Google has recently introduced a significant change in how it measures usage of its Gemini AI assistant. The update affects all plans, from free to Ultra, and may surprise many users who suddenly found themselves without AI credits. Previously, the count was based on the number of requests made: one image generation, one text response, one video. Now, Google assesses the computing power required to fulfill each request. This means that more complex requests consume more resources and deplete the available quota faster.
New Gemini limits are based on computational complexity
According to Google's official documentation, access to Gemini is subject to change and may be limited based on testing, experimentation, or availability. In practice, some days may be more restrictive than others. The two main factors determining consumption are the subscribed plan and the complexity of the request. For example, asking for a simple weather forecast costs far less than requesting the creation of a mini app. Additionally, the chosen Gemini model matters: more advanced models like Gemini Pro consume more than Flash or Flash-Lite. Google also offers different "thinking" levels (Standard, Extended, and Deep Think) that affect quality, speed, and limits.
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Different quotas for Free, Plus, Pro, and Ultra
For US users, the paid plans are AI Plus ($8 per month), AI Pro ($20 per month), and AI Ultra ($100 or $200 per month). The more you pay, the more computational resources you get. Google does not specify exact limits for the free tier, describing them only as "standard." The Plus plan offers double these limits, Pro quadruple. The Ultra plan offers 5 to 20 times the limits of Pro, depending on the sub-plan. Another important difference is the context window size: free users get 32K tokens (about 24,000 words), Plus gets 128K tokens (96,000 words), while Pro and Ultra get up to 1 million tokens (about 750,000 words).
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How to check your Gemini AI usage
Fortunately, monitoring your usage is straightforward. On the Gemini web app, click the gear icon in the lower left and select "Usage limits." In the mobile app for Android or iOS, tap the menu button (top left), then the gear, then "Usage limits." You'll see two bars: the first shows your current usage, which resets every five hours; the second is the weekly limit. If you reach limits on a paid plan, the service automatically downgrades to the most basic AI model until the next reset. Google warns that limits may change without notice due to capacity constraints and that free users may be affected first. For more on Google's AI initiatives, check out the article on Google redesigning all emoji in 3D with AI. For further technical details, see the Wikipedia page on Google Gemini.
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Source: https://www.wired.com/story/how-googles-new-gemini-rates-work-and-how-to-track-your-usage
