OpenAI launches ChatGPT app store, opening the door to third-party apps

OpenAI

OpenAI has formally opened the doors to third-party developers inside ChatGPT, launching what is effectively an app store and inviting companies to submit their apps for review and publication.

On Wednesday, the company announced that developers can now submit apps built for ChatGPT through its OpenAI Developer platform. Approved apps will appear in a new app directory inside ChatGPT’s tools menu, a feature that has quickly earned the unofficial label of an “app store”.

The move builds on OpenAI’s earlier announcement in October, when it revealed plans to introduce apps into ChatGPT. At the time, major consumer platforms including Expedia, Spotify, Zillow, and Canva confirmed integrations that would allow users to access their services directly within Chat conversations. With submissions now open, OpenAI is signalling that this ecosystem is no longer limited to a small group of launch partners.

“Apps extend ChatGPT conversations by bringing in new context and letting users take actions like order groceries, turn an outline into a slide deck, or search for an apartment,” OpenAI said in its announcement.

Developers will build these experiences using OpenAI’s Apps SDK, which remains in beta. Once an app is ready, it can be submitted for approval through the OpenAI Developer dashboard, where developers can track its review status. OpenAI said the first wave of approved third-party apps will begin rolling out inside ChatGPT over the coming year.

By allowing external developers to build directly on top of ChatGPT, OpenAI gains a faster way to expand what the product can do, while developers gain access to a massive and growing user base. For users, it means ChatGPT increasingly becomes a place to get things done, not just a tool for answering questions.

The launch also reflects OpenAI’s broader ambition to keep users inside ChatGPT for longer. By folding travel bookings, music discovery, design tools, shopping, and productivity features into a single conversational interface, the company is positioning ChatGPT as a central hub rather than a standalone assistant.

If the app ecosystem takes off, ChatGPT could start to resemble a platform in the classic sense, with developers, distribution, and discoverability all flowing through OpenAI’s interface.