Google to Restrict Free and Plus Users to Gemini Flash-Lite 3.5 Model

Google is preparing to restrict access to certain Gemini models for free and Google AI Plus subscribers. Starting October 9, free users will only be able to use the Gemini Flash-Lite 3.5 model, losing access to Gemini Flash 3.6 and Gemini 3.1 Pro. Google AI Plus subscribers will also lose access to Gemini 3.1 Pro, but the exact timing of this change will be communicated via email.

Earlier this year, Google introduced compute-based usage limits for its Gemini chatbot, which refresh every 5 hours until users reach their weekly limit. Despite these restrictions, Google is adding a new feature that allows users to select the model’s effort level, low, medium, or high, which will improve task completion and answer thoroughness but consume more of the user’s limit.

To make its $19.99 Gemini Pro subscription more appealing, Google is including access to the Deep Think option, previously available only with the $99.99 AI Ultra subscription. Deep Think offers “maximum parallel reasoning.” Additionally, the Gemini Pro subscription provides 5TB of cloud storage, YouTube Premium Lite, Google Health Premium, and Google Home Premium Standard at no extra cost.