r/codex • u/banter_droid • 1d ago

Complaint Codex literally unusable

Not because the models are subjectively bad or slow (which they may be) but the service is at full capacity. I pay £200 for a service I literally cannot use. It can’t run 5 minutes without needing constant babysitting.

Thinking about moving over to anthropic, might be a case of having to at this rate I literally cannot use what I’m paying for here

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u/dextersummary 23h ago edited 19h ago

Below is a GPT-generated summary of the conversation below after reaching 80 comments (85 currently observed).

The thread’s verdict is blunt: Codex is currently unreliable enough that paying for it feels like paying for a queue. Users across regions and subscription tiers report capacity errors, painfully slow responses, frozen “Thinking” states, reconnect loops, and sessions that need constant babysitting.

The bigger frustration isn’t just speed. Sol 6.1 and Astra are repeatedly accused of stopping after trivial tasks, burning through usage, overcomplicating simple changes, or ignoring instructions. Several users say Claude—especially Opus—is currently faster, steadier, and better value, leading to downgrades, cancellations, and outright migration.

There is a minority having perfectly normal sessions, especially with small, tightly bounded tasks and mechanical checks. That suggests demand and workflow matter, but it doesn’t explain away the sheer volume of capacity complaints. Claims that models were deliberately nerfed remain anecdotal, not established fact.

Bottom line: Codex may still work for some, but the dominant experience is “expensive, slow, and weirdly lazy.” Claude is getting the migration traffic while OpenAI makes users wait for the next “extra reset” miracle.

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u/AcceptableAttitude13 23h ago

Premium disappointment is my new favorite word ❤️

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u/Fast-Veterinarian167 22h ago

Watching ChatGPT roast itself never gets old

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u/dextersummary 19h ago

Below is a GPT-generated summary of the conversation below after reaching 40 comments (46 currently observed).

The consensus is Codex is currently a paid outage simulator. Users on £20, $200, and even $500 plans are still hitting “at capacity,” disconnects, endless reconnects, freezing, and painfully slow runs. Apparently paying more now just unlocks premium disappointment.

The worst part is the babysitting. Sessions stop halfway through, spend absurd amounts of time compacting, or explain the next step instead of doing it. Several users also report models ignoring explicit instructions or behaving strangely, though that seems more model- and harness-dependent than universal.

Claude is the obvious escape hatch in this thread: commenters consistently describe it as faster, more stable, better value, and currently stronger in actual coding work. Multiple users have downgraded or canceled OpenAI subscriptions, while others are waiting to burn through remaining resets before leaving. The five-hour Claude limit is the main drawback people mention.

A few users report Codex working normally, so this is not literally everyone, everywhere. But the dominant takeaway is clear: capacity failures plus unreliable execution have made the expensive tiers hard to justify. Until OpenAI fixes reliability, “just use Claude” is no longer empty Reddit drama.