Google drops free access to Gemini Flash and Pro on October 9
Google's support document says that starting October 9, 2026, personal accounts without a paid Google AI plan will be limited to the Flash-Lite model in the Gemini app and website, losing access to Flash and Pro. The roughly $5/month AI Plus tier keeps Flash but also loses Pro (Engadget cites the Gemini 3.1 Pro model), while Pro and the Deep Think reasoning mode become limited to the pricier AI Pro (~$20) and Ultra (~$100) plans. Google is also adding low, medium and high "effort level" options per model, and Ultra subscribers will later get Gemini 4 Argon; one report says Gemini API, AI Studio and Workspace are unaffected for now.
For people who use Gemini for coding or long-document analysis, stronger models are becoming a paid differentiator rather than a default free option.