Updated April 2026
ChatGPT's built-in memory stores approximately 1,200-1,400 words across all conversations. When it fills up, there is no warning — entries are silently lost. In 2025, two major memory wipe incidents affected thousands of users, erasing months of saved context with no way to recover it.
| Feature | ChatGPT Memory | Alma |
|---|---|---|
| Memory capacity | ~1,400 words (fixed) | 500 free / 10K Pro / Unlimited Ultimate |
| Memory control | Automatic, no priority control | Full CRUD, categories, importance scoring |
| Memory wipe protection | No — 2 major wipes in 2025 | Independent storage, full export anytime |
| Cross-platform | ChatGPT only | Web, MCP (Claude Desktop/Cursor), VSCode, SDK, API |
| AI identity/personality | Custom instructions (4,500 chars) | Soul Engine with structured blocks (identity, personality, rules, expertise) |
| Search | None | Hybrid (semantic vector + keyword) |
| Data export | Limited | Full (JSON, PDF, DOCX, XLSX) |
| Price | Included with ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) | Free tier available / Pro from $19/mo |
If you have hit ChatGPT's memory limit, lost memories to a wipe, or need your context to work across multiple AI tools, Alma is the solution. Your memories are stored independently and survive regardless of what ChatGPT changes on their end.