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Gemini's free tier is now one model: what to do
Since 9 October, free Gemini gives you one model: Flash-Lite. Here is the plan lineup from Google's help page, the limits that now apply, and what to do if Flash-Lite is not enough.
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Download the free PDFWhat changed on October 9
Google's help page says that starting in October 2026 model availability changes for Gemini Apps when you use a personal Google account. The change starts for people without an AI subscription on October 9th. If you pay for AI Plus, Google says you should get an email that tells you when the change reaches you.
After the change, people without a plan get one model in the Gemini app: Flash-Lite. Flash and Pro need a paid Google AI plan.
The new lineup, plan by plan
| Plan | US price | Flash-Lite | Flash | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without a plan | $0 | Yes | No | No |
| Google AI Plus | $4.99/month | Yes | Yes | No |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99/month | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google AI Ultra | from $99.99/month | Yes | Yes | Yes, plus Deep Think |
Models per plan come from Google's help page. Prices are Google's US prices on its Gemini subscriptions page and can differ in other countries. Ultra also has a $199.99/month option with higher limits.
How the new limits work
Gemini is moving to compute-based usage limits that refresh every 5 hours, until you reach a weekly limit. Google says your usage depends on how complex your prompt is, which features you use and how long the chat is.
These use your limit up faster: image, video and music generation, Deep Research, the Pro model, and extended thinking and Deep Think.
- Without a plan: standard limits
- AI Plus: 2x higher than standard
- AI Pro: 4x higher than standard
- AI Ultra: 5x or 20x higher than AI Pro, depending on the subscription
Step 1: test your usual prompts on Flash-Lite now
Do this before the change, so you know whether the free plan still does your job.
- Go to gemini.google.com and sign in.
- At the bottom, inside the text box, click the model name.
- Choose Flash-Lite.
- Run the three or four prompts you use most: an email reply, a product description, a summary of a long document.
Google describes Flash-Lite as an efficient model designed for speed, ideal for everyday tasks like summarization and brainstorming. If your results are fine, you do not need to pay.
Step 2: use low effort for quick jobs
For each model you can pick an effort level: low, medium or high. Google says higher effort gives more thorough answers but uses more of your limit.
- Low: rewrites, short replies, captions, quick summaries.
- Medium or high: only for the jobs that really need thinking, like a pricing plan or a long proposal.
Save image, video, Deep Research and long chats for when you need them, because they use the limit fastest. Start a new chat for a new task instead of continuing a very long one, since chat length counts too.
Step 3: upgrade only if Flash-Lite can't keep up
If Flash-Lite is not good enough for your work, upgrade from inside Gemini:
- Go to gemini.google.com.
- At the bottom, click Settings & help, then View Subscriptions.
- Pick the plan and follow the steps.
AI Plus brings back Flash. AI Pro brings back Pro. You can cancel any time from Settings & help > Manage subscription, which opens Google One.
Questions people also ask
When did the Gemini free tier change?
It changed on 9 October 2026. AI Plus subscribers get an email with their own date.
Which Gemini model is free now?
Flash-Lite. Flash needs Google AI Plus or higher, and Pro needs Google AI Pro or Ultra.
How much does Google AI Plus cost?
$4.99 a month in the US on Google's Gemini subscriptions page. Google AI Pro is $19.99 a month. Prices can differ by country.
How often do Gemini limits reset?
Google says usage limits refresh every 5 hours until you reach your weekly limit.
Does this apply to work accounts?
Google's help page describes the change for personal Google accounts. If you use a work or school account, check with your admin.
Sources
- Changes to Gemini model access and limits (Google Gemini Help)
- Manage your Google AI plan from Gemini Apps (Google Gemini Help)
- Google AI plans and US prices (Gemini subscriptions)
What Fynl.io is, and where it fits
Fynl.io is one portal a small business runs itself on, instead of five subscriptions that do not talk to each other.
The AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT API key. You keep the key, you pay the model provider directly, and there is no markup on top of it. There is no SMS or phone calling yet, and we would rather say so than let you find out later.
If you use Gemini or ChatGPT to write quotes, follow-ups and emails, Fynl.io lets you plug in your own Claude or ChatGPT API key, so you pay the AI company directly with no markup, and your leads, quotes and invoices stay in one place.