Up until now, if you wanted access to Gemini Pro, a version of Google’s AI that is more powerful than the Flash version, you’d have to subscribe to the AI Plus plan at the very least or get a special deal by buying Google hardware.
For about $5 per month, you would gain access to the Flash and Pro modell. Free users, those with just a Google account, gained access to Flash-Lite only.
This is no longer the case. Google changed rather significantly over the weekend. If you have an AI Plus plan, you no longer get access to Gemini Pro. Access is limited to Flash-Lite and Flash only.
Access to Gemini Pro is limited to the Gemini AI Pro plan. That is a huge step up, considering that Gemini Pro costs about $20 per month.
Free users are also limited to Flash-lite. Previously, they had limited access to Pro, but this is removed as well.
Google says that the changes will take place on October 9, 2026. Affected users, those with an AI Plus subscription, will be informed about the change in an email, according to the company.
Here is the overview:
- Free: Gemini Flash-lite only
- Plus ($5): Gemini Flash-lite and Flash only.
- Pro ($20): Gemini Flash-lite, Flash, and Pro.
This is an attempt to push the pricier computations of the Pro model into the plans that pay more. Whether that is an effort to cut costs, which are likely enormous, or an attempt to get more customers to sign-up for plans that are pricier is unclear.