Gemini is Google’s AI assistant, available for free on the web, on Android and on iPhone. The free tier gives you the 3.6 Flash model (with variable access to the 3.1 Pro model), image generation and Deep Research. Paid plans in France range from €4.99 to €219.99 per month, prices recorded on August 20, 2026 from the official page. For a business, the other path is to build your own chatbot powered by a Gemini model, connected to your own data, on a no-code platform.
The query “Gemini AI chatbot” actually covers two needs. The first: understanding and using Google’s conversational assistant, one of the most used in the world. The second: putting Gemini technology inside your own chatbot, for your website or customer support. This guide covers both, with prices recorded on August 20, 2026.
Launched in early 2023 as Bard and renamed Gemini in February 2024, Google’s assistant has crossed a symbolic milestone: more than one billion people use the Gemini app every month, a figure announced by Google on August 11, 2026. The announced scope is the app itself (web and mobile): the other surfaces where Gemini appears, such as AI Mode in Google Search or the Android assistant, have audiences of their own. Two days later, on August 13, 2026, Google introduced Gemini 3.7 Flash, a new model built for coding and agents.
What is Gemini, Google’s AI assistant?
Gemini is a multimodal conversational assistant: it understands text, analyzes images and documents, listens, speaks and generates images. You type or dictate a request, and Gemini answers using the model family of the same name, developed by Google DeepMind.
Its defining trait is integration. Gemini is already in Google Search, on Android phones, in Gmail, Docs and Chrome: you come across it without installing anything. Its story is one of catching up: our article from the time on Gemini vs ChatGPT tells the chaotic beginnings of Bard, its criticized demo and the rushed launch in response to OpenAI’s success.
- February 2023Google announces Bard, an experimental chatbot based on LaMDA, in response to ChatGPT’s success.
- December 2023Google unveils the multimodal Gemini model family (Ultra, Pro, Nano), later integrated into Bard.
- February 2024Bard becomes Gemini. The mobile app launches on Android, then on iPhone.
- August 2026The app passes one billion monthly active users on August 11, and Gemini 3.7 Flash is introduced on August 13. On August 20, the official page still lists 3.6 Flash for the free tier.
How to use Gemini for free
The free tier is more than enough to discover the tool and for everyday use. No credit card, no subscription: a Google account is all you need.
- Open gemini.google.comSign in with a Google account. The interface follows the language of your account.
- Download the mobile appGoogle Gemini is available on the Play Store (Android) and the App Store (iPhone). On Android, it can replace the phone assistant.
- Or use it inside Google toolsGemini is built into Google Search, Gmail, Docs and Chrome on supported accounts. You use it without changing your habits.
Students: Google is giving 12 months of Google AI Plus to higher-education students outside the U.S. (Google AI Pro in the U.S.), announced on August 19, 2026 on the official blog. The offer must be claimed before December 31, 2026, with a valid form of payment at sign-up, and it rolls into a paid subscription after the 12 months unless cancelled.
The app is available from age 13, or the age allowed in your country. Some benefits, such as Deep Research, require users to be 18 or older.
What the free tier includes, and what it misses
The free offer is not a watered-down trial. At the time of writing (August 20, 2026), it notably includes:
- the 3.6 Flash model by default, with variable access to the 3.1 Pro model depending on demand;
- image generation and editing, with a daily quota;
- Deep Research, which produces sourced reports in minutes;
- Gemini Live, continuous voice conversation;
- Canvas and Gems, custom assistants for specific tasks;
- 15 GB of cloud storage shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos.
The limits of the free tier are of two kinds. First, quotas: access to the 3.1 Pro model is “variable”, meaning it shrinks when demand is high. Second, features: video generation, extended Deep Research quotas and agentic capabilities require a paid plan.
A note on timing, to avoid confusion: Gemini 3.7 Flash was announced on August 13, 2026, but on August 20, 2026, the date of our check, the official page still lists 3.6 Flash as the default model of the free tier. Switching the default model takes a few days after an announcement.
Gemini can be wrong. Google says it itself: double-check important answers before relying on them, especially on legal, medical or financial topics. Also avoid pasting sensitive data: depending on your settings, Gemini activity can be used to improve Google products.
How much does Gemini cost? The 4 plans and their prices
Google offers four consumer plans. The prices below were recorded on August 20, 2026 from the official subscriptions page (gemini.google/subscriptions) and are shown in euros, as displayed when the page is opened from the European Union. For reference, the U.S. version of the same page lists Google AI Pro at $19.99 per month and Google AI Ultra from $99.99 per month, with a $199.99 per month tier for 20x limits. The gap between the euro and dollar prices is set by Google per country: it is not a currency conversion. Prices can change: the official page is authoritative.
| Plan | Price per month | Cloud storage | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 | 15 GB | 3.6 Flash, image generation, Deep Research, Live, Canvas, Gems |
| Google AI Plus | €4.99 | 400 GB | Doubled usage limits, video generation, 200 Google Flow credits |
| Google AI Pro | €21.99 | 5 TB | Quadrupled limits, advanced access to the Gemini 3 Pro model, Deep Search |
| Google AI Ultra | €99.99 or €219.99 | From 20 TB | Deep Think, Gemini Spark, early access to new features, YouTube Premium |
Google AI Ultra comes in two tiers: €99.99 per month with limits five times higher than AI Pro, and €219.99 per month with limits twenty times higher. Occasional promotions exist (free months, student pricing), but do not count them in your recurring budget.
The lineup shown by the official subscriptions page on August 20, 2026: 3.6 Flash for the free tier, Gemini 3 Pro for the AI Pro plan (and the highest access level of AI Ultra). Some third-party trackers cite 3.1 Pro at the Pro tier, and the official page itself mixes both names in its benefit lists: we kept the labels from its pricing block.
Which version of Gemini is right for you?
Four profiles emerge from real usage: consumers, power users, creators and businesses. Answer the four questions: the tool points you to the most relevant plan, or to the chatbot option, which requires none of these plans.
The Gemini plan selector
Pick one answer per question. No verdict appears before the fourth answer.
1. How do you plan to use Gemini?
2. What monthly budget do you have in mind?
3. Which advanced features are you missing?
4. Where should your answers be delivered?
The selector stays neutral until the profile is complete.
The free tier covers your usage: 3.6 Flash, image generation, occasional Deep Research. Start there, you can always upgrade later.
Your daily usage justifies extended quotas. AI Plus (€4.99 per month) doubles the limits and unlocks video; AI Pro (€21.99 per month) quadruples them and opens advanced access to the Gemini 3 Pro model.
Deep Think, Gemini Spark, early access to new features: the Ultra plan targets intensive professional use. First check that AI Pro is not enough, the price gap is significant.
To answer your customers on your website, no consumer plan will do: you need a chatbot connected to your data, with your rules and your conversation history. That is exactly what no-code platforms like Botnation do, and its editor also offers Gemini models.
| Profile | Plan | Price (France) | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumers | Gemini for free | €0 per month | Create a Google account and try the app |
| Power users | AI Plus or AI Pro | €4.99 or €21.99 per month | Compare the quotas of both plans |
| Creators | Google AI Ultra | €99.99 or €219.99 per month | Check that AI Pro is not enough |
| Business | Custom chatbot | Quoted per project (platform) | Ask for a no-code demo |
Gemini, ChatGPT or Grok: which one to choose?
The three consumer assistants look similar on paper. The real differences are about ecosystems, not parameter counts.
| Criterion | Gemini | ChatGPT | Grok |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes: 3.6 Flash, variable access to the 3.1 Pro model | Yes, with quotas on advanced models | Yes, no X account needed on grok.com (since January 2025) |
| Image generation | Yes, included in the free plan | Yes, with quotas | Yes |
| Web search | Yes, backed by Google Search | Yes | Yes, heavily news-oriented |
| Ecosystem | Google: Search, Android, Workspace, Chrome | OpenAI: GPT Store, API, apps | X and the social network |
| Main strength | Integration with Google tools | The apps and API ecosystem | The tone and live news |
ChatGPT remains the reference standard for the apps and API ecosystem. Gemini wins on integration with the tools you already use. Grok plays the real-time and personality card, as detailed in our complete guide to Grok. For up-to-date model rankings, also see our Chatbot Arena guide.
Beyond the app: build your own chatbot with Gemini
The Gemini API (ai.google.dev) lets developers integrate Google’s models into their applications. But for a business chatbot, code is only part of the problem: you also need the knowledge base, business rules, GDPR compliance, conversation history and distribution channels (website, WhatsApp, Messenger).
This is where no-code platforms come in. Botnation builds a chatbot creation platform and also builds custom chatbots for its clients, through its Enterprise offer, quoted per project. In its editor, the model selector currently shows Gemini 3 and ChatGPT 5.2: you choose the AI engine of your chatbot, plug in your content, then deploy on your website and messaging channels.
A Gemini chatbot for your business, in practice
Example
An online store connects a chatbot to its catalog, its FAQ and its shipping terms. The result, seen from both sides:
Two further reads to go deeper: our guide to generative AI chatbots and our comparison of chatbot apps. The platform’s pricing is public: the free plan lets you test, paid plans start at €39 per month, and the Enterprise offer is quoted per project.
Limits and precautions to keep in mind
These four habits protect your time and your data:
- Check the facts. Like all AI assistants, Gemini can produce wrong but plausible answers. On an important topic, cross-check with a primary source.
- Protect your data. Do not paste confidential information into the app. Depending on your settings, Gemini activity can be used to improve Google products: turn off Gemini Apps Activity if you want to limit this use.
- Respect the age limits. The app requires users to be 13 or older, and some features require 18.
- General information. This article does not replace professional, legal, accounting or medical advice. Prices and quotas change fast: check the official page before buying.
FAQ: your Gemini questions
Is Gemini free?
Yes. The base version is entirely free, with no credit card: it includes the 3.6 Flash model, image generation, Deep Research and Gemini Live, with quotas. The paid plans (Plus at €4.99 per month, Pro at €21.99 per month, Ultra from €99.99 per month, prices in France) extend these quotas and unlock extra features.
In which countries is Gemini available?
The Gemini app is available in most countries. According to the official subscriptions page (August 20, 2026), Google AI Plus is available in more than 160 countries, and Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra in more than 150 countries and territories. The interface follows the language of your Google account.
How do I download Gemini?
On Android, from the Play Store; on iPhone, from the App Store. Both apps are free. You can also use Gemini with nothing to install, directly at gemini.google.com.
Can Gemini generate images?
Yes, image generation and editing are part of the free tier, with a daily quota. Video generation requires a paid plan.
What is the difference between Gemini and ChatGPT?
Both are multimodal AI assistants with a free tier and paid plans. The main difference is the ecosystem: Gemini lives inside Google tools (Search, Android, Workspace), ChatGPT inside OpenAI’s (GPT Store, API, apps). See our comparison table above.
Can I use Gemini in my business chatbot?
Yes, through two paths. Technical teams can use the Gemini API (ai.google.dev). Business teams usually go through a no-code platform that integrates Gemini models, such as Botnation, whose model selector offers Gemini 3 and ChatGPT 5.2. A business chatbot adds what the app does not provide: your data, your business rules and your customer channels.
Conclusion
Gemini has become Google’s front door into conversational AI: free for most uses, integrated everywhere, and its app is now used by more than one billion people every month. For personal use, start with the free tier and upgrade only if the quotas hold you back. For your business, do not stop at the app: a chatbot of your own, connected to your data and your channels, turns the trial into a working tool.
Ready to build your AI chatbot?
Try the no-code Botnation platform, pick your AI model (including Gemini 3) and deploy your chatbot on your website, WhatsApp and Messenger.
