Is Google Gemini free? Yes and no. While there are paid plans for Google AI, aka Gemini, you can access many of its most popular features for free.

As one of the world’s largest tech companies, Google has an advantage over its AI rivals: the company has the money to float the tech while it figures out how to monetize it. On top of that, Google has unparalleled access to a critical AI resource — data.

“The data is their biggest immediate powerhouse,” AI researcher and consultant Jack Teitel told Mashable by email. “Competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI have good talent, and can raise lots of capital, and they have the advantage of being earlier to market, making it easier to capture a ‘piece of the pie.’ However, between YouTube and Google, Google has access to an unmatched repository of data that they are most definitely using to train models.”

The end result of these advantages? Google Gemini offers a ton of advanced AI features that are completely free, and while that may change as Google tries to find a way to turn its investment in AI into actual revenue, for now, you can access a range of awesome AI features without paying a cent for the Google AI Pro ($19.99 a month) or Google AI Ultra ($249.99 a month) subscription plans.

That said, it can be confusing to know which Gemini features are free and which ones you have to pay for. Some features, like the groundbreaking Google Veo 3 AI video generator, currently aren’t available for free users. Between the web, the Gemini app, and Android OS 16, here are all the things you can do for free using Google Gemini.

Create images

Gemini can generate images from text prompts with a free account, unlike many other AI services. Just describe what you want to see, and Gemini will create it for you using the Imagen 4 model, Google’s latest-and-greatest image generation model. Now, when we compared the best AI image generators, Gemini didn’t make the cut, but it’s getting better all the time.

The image generation works pretty well for a free tool. The AI handles different art styles too — specify if you want something photorealistic, cartoon-style, or even painted in the style of a famous artist. Just note that content limitations mean it won’t create images of real people or inappropriate content. The quality isn’t quite as good as some AI image generators — I’ve found OpenAI’s GPT-4o to be the best so far — but it’s still very capable for most uses.

The main limitation of the free version is that you’re capped at a lower rate limit, though Google doesn’t disclose the details of those limits. Basically, you’re more likely to be told you need to wait before creating more images than if you have a paid account. 

Deep Research

Deep Research is one of Gemini’s most impressive features, letting you get comprehensive reports on complex topics without having to do all the legwork yourself. You give Gemini a research question, and it’ll spend several minutes systematically searching the web, analyzing sources, and compiling everything into a detailed, well-organized report. It’s like having a researcher who can dig through lots of sources in only a few minutes.

Because of how Deep Research works, it’s likely to be more accurate than typical AI searches — though as with anything AI, you’ll want to double-check important information and be on the lookout for hallucinations in the results. 

Deep Research is available to free users, though with limitations. Free users can try Deep Research a few times a month, according to Google, while Gemini Advanced subscribers get significantly more access. Free users also get the basic version powered by Gemini 2.0 Flash, while paid subscribers can access a more powerful version using Gemini 2.5 Pro that produces even more detailed and insightful reports.

Create Gems

Gems are one of Gemini’s coolest features — they’re custom AI assistants that you can create for specific tasks. They’re basically Google’s version of ChatGPT’s custom GPTs. Gems are free to create and use, without limitations. Google recently rolled them out to all users, putting them ahead of competitors like OpenAI, which charges $20 per month for custom GPTs.

You can start with Google’s pre-made Gems, which are worth browsing, or create your own from scratch. Creating a custom Gem is straightforward. Just hit the “Explore Gems” button in the left-hand sidebar, then create a “New Gem.” You’ll give it instructions, upload related files you want it to reference, and then you can use it. Once created, your Gems appear in the sidebar, and you can chat with them just like regular Gemini.

The only limitation is that you can only create and edit Gems on the web, though you can use them on mobile once they’re set up. They also don’t work with Gemini Live yet, but for most tasks, they’re incredibly useful for automating repetitive prompts.

Voice chat with Gemini

Credit: Google

Gemini Live turns your phone into a conversational AI companion that you can actually talk to, and it’s also free with the Gemini app on iOS and Android. That includes being able to share live images and video feeds. As of this writing, Google says Gemini Live is “Available to mobile users in 45+ languages and over 150 countries.”

Like other AI voice chats, Gemini has been getting a whole lot more natural-feeling. You can interrupt it mid-sentence to ask follow-up questions or change topics, just like you would in a real conversation. Google says people have conversations that are five times longer with Gemini Live compared to text chats, which shows how engaging voice interaction can be.

The free version gives you access to all the core features, including the ability to share your camera or screen during conversations. You can point your phone at something and talk through what you’re seeing, whether you need help fixing something, want outfit advice, or need step-by-step guidance. 

The feature is rolling out integration with Google’s other apps too, so you can discuss plans and have Gemini automatically create calendar events, or ask about restaurants and get real-time info from Google Maps. That makes it even more useful.

Use NotebookLM

NotebookLM is Google’s AI research assistant that uses sources and documents you specify to help you pull up relevant information on a particular topic. Upload PDFs, web articles, or files from Google Drive, and it becomes an instant expert on that material, ready to answer questions with citations back to the original sources.

A standout feature is Audio Overviews, which takes your uploaded documents and turns them into engaging podcast-style conversations between two AI hosts. The hosts actually discuss your material, make connections between ideas, and even banter back and forth. You can download these audio summaries and listen while commuting or working out.

NotebookLM is available for free, though it does have usage limits — you can create up to 100 notebooks, add 50 sources per notebook, and generate 3 Audio Overviews per day. For most people, that’s plenty. Upgrading will basically expand on those limits, though even the paid plans still have limits.

Android AI

Android devices come packed with AI features that work behind the scenes, many of which you might not even realize are powered by artificial intelligence. Circle to Search is one of the most useful — just long-press your home button and circle anything on your screen to instantly search for it with Google. It’s particularly helpful for finding items you might want to buy. 

The Circle to Search feature is free for Android users.
Credit: Mashable composite: Google / Getty Images

There are other features on Android too, beyond access to Gemini itself. Google Photos has become an AI hub, with new tools added on a regular basis. Magic Eraser lets you remove unwanted objects and people from photos with a simple tap, while Photo Unblur sharpens those frustratingly blurry shots you can’t retake. Magic Editor goes even further, using generative AI to help you move objects around in photos or change backgrounds entirely. These features were previously locked behind paid subscriptions but are now available to everyone.

Other AI features work more in the background. Live Caption lets you automatically add subtitles to videos or audio playing on your device, while Smart Reply suggests responses in messaging apps. On Pixel phones, you’ll get perks like Call Screen (where AI answers spam calls for you), Hold for Me (AI waits on hold during customer service calls), and Now Playing (which identifies songs playing around you without you having to ask). Many of these features work offline and don’t require any setup — they’re just there when you need them.

Gemini Developer API

Does the Google Gemini API have a free pricing tier? Surprisingly, yes. If you have a Google Developer account, you can create a free Google Gemini API key using Google AI Studio (again, if you have access). The Gemini API free tier gives you limited access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash, and other models. We should note that when you use the free tier, Google says your inputs and outputs can be “used to improve our products.”

Even more free Gemini features

Google has integrated free AI tools into all kinds of other services and apps. Here’s are some of the more popular ones:

• Smart Compose in Gmail: Finishes your sentences as you type emails, learning your writing style over time.

• Smart Reply suggestions: Offers quick response options in Gmail and other messaging apps.

• Auto-generated captions: YouTube automatically creates captions for videos, and Google Meet transcribes meetings in real-time.

• Auto-organize in Photos: Automatically creates albums, identifies faces, and groups similar photos without you lifting a finger.

• Translation integration: Instant translation built into Chrome, Google Lens, and other apps.

• Spam filtering: Increasingly sophisticated AI blocks unwanted emails, calls, and messages across Google services.

• Virtually try on clothes: The new Google Shopping “Try on” feature lets you upload a photo of yourself and see how clothes will look on your body.

So what’s not free?

A screenshot of an example Veo 3 video created by Google. (AI-generated image)
Credit: Google

Google does, of course, charge for some of its more advanced AI features. Here’s a quick list of AI features that you’ll have to pay for with Google.

• Access more advanced models: Paid Gemini subscribers can access Gemini 2.5 Pro with higher usage limits.

• Video creation: Access the Veo 3 video model, along with the Flow video editing tool and Whisk image to video tool.

• Do more with NotebookLM: Get higher usage limits with 20 daily Audio Overviews.

• Project Mariner: Use an AI agent to streamline tasks (in beta, only available in Google AI Ultra)

For most casual users, the free tier offers plenty, but power users, professionals, and developers who need unfettered access to the Google Gemini API will likely find the paid features worth the investment.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.