Are ChatGPT ads live in the UK?
Yes. OpenAI started testing ads in the US on 9 February 2026. By 11 August 2026 it said ads had launched in the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea, according to its own ads update.
The UK was the first European market. UK agency Hallam reported that UK ads went live on 6 June 2026, first as a pilot run through OpenAI and partner platforms. Since then, Search Engine Land has reported that OpenAI is opening its self-serve Ads Manager beta to UK businesses. That means a small business can set up an account itself, without going through a sales team.
Who sees ads in ChatGPT?
Only some users see them. OpenAI says ads show to logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans. People paying for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education don’t see ads.
- Accounts that belong to under-18s, or that OpenAI predicts are under 18, don’t get ads.
- Free users can opt out of ads in exchange for fewer free messages each day.
- Ads aren’t shown next to chats about health, mental health or politics.
- Users can dismiss ads, see why an ad was shown and manage personalisation.
So the audience is large, but it skews towards people who use ChatGPT without paying. That isn’t a bad thing for a local service. Plenty of homeowners use the free version to ask things like “what does a new boiler cost” or “how do I find a good roofer”.
How do ChatGPT ads work?
Ads appear below ChatGPT’s answer in a box marked as sponsored. Hallam describes each ad as a short headline, a line or two of text and a small image.
Matching is mostly contextual. OpenAI says ads are picked based on the topic of the chat, past chats and past ad interactions. When several advertisers fit, it shows the most relevant one first. Hallam found little sign of the audience tools you get in Google or Meta, such as lookalikes or layered targeting.
| Question | What we know so far |
|---|---|
| Where do ads show? | Under the answer, labelled as sponsored |
| Do ads change the answer? | OpenAI says no. Answers are kept separate from ads |
| How are ads bought? | On a cost-per-thousand-views or cost-per-click basis, per Hallam |
| What can you optimise for? | Reach and clicks only, per Hallam |
| What data do advertisers get? | Totals such as views and clicks. No access to chats |
| Can agencies manage accounts? | Yes, but the business creates the account and invites the agency |
On privacy, OpenAI says advertisers can’t see chats, chat history, memories or personal details. You only get combined numbers like views and clicks.
Which businesses can’t advertise in ChatGPT?
This matters for a lot of local firms. OpenAI’s ad policies list local services as an allowed category. But some sectors are blocked or restricted.
- Health services, including dental and vision, are generally not allowed outside the US.
- Financial services, such as insurance, mortgages and credit, are generally not allowed outside the US.
- Legal services are US-only.
- Banned everywhere: gambling, alcohol, tobacco and vaping, dating, political content, recreational drugs, counterfeit goods and single job or housing listings.
So a UK dentist, physio, solicitor, mortgage broker or financial adviser can’t use ChatGPT ads right now. A plumber, roofer, cleaner, landscaper, salon or restaurant can.
The policies also say you mustn’t misrepresent your location or service area, and your ad, image and landing page must match. A page that automated systems can’t review won’t be allowed to run.
How much do ChatGPT ads cost?
OpenAI hasn’t published a rate card. Ads are bought by views or clicks, and Hallam says it has seen cost per thousand views as high as £60 in some industries. That’s an early figure from one agency, so treat it as a rough guide rather than a price.
Search Engine Land reports that setting up an account takes little effort and doesn’t need billing details upfront. That makes it easy to look around before you spend anything.
Not sure where your ad budget should go?
We’ll look at your current Google and Meta spend and tell you honestly whether a ChatGPT test makes sense for your business yet.
Should a small business or trade test ChatGPT ads now?
For most small firms, not yet. Hallam’s advice is that if your budget is tight, and especially if you already struggle to fund Google Ads, you shouldn’t rush in. The same goes if you rely on lead tracking inside the ad platform, because reporting is still very limited.
Here’s a simple way to decide:
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Google Ads already brings steady, profitable leads | Keep it. Consider a small, separate ChatGPT test |
| You don’t run any paid ads yet | Start with Google search ads or Local Services Ads first |
| You’re a dentist, clinic, solicitor or broker | You can’t advertise in the UK for now. Focus on being cited instead |
| You sell products online | Worth a test, as product and shopping chats suit the format |
If you do test, set a fixed amount you’re happy to lose, send clicks to a page built for that one service, and track calls and forms on your own website. Our guide to tracking AI traffic in GA4 shows you how to see visits coming from ChatGPT.
Is it better to be recommended by ChatGPT than to pay for an ad?
For most local firms, yes. Paid ads stop the moment you stop paying. Being named in ChatGPT’s actual answer comes from having a clear website, good reviews and consistent details across the web.
That work also helps you in Google’s AI Overviews and normal search, so it pays off three ways. Our guide on how to get recommended by ChatGPT covers the steps, and our AEO and GEO service does the work for you. If you’re weighing up paid against organic more generally, read Google Ads vs SEO.
FAQs
Can UK businesses advertise on ChatGPT?
Yes. OpenAI says ads launched in the UK by August 2026, and its self-serve Ads Manager beta is opening to UK businesses. Local services are an allowed category, but health, financial and legal services generally can’t advertise outside the US.
Do ChatGPT ads change the answers?
OpenAI says no. It says ads don’t influence answers, are clearly labelled as sponsored and are kept visually separate from the answer itself.
Who sees ads in ChatGPT?
Logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education users don’t see ads, and accounts that belong to under-18s don’t get them.
How much do ChatGPT ads cost in the UK?
There’s no published rate card. Ads are bought by views or clicks, and one UK agency reported costs per thousand views of up to £60 in some industries. Expect prices to change as more advertisers join.
Can a dentist or clinic advertise on ChatGPT?
Not in the UK at the moment. OpenAI’s ad policies say health services, including dental, are generally prohibited outside the US.
