The Gold is the cheaper way into a ghd and does most of the job. Two heat sensors, one per plate, hold 185°C across the styler, and it takes the same 26mm plate as everything else in the range.
Platinum+ costs about sixty dollars more and adds predictive sensing, which reads the thickness and speed of each section rather than just the plate temperature, plus a third year of warranty.
ghd Gold
26mm plates, dual-zone technology with a sensor in each plate, 185°C, universal voltage and automatic sleep mode. Two-year warranty.
It is the model most often bought as a first ghd, and the one most often found in a bundle with a dryer.
What We Like:
- Cheapest current ghd styler
- Dual-zone heat across both plates
- Same 185°C as the flagships
What We Don't Like:
- Two-year warranty, against three higher up
ghd Platinum+
26mm plates and the same 185°C, with predictive technology that adjusts power to the section rather than holding a single set point, and a three-year warranty.
The difference shows on thick hair taken in large sections, where a plate cools fastest.
What We Like:
- Predictive heat per section
- Three-year warranty
What We Don't Like:
- About $60 more than the Gold
Side by side
| ghd Gold | ghd Platinum+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250–300 | $300–350 |
| Plate width | 26mm | 26mm |
| Styling temperature | 185°C | 185°C |
| Heat control | Dual-zone, one sensor per plate | Predictive, per section |
| Warranty | 2 years | 3 years |
| Universal voltage | Yes | Yes |
Figures are from ghd's Australian product pages, checked on 21 September 2026 while ghd was running a sale, so the prices shown are sale prices rather than list prices.
What actually differs
How the heat is managed. Both hold 185°C. The Gold measures each plate; the Platinum+ also accounts for what is passing between them. On fine hair in small sections there is nothing in it. On thick hair in big sections the Platinum+ recovers faster, which means fewer passes.
Warranty. Three years against two. Spread over the price difference, the extra year is most of what separates them on paper.
What is identical. Plate size, temperature, voltage, sleep mode and the plate coating. A Gold and a Platinum+ used on fine hair will produce the same result.
Who each one suits
ghd Gold suits fine to medium hair, a first ghd, and anyone who takes small sections anyway.
ghd Platinum+ suits thick or long hair styled in large sections, and buyers who want the longer warranty.
FAQs
Is the Gold the old Platinum?
No. They are separate models sold alongside each other, and the Gold is the entry point rather than a discontinued flagship.
Does either do curls?
Both have rounded barrels designed to curl as well as straighten. A dedicated wand holds a curl better, and ghd's Chronos Curve Max is the 38mm version.
Which is better for damaged hair?
Neither goes below 185°C, so if the goal is a lower temperature, a styler with variable heat is the answer instead.
