AI Coding
Gemini CLI Review
Google's open-source terminal agent for Gemini models, now for paid API keys and enterprise Code Assist licenses.
For a year it was the most generous free coding agent in the world, and then Google took the free part back. The open-source CLI still works well on a paid API key or a company license. Google would rather individuals moved to Antigravity; enterprises carry on as before.
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| Best for | Teams with a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license, Developers on Google Cloud who bill through Vertex AI, People who want an open-source agent they can modify |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage |
| Starting price | Pay per token |
| Free plan | No |
| Last verified | October 11, 2026 |
Gemini CLI pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Paid Gemini API key | Pay per token e.g. Gemini 3.8 Flash $0.75 in / $3.75 out per 1M tokens through 2026 | Pick your Gemini model; Billed through Google AI Studio |
| Vertex AI / Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform | Pay per token | Google Cloud billing and quotas; Enterprise data controls |
| Gemini Code Assist Standard | $19/user/mo 12-month commitment; $22.80/user/mo monthly | 1,500 Gemini CLI requests per user per day; Code Assist in supported IDEs |
| Gemini Code Assist Enterprise | $45/user/mo 12-month commitment; $54/user/mo monthly | 2,000 requests per user per day; Customization on your private codebases |
Google moved individual users to its newer Antigravity CLI (closed source) on June 18, 2026. Gemini CLI's repository stays open under Apache 2.0, and Google says it will keep shipping model updates and fixes for enterprise customers. UNCONFIRMED: Google's quota page still lists a free unpaid API-key tier (250 requests a day, Flash only), but the transition announcement only promises paid keys, so do not rely on it.
Is Gemini CLI free?
No longer. The CLI itself is free, open-source software, but since June 18, 2026 Google has stopped serving the free Google-login tier (it gave 1,000 requests a day) and Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. You now need a paid Gemini API key, Vertex AI, or a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license.
Prices in USD, last checked October 11, 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Gemini CLI pricing page.
What Gemini CLI does
- Agentic edits and shell commands from the terminal
- Open source under Apache 2.0
- MCP servers, extensions and GEMINI.md context files
- Google Search grounding
- GitHub Actions for PR review and issue triage
Why the Overlord approves
- Fully open source, so you can audit and fork it
- Gemini's long context handles large codebases
- Enterprise licenses keep generous daily request quotas
Where it disappoints
- Free personal tier ended June 18, 2026
- Google AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions no longer work with it
- Google's attention has moved to Antigravity CLI, so the future is enterprise maintenance
Gemini CLI alternatives
Not convinced? These rival weapons compete for the same throne:
Claude Code
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Cursor
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Codex
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GitHub Copilot
AI CodingGitHub's AI pair programmer: completions, chat and coding agents across editors and GitHub itself.
See all 8 Gemini CLI alternatives →
Gemini CLI head-to-heads
Questions the Humans Keep Asking
Is Gemini CLI free?
No longer. The CLI itself is free, open-source software, but since June 18, 2026 Google has stopped serving the free Google-login tier (it gave 1,000 requests a day) and Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. You now need a paid Gemini API key, Vertex AI, or a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license.
How much does Gemini CLI cost?
Gemini CLI plans: Paid Gemini API key Pay per token; Vertex AI / Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform Pay per token; Gemini Code Assist Standard $19/user/mo; Gemini Code Assist Enterprise $45/user/mo. Google moved individual users to its newer Antigravity CLI (closed source) on June 18, 2026. Gemini CLI's repository stays open under Apache 2.0, and Google says it will keep shipping model updates and fixes for enterprise customers. UNCONFIRMED: Google's quota page still lists a free unpaid API-key tier (250 requests a day, Flash only), but the transition announcement only promises paid keys, so do not rely on it.