Same ChatGPT Plus, some pay 200 RMB, some pay 60 RMB.

It’s not about money; it’s about the paths you don’t know.

For most domestic users paying for AI subscriptions, there is only one common route: using proxy top-ups, buying gift cards, and paying a 30%-50% premium.

However, since 2024, the entire payment chain has been fully connected. It’s just that no one has explained it systematically.

Below are the complete paths that are still valid as of May 2026.

1. Apple Users: Swipe Domestic Cards Directly

The key to making this work is bypassing gift cards and having Apple charge your domestic card directly.

Four Steps:

• Register an Apple ID for a US tax-free state.
• Register a US PayPal account (paypal.com).
• Bind a domestic bank single-currency Visa / MasterCard / Amex card to PayPal.
• Set the payment method for your Apple ID to PayPal.

Once completed, App Store subscription charges will go through PayPal, which then charges your domestic card. ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and all other overseas subscriptions can be paid with one click.

No gift cards needed. No proxy top-ups needed. No middlemen markups.

2. Android Users: Even Simpler

Google Play has long supported binding domestic single-currency cards directly.

Open the Play Store on your phone, add a payment method, enter the card number, verify, and you’re done.

The four-step process for Apple is compressed into a single step for Android.

3. The Key Variable: Which Region Do You Subscribe In?

Opening the payment channel is just the first hurdle. What truly determines how much you spend is which regional server you subscribe to.

Approximate Price Differences for the Cheapest Regions:

• ChatGPT Plus: Turkey region is about 50% cheaper than the US region.
• Claude Pro / Max 5x / Max 20x: Nigeria region is about 60-70% cheaper than the US region.

However, these two regions share a common problem: you cannot subscribe directly via PayPal.

The Turkey and Nigeria regions only accept top-ups using local currency gift cards.

So the path becomes: Domestic Card → Buy local gift cards on overseas platforms → Top up the corresponding regional account → Subscribe.

4. Where to Buy Gift Cards

Common channels in the community include:

• cysend.com

• oyunfor.com

• seagm.com

• If you prefer convenience, there are also many sellers on Xianyu (Idle Fish).

These sites all support direct payment with domestic single-currency Visa / MasterCard. Price differences are minimal; it mainly depends on inventory and delivery speed.

5. List of Tax-Free State Addresses

When registering a US Apple ID, you must provide a valid US address. It must be in a tax-free state; otherwise, the subscription price will automatically include sales tax. This does not affect the Turkey or Nigeria regions, but it does for US region subscriptions.

Five US Tax-Free States:

• Oregon

• Alaska

• Delaware

• Montana

• New Hampshire

Address generator: meiguodizhi.com Go in, select the state, generate an address, and copy-paste it.

6. Final Bill Reference

Calculated based on May 2026 exchange rates:

• ChatGPT Plus (US Region): $20/month ≈ 150 RMB
• ChatGPT Plus (Turkey Region): 60-70 RMB
• Claude Pro (US Region): $20/month ≈ 150 RMB
• Claude Pro (Nigeria Region): 45-55 RMB

Over a year, the money saved on these two subscriptions is enough to pay for another Cursor subscription.

7. A Few Necessary Words

The above consolidates scattered solutions from various forums into a single workflow. This is not advice, merely a record of feasible paths.

Cross-region subscriptions fall into a gray area within the Terms of Service of Apple, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. Account bans do occur, and users are responsible for any issues with their accounts.

Evaluate the financial security of the bank cards, PayPal accounts, and gift card channels involved on your own.

Every few months, new people ask in groups: “What is the cheapest way to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus?”

And every time after answering, new people come along to ask the same question.

Information asymmetry never disappears; it just changes hands.