Custom GPTs retire December 11, 2026 · 28 days left

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The best custom GPT alternatives.

Last updated · By Chris Tabb, founder · Sources checked November 13, 2026

Custom GPTs retire on December 11, 2026. If you want to stay in ChatGPT, use OpenAI’s replacements. If your company already pays for Claude, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, here is where the same instructions and files can go, from each vendor’s own documentation.
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§ 01

How to move a GPT to any of these

  1. Copy the GPT’s instructions and download its knowledge files before December 11.
  2. List every custom action. Those need a connector, a plugin or an MCP server in the new tool.
  3. Rebuild, then run five familiar prompts and one hard case against the old GPT’s answers.
  4. Tell the GPT’s users where the replacement lives.

§ The list

The list

How this list is ordered

OpenAI’s own replacements first, because they need the least rework. Everything else is alphabetical by vendor. We haven’t benchmarked these tools against each other.

No entry paid to be here, there are no affiliate links, and we don’t give scores or star ratings we haven’t measured.

Inside ChatGPT

  1. 01

    ChatGPT plugins and Projects

    OpenAI’s replacements

    Best for: Anyone who wants to keep using ChatGPT after December 11, 2026.

    • OpenAI’s official path is My GPTs → Migrate to plugin; a Project is its named alternative.
    • Both keep your instructions and files. Custom actions need rebuilding either way.

    Sources: OpenAI Help Center: Custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ · ChatGPT Learn: Moving your custom GPT workflows to plugins

Outside ChatGPT

Alphabetical by vendor. Pick the one your company already pays for.

  1. 02

    Claude Projects (Anthropic)

    Project workspace

    Best for: Teams on Claude that want a GPT-style workspace with instructions and a knowledge base.

    • Anthropic describes projects as self-contained workspaces with their own chat histories and knowledge bases, plus project instructions.
    • Projects are available on all plans (free accounts get up to five). Sharing with your organization is on Team and Enterprise plans.

    Watch out: Anthropic is rolling out a new version of projects in beta, so details may change.

    Source: Claude Help Center: What are projects?

  2. 03

    Gemini skills (Google)

    Reusable instructions

    Best for: Google Workspace companies.

    • Google is introducing skills as the new way to give Gemini custom instructions, and says it will phase out Gems.
    • Google’s timeline says Business and Enterprise skills fully replace Gems no sooner than March 1, 2027. Skills use the Markdown-based SKILL.md format.

    Watch out: Don’t rebuild a GPT as a Gem now. Build it as a skill.

    Sources: Google Workspace Help: About the transition from Gems to skills (updated Nov 9, 2026) · Gemini Apps Help: Use Gems in Gemini Apps

  3. 04

    Microsoft 365 Copilot Agent Builder

    Declarative agents

    Best for: Microsoft 365 companies replacing simple instruction-and-files GPTs.

    • Microsoft says Agent Builder builds declarative agents for Microsoft 365, with knowledge from SharePoint and Copilot connectors.
    • You build from microsoft365.com/chat, office.com/chat or the Teams desktop and web client. Access depends on your tenant’s licenses.

    Watch out: Agent Builder doesn’t author actions that call external services. For that, copy the agent to Copilot Studio.

    Source: Microsoft Learn: Agent Builder overview

  4. 05

    Microsoft Copilot Studio

    Low-code agent studio

    Best for: GPTs with custom actions, when your company runs on Microsoft.

    • Microsoft describes Copilot Studio as a low-code studio for building agents and workflows connected to your organization’s data and systems.
    • It connects to other data sources through prebuilt or custom connectors and publishes to Teams, Copilot, websites and other channels.

    Source: Microsoft Learn: Copilot Studio overview

§ FAQ

Questions we hear

What replaces custom GPTs?

Inside ChatGPT, OpenAI’s official path is Migrate to plugin, with a Project as the alternative. Outside ChatGPT, comparable features include Claude Projects, Gemini skills and Microsoft 365 Copilot agents.

Should I rebuild my GPT as a Gemini Gem?

Google says it is replacing Gems with skills and that Business and Enterprise skills fully replace Gems no sooner than March 1, 2027, so build a skill instead.

Which alternative handles custom actions?

Inside ChatGPT, rebuild them on a custom MCP server in a plugin. In Microsoft’s tools, Copilot Studio supports custom connectors; Agent Builder doesn’t author actions that call external services.

Keep reading

Sources · checked November 13, 2026

  1. OpenAI Help Center: Custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ
  2. ChatGPT Learn: Moving your custom GPT workflows to plugins
  3. Claude Help Center: What are projects?
  4. Google Workspace Help: About the transition from Gems to skills (updated Nov 9, 2026)
  5. Gemini Apps Help: Use Gems in Gemini Apps
  6. Microsoft Learn: Agent Builder overview
  7. Microsoft Learn: Copilot Studio overview

OpenAI figures are OpenAI’s, quoted as published on the date checked. Appearly is not affiliated with OpenAI. ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI.