Google Gemini Will Soon Limit Model Access for Free and Plus Users

Google is about to limit which Gemini models free and Google AI Plus subscribers can access. In a support page (via 9to5Google), Google explained that starting on October 9, free users will only be able to use the Gemini Flash-Lite 3.5 model, and they will lose access to the Gemini Flash 3.6 and Gemini 3.1 Pro options.

Google AI Plus subscribers, however, will lose access to the Gemini 3.1 Pro model soon, but they will receive an email soon mentioning when this limitation will be implemented. Earlier this year, Google had already introduced compute-based usage limits for its Gemini chatbot that refresh every 5 hours until users reach their weekly limit.

While Google will soon limit model availability for Gemini Free and Plus users, it will soon be possible to select the model’s effort level from low, medium, and high.  “This will increase the model’s ability to complete tasks and provide more thorough answers to queries, but will also use more of your limit,” Google explained on the support page.

Lastly, Google is making its $19.99 Gemini Pro subscription more attractive by including access to the Deep Think option, which offers “maximum parallel reasoning.” Until now, Deep Think required a $99.99/month AI Ultra subscription. Google AI Pro also offers 5TB of cloud storage, as well as YouTube Premium Lite, Google Health Premium, and Google Home Premium Standard at no additional cost.