There are no affiliate links in this article, and no AI company pays this site anything. Facts were checked on 17 October 2026 on Google’s own pages; prices are list prices before tax, in the currency Google shows.
AI assistants series, part 5 of 6: 1. Grok · 2. ChatGPT · 3. Claude · 4. Meta AI · 5. Gemini · 6. The comparison
Gemini is Google’s assistant. For a lot of small businesses, the question isn’t “should I try Gemini?” but “should I turn on the Gemini that’s already in my Gmail?” That’s why it’s in this series. This is part five of six; the comparison closes the series.
How Gemini has evolved: a timeline
Dates from Google’s own blog and release notes. Checked on 17 October 2026.
2023: Bard
- 6 February 2023: Google announces Bard, its conversational AI service.
- 6 December 2023: Google introduces the Gemini models.
2024–2025: Bard becomes Gemini
- 8 February 2024: “Bard will now simply be known as Gemini”, and the app takes the model’s name.
- 11 December 2024: Gemini 2.0.
- 25 March 2025: Gemini 2.5, which Google introduced as a model with built-in thinking.
- 18 November 2025: Gemini 3.
2026: fast Flash releases, then Argon
- 2 September 2026: Gemini 3.8 Flash, which Google describes as its third Flash release in six weeks, plus 3.8 Flash Cyber for vetted security teams.
- 10 September 2026: a Gemini app for Windows.
- 30 September 2026: “skills” in Gemini chat: saved instructions for repeated tasks, which Google says will replace Gems.
- 13 October 2026: Gemini 4 Argon, and Google’s Antigravity coding agent built into the Gemini macOS app.
Flash, Pro and Argon
Google’s line-up has two broad tiers. Flash models are fast and cheap, and do most everyday work. The bigger models (Pro, and now Argon) are for hard problems. In the Gemini app, Free gets the Flash-Lite model, AI Plus adds Flash, and AI Pro and Ultra add the Pro model and Gemini 4 Argon.
Current models
Checked on 17 October 2026 on the Gemini 4 Argon docs and the Gemini API pricing page.
| Model | Released | API price per million tokens (input / output) |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 4 Argon | 13 Oct 2026 | $2 / $10 until 30 November 2026; $4 / $20 from 1 December 2026 |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | 2 Sep 2026 | $0.75 / $3.75 until 31 December 2026; $1.50 / $7.50 from 1 January 2027 |
Both prices are introductory, so they double on the dates shown. If you’re budgeting a client project that uses the API, use the later prices.
Gemini 4 Argon has a single 1,048,576-token window shared by your input, the model’s thinking and its answer, and three thinking levels (low, medium, high). Google says Argon ranks first on one third-party index, and publishes other benchmark claims; we haven’t reproduced any of them, so they’re not here.
Plans and prices
Checked on 17 October 2026 on Google AI plans. The US page shows dollar prices; the Spanish-language page showed euro prices.
| Plan | US price per month | Euro price shown (es page) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | €0 | Flash-Lite model, Deep Research, Canvas, 15 GB storage |
| Google AI Plus | $4.99 | €4.99 | Flash model, 2x Free usage |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 | €21.99 | Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Vids and more, 5 TB storage |
| Google AI Ultra | $99.99 or $199.99 | €99.99 or €219.99 | 5x or 20x Pro usage |
| Gemini Enterprise Business | from $21 per seat | not checked | For small teams, up to 300 seats |
Note the AI Pro price: €21.99 on the Spanish-language page against $19.99 in the US. Prices vary by country, so check the price shown in your own Google account.
Where Gemini fits in web and agency work
Coding help. Google’s coding tools are Jules (an asynchronous coding agent) and Antigravity (an agent platform), both with higher limits on paid plans. Since 13 October 2026, Antigravity is built into the Gemini macOS app.
Content. The strongest argument for Gemini is where it lives: Gmail, Docs and Vids on AI Pro, and inside Google Workspace for business accounts. Drafting a reply or an outline where you’re already writing saves a copy-and-paste. As with any assistant, ask for British English (or Spanish from Spain) explicitly, and edit the draft before it goes out.
Research. Deep Research is on the free plan, and AI Mode in Search gets Argon on Pro and Ultra. Google says Gemini grounds some answers in Search results. As always, check the original source before it reaches a client.
Business use. If a client already runs on Google Workspace, Gemini is the path of least resistance. Gemini Enterprise starts at $21 per seat for small teams.
Privacy, data and the EU
From the Gemini Apps Privacy Hub, checked on 17 October 2026:
- A Keep Activity setting controls whether your chats are saved and used to improve Google’s AI.
- Even with it off, chats are kept for 72 hours to respond to you and for safety; temporary chats aren’t used to train models.
- Human reviewers, including people at Google’s service providers, read some conversations. Google’s own advice: don’t enter confidential information you wouldn’t want a reviewer to see.
For developers, the API pricing page says content on the free tier is used to improve Google’s products; on the paid tier it isn’t. That matters if you prototype client work on a free API key.
On availability: Google AI Pro is offered in more than 150 countries and territories. Some newer features (connected apps, for example) are English-first and US-first. The same rule for client work applies across this series: no client personal data or passwords in a consumer chat.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built into Gmail, Docs and Search, which many small businesses already use.
- A generous free plan, including Deep Research.
- Cheap entry plan (AI Plus at $4.99 / €4.99), and AI Pro includes 5 TB of storage.
- Very large single window (about 1 million tokens) on Gemini 4 Argon.
- Low API prices on Flash models, with a free API tier for testing.
Cons
- Introductory API prices double on 1 December 2026 (Argon) and 1 January 2027 (3.8 Flash).
- Human review of some chats, even when activity saving is off.
- Free-tier API content is used to improve Google’s products.
- Several new features launch in English and the US first.
- The product line-up (Flash-Lite, Flash, Pro, Argon, Plus, Pro, Ultra) is confusing to explain to clients.
- AI Pro costs more in euros than in dollars.
Who Gemini suits
Gemini suits businesses that already live in Google Workspace, and anyone who wants a capable free plan. For agencies, the API’s Flash models are worth a look for high-volume jobs, as long as you budget for the price change.
In short: the obvious first try for businesses already on Google Workspace, and the free plan is generous. Solo owners can start with Free or AI Plus; agencies should compare the Workspace business plans and budget for the API price rises.
Next in the series: part 6 of 6, Grok vs ChatGPT vs Claude vs Meta AI vs Gemini (the comparison).
The AI assistants series
This is part 5 of 6.
- Grok in 2026
- ChatGPT in 2026
- Claude in 2026
- Meta AI in 2026
- Gemini in 2026 (you are here)
- Grok vs ChatGPT vs Claude vs Meta AI vs Gemini (the comparison)
Facts checked on 17 October 2026 on Google’s own pages. Argon’s API price changes on 1 December 2026; we’ll update this page after that date.
