Google cuts free Gemini users down to its smallest model, Flash-Lite
Google will restrict Gemini access for personal accounts starting in October 2026: free users get only the smallest model, Flash-Lite, down from the current free tier's access to Flash and varying access to Pro. AI Plus subscribers at $4.99 a month keep Flash-Lite and Flash but lose Pro, and all three models now require AI Pro at $19.99 a month or AI Ultra at $99.99 or $199.99 a month.
NoteBanks and insurers piloting Gemini on free or low-cost accounts for internal tools now need a paid plan to keep using anything beyond the smallest model, a sign AI labs are starting to charge more for capability as the technology matures.
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