Yes, Gemini CLI is free: the tool itself is open source under the Apache 2.0 license, and signing in with a personal Google account gives you up to 1,000 model requests per day at no cost.
As of November 1, 2026, Google’s Gemini CLI quota documentation lists three free options. Logging in with Google (Gemini Code Assist for individuals) allows 1,000 requests per user per day across the Gemini model family. An unpaid Gemini API key allows 250 requests per day and uses the Flash model only. Vertex AI Express Mode works without billing for 90 days, with account-specific limits.
If you need more, a Google AI Pro subscription raises the limit to 1,500 requests per day and Google AI Ultra to 2,000. Google AI Plus is not supported. For uninterrupted use beyond these caps, you can switch to pay-as-you-go billing with a Gemini API key or Vertex AI, where you pay per token. Requests are also limited per minute, and you can check your usage with the /stats model command.
Related: Is Gemini free? and Gemini API CLI guide
Source: Gemini CLI documentation, “Quotas and pricing”; google-gemini/gemini-cli repository on GitHub (Apache 2.0 license)
Image: Google Gemini logo by Google LLC, public domain (trademarked), via Wikimedia Commons. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC.