How it works
You create a key in Google AI Studio and call models in three broad tiers: Flash-Lite for low-cost, high-volume work, Flash for everyday tasks and Pro for harder reasoning. Many accept inputs of up to about a million tokens and take images, audio, video and PDFs directly. Extras include grounding answers in Google Search, context caching, a Batch API at half price and an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, so existing OpenAI code can often switch with a new base URL and key.
The free tier needs no card but has tight rate limits, covers only some models, and lets Google use your prompts and responses to improve its products. The paid tier raises the limits and does not use your content that way. Larger companies can reach the same models through Google Cloud, which adds enterprise security controls, data residency and reserved capacity.
Gemini API pros and cons
Pros
- Free tier with no card needed, handy for prototypes
- Long context and direct image, audio, video and PDF input
- Low per-token prices on the Flash and Flash-Lite tiers
- Grounding with Google Search built in
- OpenAI-compatible endpoint eases switching
Cons
- Free-tier prompts may be used to improve Google's products
- Free-tier rate limits are far too low for production traffic
- Two routes in (AI Studio and Google Cloud) with different setup and terms
When to use Gemini API
Pick it when
- You want to prototype an AI feature at no cost
- Inputs are long documents, videos or recordings
- High-volume, low-cost jobs such as tagging, extraction or translation
Skip it when
- Sensitive data would pass through the free tier, where it can be used to improve products
- Your stack is built around another provider's agent tools and SDKs
Gemini API pricing
Free tier
Free tier with rate limits. Paid per million tokens: from about $0.10 input and $0.40 output for small models to about $2 input and $12 output for Pro. Batch is half price.
Gemini API pricing page (opens in a new tab)Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
Gemini API vs the alternatives
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