Plugin Directory or GPT Store rather than the old plugin menu.
Are custom GPTs the same as plugins?
Not exactly. GPTs are custom, instructable versions of ChatGPT built for a specific purpose; plugins (as of the 2026 system) are the broader discovery layer that can combine apps, skills, and connectors. A GPT can use plugin-style app connections, but they’re not identical concepts.
Is it safe to install ChatGPT plugins and apps?
Official apps and verified integrations are generally safe, but be cautious of clone GPTs with names similar to popular integrations — check for a publisher verification badge and compare usage counts before connecting, and review exactly what access you’re granting during OAuth setup.
What’s the difference between an app and an MCP connector in ChatGPT?
An app is an official, directory-listed integration you connect via OAuth with minimal setup. An MCP connector is added manually through Developer Mode by pasting a server URL, typically used for internal tools or services that don’t have an official app listing.
If I built something against the original plugin API, what should I migrate to?
OpenAI’s Responses API, released in March 2025, is the current forward-looking interface for developers — not GPTs or Actions directly. Check OpenAI’s official deprecations page for the current migration timeline, since it has shifted since the original announcement.
Key Takeaways
- The original 2023 ChatGPT plugin system was fully shut down on April 9, 2024, and doesn’t exist in that form today.
- GPTs, then Apps and Connectors, replaced plugins as the integration layer between 2024 and 2026.
- In July 2026, OpenAI reused the word “plugin” for a new system combining apps, skills, and MCP connectors under one Plugin Directory.
- Nearly everything a 2023 plugin did has a modern equivalent — it just lives under a different name and a different menu.
- Watch for clone GPTs with names similar to popular integrations; verify the publisher badge and usage count before connecting.
Disclaimer
This article is informational and reflects OpenAI’s ChatGPT plugin, app, and integration system as of the date noted above. This is a fast-moving area of the product that has changed direction multiple times since 2023 — confirm current details in OpenAI’s official documentation before building a workflow or business integration around any specific feature described here.
