What is Google Gemini?
Google Gemini replaced Bard in February 2024 and represents Google's most serious push into conversational AI. What sets it apart is the Google integration: Gemini can pull from your Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Drive to give you personalised answers. The current flagship, Gemini 3.1 Pro, keeps the 1 million token context window — large enough for roughly a 900-page PDF in a single prompt — which makes it excellent for long-document work. The free tier is surprisingly capable. Google rebranded its paid tiers in 2026: Google AI Plus starts at $7.99/month, Google AI Pro (the renamed Gemini Advanced) is $19.99/month, and Google AI Ultra runs $100–$200/month for the heaviest users. If you live in the Google ecosystem, this is a natural fit.
Pros & Cons
What works well
- Deep integration with Google Search and Workspace
- 1 million token context window on Gemini 3.1 Pro
- Strong real-time web search capabilities
- Multimodal — handles text, images, and code
- Free tier is very capable
- Leads competitors on math and abstract-reasoning benchmarks
Things to know
- Less creative than Claude for long-form writing
- Can feel more corporate / cautious in tone
- Deeper Workspace integrations require a paid Google AI plan
What people use Google Gemini for
- Research with real-time web access
- Analysing files from Google Drive
- Drafting emails in Gmail
- Summarising long documents
- Multimodal tasks with images
Pricing
Free tier available. Google AI Plus from $7.99/month, Google AI Pro (formerly Gemini Advanced) at $19.99/month, Google AI Ultra from $100/month.
See current pricing