Google (Gemini API / AI Studio) at a glance
- Provider
- Google (Gemini API / AI Studio)
- Models
- Gemini 3.8 Flash, 3.7 Flash, 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.1 Flash-Lite, 2.5 Pro, 2.5 Flash, 2.5 Flash-Lite, Gemini Embedding 2, some Live and TTS models
- What's free
- The Gemini API Free tier charges nothing for input and output tokens on the models marked "Free of charge" on Google's pricing page, including Gemini 3.8 Flash, 3.7 Flash, 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.1 Flash-Lite, 2.5 Pro, 2.5 Flash and 2.5 Flash-Lite. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, the Nano Banana image models, Veo, Lyria and Omni Flash are not available on the Free tier.
- Limits
- Per-model rate limits (requests per minute, tokens per minute, requests per day) are not listed as fixed numbers in the docs. Google says to check your active limits in AI Studio, and daily quotas reset at midnight Pacific time. Batch, Flex and Grounding with Google Search are not available on the Free tier.
- Deadline / expiry
- Ongoing (no end date published)
- Extended?
- Not applicable
- Commercial use?
- Google's Gemini API terms call free usage "Unpaid Services". Google uses your prompts and responses to improve its products, and human reviewers may read them, so don't send sensitive or personal data. Read the Gemini API Additional Terms before shipping a product.
- Card required?
- No. The Free tier only needs an active project; billing is needed for Tier 1 and above.
- Phone required?
- Not stated on the official page.
- Region
- Not stated on the pricing page. Google's list of available regions doesn't include mainland China or Hong Kong.
- Last verified
- Official source
- Google AI for Developers: Gemini Developer API pricing ↗
How to get it (official steps)
- Open Google AI Studio (aistudio.google.com) and sign in with your Google account
- Create an API key in AI Studio
- Call a free-tier model such as gemini-3.8-flash
- Don't link a billing account if you want to stay on the Free tier (linking billing moves the project to Tier 1)
Use one account per person and follow the provider's terms. We don't cover multiple accounts, bulk sign-ups or reselling keys; providers ban them and often pull free offers because of abuse.
Good to know
Free-tier content is used to improve Google products.
Paid tier: Gemini 3.8 Flash and 3.7 Flash have introductory prices of $0.75 / $3.75 per 1M input/output tokens through December 31, 2026 ($1.50 / $7.50 from January 1, 2027). That's a discount, not a free offer.
How we verified this
We checked this offer on Oct 9, 2026 against the provider's own official docs: Google AI for Developers: Gemini Developer API pricing ↗. Where the provider doesn't publish a number, we say “not published” and don't guess. Offers change often; the official page always wins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google (Gemini API / AI Studio) really free?
The Gemini API Free tier charges nothing for input and output tokens on the models marked "Free of charge" on Google's pricing page, including Gemini 3.8 Flash, 3.7 Flash, 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.1 Flash-Lite, 2.5 Pro, 2.5 Flash and 2.5 Flash-Lite. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, the Nano Banana image models, Veo, Lyria and Omni Flash are not available on the Free tier.
What are the Google (Gemini API / AI Studio) free limits?
Per-model rate limits (requests per minute, tokens per minute, requests per day) are not listed as fixed numbers in the docs. Google says to check your active limits in AI Studio, and daily quotas reset at midnight Pacific time. Batch, Flex and Grounding with Google Search are not available on the Free tier.
When does it end?
Ongoing (no end date published)
Do I need a credit card or phone number?
Card: No. The Free tier only needs an active project; billing is needed for Tier 1 and above. Phone: Not stated on the official page.
Can I use it commercially?
Google's Gemini API terms call free usage "Unpaid Services". Google uses your prompts and responses to improve its products, and human reviewers may read them, so don't send sensitive or personal data. Read the Gemini API Additional Terms before shipping a product.
More free AI offers
- Cloudflare Workers AIOngoing Ongoing (no end date published)
- GroqOngoing Ongoing (no end date published)
- Mistral AIOngoing Ongoing (no end date published)
- NVIDIA (NIM / build.nvidia.com)Ongoing Ongoing while you're a program member
- OpenRouterOngoing Ongoing (individual free models come and go)
- Zhipu AI / Z.ai (GLM)Ongoing Ongoing (no end date published)
← All free AI API credits & offers