Starting Oct. 9, 2026, Gemini users without a Google AI plan can no longer pick a model. Their picker shows only "Auto," and Google's support page describes free access as Flash-Lite, its fastest and lightest model. Choosing Flash or Pro yourself is no longer a free option.

What free users get now

Google says Auto sends each prompt to the model that suits it best. Most prompts go to Flash-Lite. Prompts that need deeper reasoning "may go to Flash or Pro," so some heavier requests can still reach a larger model.

With smart model selection turned off, free chats use Flash-Lite for every response, according to 9to5Google's reading of the app. Free users also keep standard usage limits and a 32,000-token context window, based on Google's help page.

Which plan keeps what

9to5Google's table of Google's updated support document shows who can use which model:

  • No plan: Auto only. Most prompts go to Flash-Lite, and some may be routed to Flash or Pro.
  • AI Plus: Flash-Lite and Flash, with Pro being removed.
  • AI Pro and AI Ultra: Flash-Lite, Flash and Pro.

The Verge reports the same: free users need a $4.99 AI Plus plan to use Flash, and AI Plus will lose Pro. It adds that Google will email AI Plus subscribers when they lose access. Google's plan page still lists Pro under AI Plus and its help page still shows the older all-models table, so those pages may lag. The AI Plus change is upcoming: your date is in Google's email.

What each US plan costs

Prices on Google's US subscriptions page on Oct. 10, 2026:

  • Free: $0, with 15 GB of storage.
  • Google AI Plus: $4.99 a month, with 2x standard usage and 400 GB of storage.
  • Google AI Pro: $19.99 a month, with 4x standard usage and 1,000 Flow credits.
  • Google AI Ultra: $99.99 or $199.99 a month, with 5x or 20x the AI Pro limits.

What buyers should know

If you only chat casually, the change is small: Auto still handles most prompts. If you relied on Pro for long coding, math or research prompts, the free plan no longer guarantees it. You are not choosing the model, so results can vary.

AI Plus is the one to watch. Google says it will email subscribers when the change reaches them. If you pay $4.99 mainly for Pro access, check your plan before the next billing date.

AI Pro at $19.99 is the cheapest tier that keeps Pro. The Verge says Deep Think is limited to AI Pro and Ultra, but Google's help page still lists it as Ultra only, so confirm before upgrading for it. Google also notes that its limits can change.