Gemini API free tier limits: Google docs, September 2026
Google's free tier covers 23 of 35 Gemini API model entries, checked 28 September 2026, but Google publishes no free-tier RPM, TPM or RPD figures; they appear per project in AI Studio and aren't guaranteed.
The Gemini API free tier covers 23 of the 35 model entries on Google’s pricing page, checked 28 September 2026, with input and output tokens free of charge on models including Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash.1 Google doesn’t print the free tier’s per-minute or per-day limits in its documentation. It shows them per project in Google AI Studio.2 Those limits count requests per minute, input tokens per minute and requests per day, and the daily quota resets at midnight Pacific time.2
The page that holds your project’s numbers asks for a Google sign-in.3
TL;DR
- Free models: 23 of 35 pricing-page entries are free of charge on the free tier. They’re mostly Flash, Flash-Lite, Live, speech, transcription and embedding models, plus Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemma 4. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, every image-output model, Veo 3.1 and Lyria are paid only.
- Rate limits: Google defines the limits (RPM, input TPM, RPD) but publishes no free-tier figures for them. Read your own project’s numbers in AI Studio and treat them as capacity Google doesn’t guarantee.
- Fixed daily numbers: the only ones Google prints for the free tier are grounding allowances, 500 requests a day for Google Search and for Google Maps on Gemini 2.5 Flash and Flash-Lite.
- Paid tier: Tier 1 starts when you link an active billing account. It adds higher rate limits, the Batch API at 50% lower cost, context caching, Google’s most advanced models, and it stops Google using your content to improve its products.
- Verdict: the free tier suits prototyping and model evaluation. Private data and production volume belong on a paid tier.
How these limits were checked
This page reads Google’s two governing documents on 28 September 2026, and it sits inside our model infrastructure coverage. The first is the Gemini API rate limits page, last updated 2026-09-02 UTC.2 The second is the Gemini Developer API pricing page, last updated 2026-09-24 UTC.1
The field used is the Free Tier column of each model’s first pricing table. A model counts as free when its input price there reads “Free of charge”. The pricing page lists 35 model entries. Twenty-three pass that test and 12 read “Not available”. Grouped entries, such as the one covering Gemini 3.8 Live and Gemini 3.1 Flash Live Preview, count once.
The AI Studio rate limit page, where per-project numbers live, returned a sign-in screen and no figures.3 Everything below is Google’s own statement of its terms, exactly as Google publishes them, checked 28 September 2026. A project’s working capacity appears only in AI Studio, and Google says it may vary.2 The research standard behind this page explains how dated vendor figures are handled.
Which Gemini models are free on the Gemini API?
Twenty-three Gemini API model entries are free of charge on the free tier, checked 28 September 2026. They include Gemini 3.8, 3.7, 3.6 and 3.5 Flash, Gemini 3 Flash Preview, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Flash and Flash-Lite, the Live and transcription models, every text-to-speech model except Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview TTS, Gemini Embedding 2 and Gemma 4.1 The 12 paid-only entries are Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, the four image models, Veo 3.1, both Lyria entries, Gemini Omni Flash and its preview, Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview TTS and Gemini 2.5 Computer Use Preview.1
| Model entry on Google’s pricing page | API model code | Free tier |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | gemini-3.8-flash | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.7 Flash | gemini-3.7-flash | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.6 Flash | gemini-3.6-flash | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | gemini-3.5-flash | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.8 Live, 3.8 Live Extended Thinking, 3.1 Flash Live Preview | gemini-3.8-live and two others | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.5 Live Translate | gemini-3.5-live-translate-preview | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.5 Transcribe Live | gemini-3.5-transcribe-live | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.5 Transcribe | gemini-3.5-transcribe | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | gemini-3.5-flash-lite | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | gemini-3.1-flash-lite | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS | gemini-3.8-flash-tts | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS | gemini-3.8-flash-lite-tts | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS Preview | gemini-3.1-flash-tts-preview | Free of charge |
| Gemini 3 Flash Preview | gemini-3-flash-preview | Free of charge |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | gemini-2.5-pro | Free of charge |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | gemini-2.5-flash | Free of charge |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | gemini-2.5-flash-lite | Free of charge |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio (Live API) | gemini-2.5-flash-native-audio-preview-12-2025 | Free of charge |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash Preview TTS | gemini-2.5-flash-preview-tts | Free of charge |
| Gemini Embedding 2 | gemini-embedding-2 | Free of charge |
| Gemini Robotics ER 2 Preview | gemini-robotics-er-2-preview | Free of charge |
| Gemini Robotics ER 2 Streaming Preview | gemini-robotics-er-2-streaming-preview | Free of charge |
| Gemma 4 | not listed | Free of charge |
| Gemini Omni Flash | gemini-omni-1.1-flash | Not available |
| Gemini Omni Flash Preview | gemini-omni-flash-preview | Not available |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | gemini-3.1-pro-preview | Not available |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2) | gemini-3.1-flash-image | Not available |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) | gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image | Not available |
| Gemini 3 Pro Image (Nano Banana Pro) | gemini-3-pro-image | Not available |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) | gemini-2.5-flash-image | Not available |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview TTS | gemini-2.5-pro-preview-tts | Not available |
| Veo 3.1 | veo-3.1-generate-preview and two others | Not available |
| Lyria 3.5 | lyria-3.5 | Not available |
| Lyria 3 | lyria-3-clip-preview, lyria-3-pro-preview | Not available |
| Gemini 2.5 Computer Use Preview | gemini-2.5-computer-use-preview-10-2025 | Not available |
Text, speech and embedding work is free across the Flash line, while image, video and music generation is paid only. The one Pro-class model on the free tier is the older Gemini 2.5 Pro. The current Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview reads “Not available”.1
Gemma 4 runs the other way. Its free column reads “Free of charge” and its paid column reads “Not available”, so it’s a free-tier-only entry on this API.1
“Free” also has a narrow meaning here. It applies to standard interactive calls. For Gemini 3.8 Flash, the alternative pricing tables on the same page show “Not available” in the free column, and Google lists the Batch API as a paid feature.1
What are the Gemini API free tier’s requests and tokens per minute and per day?
Google doesn’t publish the free tier’s requests per minute, tokens per minute or requests per day as numbers in its Gemini API documentation, checked 28 September 2026. Its rate limits page says limits depend on factors such as usage tier and “can be viewed in Google AI Studio”, and that specified limits aren’t guaranteed.2 What Google does publish is how each limit is counted.
| Limit | What Google counts | Window | Free-tier figure in Google’s docs |
|---|---|---|---|
| RPM | Requests per minute | One minute | Not published; shown in AI Studio |
| TPM | Tokens per minute (input) | One minute | Not published; shown in AI Studio |
| RPD | Requests per day | Resets at midnight Pacific time | Not published; shown in AI Studio |
| IPM | Images per minute, image-generating models only | One minute | Not published |
| TPD | Tokens per day, on some models | One day | Not published |
The first three dimensions are the standard set.2 IPM applies only to models that generate images, and some other models carry a tokens-per-day limit.2
Three details change how a free project behaves. Each limit is enforced on its own, so exceeding any one of them triggers a rate limit error even when the others have headroom. Google’s example uses an RPM limit of 20, where a 21st request inside a minute fails.2 Google offers the 20-request figure as an illustration; its documentation attaches it to no tier.
Limits apply per project, not per API key.2 A second key in the same project draws on the same quota.
Preview and experimental models carry tighter limits than stable ones.2 Several free entries in the table above are previews, so the model choice alone can shrink a free project’s headroom.
The practical step is to open the AI Studio rate limit page for the project and record the RPM, TPM and RPD it shows, with the date. Google says those numbers update automatically as tier and account status change.2
Which free-tier limits does Google publish as fixed numbers?
Google publishes two fixed daily free-tier limits: 500 grounded requests a day with Google Search and 500 a day with Google Maps, on Gemini 2.5 Flash and Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite.1 The Google Search allowance is shared between those two models, and neither grounding tool is available on the free tier for Pro.1
The Gemini 3.x models work differently. Gemini 3.8 Flash shows grounding with Google Search as “Not available” on the free tier.1 Other Gemini 3.x tables, such as Gemini 3.6 Flash, add a footnote saying the feature “Can be tested in Google AI Studio”, which is a different surface from the API.1
Some tools cost nothing on the free tier. Code execution and URL context both read “Free of charge”.1 Google AI Studio itself is free of charge in all available regions.1
Spend-based rate limits don’t apply to the free tier. Google lists them as “N/A” for Free.2
What changes on the Gemini API paid tier?
The Gemini API paid tier begins at Tier 1, which a project reaches by setting up and linking an active billing account.2 Google lists five changes: higher rate limits for production deployments, access to context caching, the Batch API at a 50% cost reduction, access to its most advanced models, and content not used to improve Google’s products.1 The free tier’s own card says content is used to improve Google’s products.1
Paid tiers also bring a spend-based rate limit, evaluated per 10 minutes, and a billing tier cap.
| Usage tier | How a project qualifies | Billing tier cap | Spend rate limit per 10 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Active project or free trial | N/A | N/A |
| Tier 1 | Set up and link an active billing account | $250 | $10 |
| Tier 2 | Paid $100 + 3 days from first successful payment | $2,000 | $50 |
| Tier 3 | Paid $1,000 + 30 days from first successful payment | $20,000 - $100,000+ | $200 |
Figures are as Google gives them on its rate limits page, which doesn’t state a currency.2 Hitting the spend limit returns a 429 RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED error.2
Tier 2 and Tier 3 count cumulative spending on all Google Cloud services on the linked billing account, including the Gemini API. Google also says an upgrade request can, in rare cases, be denied even when the criteria are met.2 The move from Free to Tier 1 typically takes effect instantly, and later upgrades within 10 minutes.2
One line on Google’s pricing page needs care. The paid card lists context caching as a paid feature.1 Yet the Gemini 3.8 Flash table shows context caching as “Free of charge” in the free column, while the Gemini 2.5 Flash, 2.5 Flash-Lite and 2.5 Pro tables show it as “Not available”.1 Confirm caching on the model you plan to use before designing around it.
What does the Gemini API paid tier cost per million tokens?
Among the seven free-tier models below, paid input prices run from $0.10 per million tokens on Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite to $2.50 on Gemini 2.5 Pro prompts above 200k tokens, in US dollars, checked 28 September 2026.1 Google’s pricing page doesn’t state tax treatment. Output prices include thinking tokens.
| Model | Input, USD per 1M tokens | Output, USD per 1M tokens |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | $0.75 through 31 December 2026; $1.50 from 1 January 2027 | $3.75 through 31 December 2026; $7.50 from 1 January 2027 |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | $1.50 | $9.00 |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | $0.30 | $2.50 |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | $0.25 text, image, video; $0.50 audio | $1.50 |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | $1.25 up to 200k-token prompts; $2.50 above | $10.00 up to 200k-token prompts; $15.00 above |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | $0.30 text, image, video; $1.00 audio | $2.50 |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | $0.10 text, image, video; $0.30 audio | $0.40 |
Sources for each row: Gemini 3.8 Flash1, Gemini 3.5 Flash1, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite1, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite1, Gemini 2.5 Pro1, Gemini 2.5 Flash1 and Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite1.
The dated Gemini 3.8 Flash prices change the comparison. Until 31 December 2026 its input price is half that of Gemini 3.5 Flash. From 1 January 2027 both list $1.50 for input, and Gemini 3.8 Flash stays lower on output at $7.50 against $9.00.1
On paid tiers, grounding also changes shape. Gemini 2.5 Flash and Flash-Lite share 1,500 free grounded Google Search requests a day, then pay $35 per 1,000 grounded prompts. Gemini 3.x models get 5,000 free search requests a month, then $14 per 1,000 requests.1 Per-token price is only one input to a model bill; our explainer on what controls AI inference cost covers the rest of that model.
Why do published Gemini free tier numbers disagree?
Published Gemini free tier numbers disagree because Google’s documentation carries no fixed free-tier rate limit table to agree with. Limits are set per project, change automatically with tier and account status, and “are subject to change”.2,1 Any fixed per-model RPM table found elsewhere reflects a moment and a source outside Google’s current documentation.
A listed price and a working quota are also separate things. The pricing page says a model is “Free of charge” on the free tier. It doesn’t say what quota a given project receives, and Google states that specified limits aren’t guaranteed.2 A thread on Google’s own developer forum is titled “Gemini API - Free tier limit is 0, cannot use API despite valid key”.4
Google’s two pages also differ in detail. The pricing page’s model tables describe the Gemini 3 search allowance as shared across all Gemini 3.x models.1 The tools table on the same page says “shared across all Gemini models”.1 The context caching line noted above is a second example.
What Google’s pages cannot tell you
- Your project’s RPM, TPM and RPD. Only the signed-in AI Studio page shows them.2
- Whether that capacity holds. Google says actual capacity may vary.2
- The currency of the tier thresholds. The rate limits page prints dollar signs without naming a currency. The pricing page is in US dollars and states no tax treatment.2,1
- When the terms move next. The pricing page already schedules Gemini 3.8 Flash price rises for 1 January 2027.1 This page should be re-checked when either Google page shows a new last-updated date.
New Glamdring research on model economics arrives through the free email briefing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Gemini API free to use?
Yes, within limits. Google’s free tier offers free input and output tokens, Google AI Studio access and limited access to certain models, and content sent on the free tier is used to improve Google’s products.1 Checked 28 September 2026, 23 of the 35 model entries on the pricing page are free of charge on that tier.
Is there a free tier for a Gemini API key?
Yes. The free tier applies to any active project or free trial, and its limits attach to the project.2 Creating more keys in one project doesn’t add quota.
Does the Gemini API free tier have a daily limit?
Yes. Requests per day is one of the three standard limits, and it resets at midnight Pacific time.2 Google doesn’t publish the free-tier RPD figure in its documentation; AI Studio shows it per project.2 The only fixed daily free-tier figures Google prints are the 500-request grounding allowances on Gemini 2.5 Flash and Flash-Lite.1
Why can a free-tier model still refuse requests?
A model’s “Free of charge” label on the pricing page says nothing about the quota your project receives for it. Google ties limits to the project’s tier and account status, restricts preview models more tightly and doesn’t guarantee specified limits.2 Check the model’s limit in AI Studio before building on it.
How do you get past Gemini API free tier limits?
Move the project to a paid tier. Linking an active billing account puts it on Tier 1 with higher rate limits, typically at once.2 Paid projects that still hit limits can request an increase, though Google offers no guarantee it will grant one.2 Adding API keys doesn’t help, because limits apply per project.2
Sources checked
Company-owned pages establish what a company says. They do not prove a market conclusion. Each source is dated so readers can judge each claim.
