Gemini vs ChatGPT: plans, prices and limits
The two main plans cost almost the same. Google’s plan lists storage and other Google services alongside Gemini; OpenAI’s pricing page lists none for Plus. The rows below cover the rest.
Facts checked 1 Oct 202654 of 62 cells sourced, 8 marked not verified
The short version
- The main paid plans are a cent apart: Google AI Pro is $19.99 a month and ChatGPT Plus is $20 a month.
- Google has a cheaper step: AI Plus at $4.99 a month. OpenAI’s low-cost plan is Go; we could only read its Australian price (A$13), and OpenAI says Go may include ads.
- Google AI Pro lists 5 TB of storage and Gemini inside Gmail and Docs. OpenAI’s pricing page lists no storage or other bundled service for Plus.
- Both free plans include a research mode and image generation. OpenAI marks both as limited on Free; Google lists both on its Free plan.
- On the API, gemini-3.1-pro-preview lists $2 input and $12 output per million tokens for prompts up to 200k tokens ($4 and $18 above that); gpt-6-astra lists $10 and $50 at its standard rate, with a higher long-context rate. Gemini’s maximum output is 65,536 tokens against 128K.
Plans and prices
US dollars unless a cell says otherwise. Vendors show different prices in different countries and add tax in some.
| What | GeminiGoogle | ChatGPTOpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, with a Google Account. Access to 3.6 Flash and varying access to 3.1 Pro; 15 GB storageSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Yes. Unlimited text chats with GPT-5.6 Luna; limited uploads, images, voice and deep researchSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Low-cost tier | Google AI Plus, $4.99/month. 2x the Free usage limits, 400 GB storageSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Go. A$13/month on the Australian page; this plan may include adsUS dollar price not verified: OpenAI's help page for Go gives no figure and points to the pricing page, which showed A$ from our connection (re-checked 2 Oct 2026).Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Main paid plan | Google AI Pro, $19.99/month. 4x the Free usage limits, 5 TB storageSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Plus, $20/month, billed monthlySource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Heavy-use plans | Google AI Ultra, $99.99/month (5x AI Pro limits) or $199.99/month (20x)Source: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Pro 100, Pro 200 and Pro 500: $100, $200 and $500/monthSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Team plan | Not verified Google points business accounts to the Gemini Enterprise app; we did not read its pricing. | Business: standard seat $20/month on annual billing or $25 monthly; premium seat $100 or $125. At least 2 seatsSource: OpenAI, checked 2 Oct 2026 |
| Bundled extras on the main paid plan | AI Pro lists 5 TB of storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos, a YouTube Premium Lite plan, and the Google Home Premium Standard planSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | No cloud storage or other non-ChatGPT service is listed for Plus on the pricing pageSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
Limits and models
| What | GeminiGoogle | ChatGPTOpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Context window in the app | Not verified The plans page gives file-upload size (up to 1,500 pages) but no token figure for the app. | Instant models: 27K (Free), 54K (Go and Plus), 128K (Pro). Reasoning models: 256K (Go and Plus), 400K (Pro)Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| How usage limits are described | Compute-based limits that refresh every 5 hours up to a weekly limit; paid tiers are 2x, 4x and up to 20x. AI credits can extend themSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Free: limited messages with uploads. Go: more messages with tools and more uploads. Plus: expanded messages and uploads. Pro: three usage tiers. Exact message counts are not published on the pricing pageSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Models you get | Free: 3.6 Flash, varying access to 3.1 Pro. Paid plans raise access to 3.1 Pro; Ultra adds first access to Deep ThinkSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Free: GPT-5.6 Luna. Plus: advanced reasoning models with GPT-6. Pro: Pro reasoning powered by GPT-6 AstraSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
Features by plan
| What | GeminiGoogle | ChatGPTOpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Deep research | Deep Research is listed on the Free planSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Limited on Free; expanded on Plus; maximum on ProSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Coding agent | Jules (beta) with higher limits from AI Pro; entry rate limits for the Google Antigravity agent from AI ProSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Codex: limited on Free, expanded on Plus, longer sessions on ProSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Voice | Gemini Live on the Free planSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Limited voice chats on Free; more on GoSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Image generation | Image generation and editing on the Free plan; video generation on paid plansSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Limited on Free; more on Go; unlimited and faster on ProSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Memory | Not verified Google lists 'Personal Intelligence' and memory import as features; plan-level detail was not on the page we read. | Limited memory and context on Free; longer on Go; expanded on PlusSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Projects and custom assistants | Gems and Canvas on the Free planSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Projects, scheduled tasks and custom GPTs from PlusSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Works inside other apps | Gemini in Gmail, Vids and more from AI Plus; Docs and Gemini in Chrome from AI ProSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Google Sheets extensions are listed; which plan gets what was not readable on the pageSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Training on your chats | Not verified The plans page links to 'how Google handles data' but states no setting; not checked further. | Opt-out available on Free, Go, Plus and ProSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Ads | Not verified Nothing about ads in the Gemini app is stated on the plans page. | Ads may appear on the Free tier in certain countriesThe pricing page says the Go plan “may include ads”.Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
Voice, files and access
| What | GeminiGoogle | ChatGPTOpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Voice: where it works and limits | Gemini Live needs the Gemini mobile app and a signed-in Google Account; it is not available in the Gemini web app. It supports video streaming and screen sharingSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Free: limited access to GPT-Live-1 mini. Go: 3 hours of GPT-Live-1 mini. Plus: 3 hours of GPT-Live-1, measured over a rolling 24 hours. Live does not support video or screen sharingSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| File uploads | Up to 10 files per prompt; 100 MB per file. Paid Google AI plans raise upload limitsSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | 512MB per file; text and document files capped at 2M tokens; images 20MB each. Free users: 3 file uploads a daySource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Video | Upload: each video up to 2 GB; 5 minutes in total, or 1 hour with Google AI Pro or UltraVideo generation is listed on paid plans (see Image generation).Source: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | In voice, Live does not support video or screen sharing; video and screen sharing remain available to eligible subscribers in the iOS and Android apps when using AdvancedVideo upload and video generation were not read.Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Can you use it without an account? | Some features of the Gemini web app work without signing in. More features, and saving activity, need a Google AccountSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Yes at chatgpt.com in supported countries (not yet in Europe, except the UK). Logged out you get one conversation at a time and chats are not savedSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Where it runs | The Gemini app on Android (including as the phone's assistant) and on iOSThe web app at gemini.google.com is described on Google's sign-in help page.Source: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Web, iOS and Android for voice in chat; a desktop app on macOS and WindowsSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
For developers: API
API prices are separate from the app subscriptions above. Prices are per one million tokens.
| What | GeminiGoogle | ChatGPTOpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Top API model and price per 1M tokens | gemini-3.1-pro-preview: $2 input, $12 output for prompts up to 200k tokens; $4 and $18 above thatSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | gpt-6-astra: $10 input, $50 outputSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Mid-priced API model | gemini-3.8-flash: $0.75 input, $3.75 output through 31 Dec 2026; $1.50 and $7.50 from 1 Jan 2027Source: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | gpt-6.1-sol: $2 input, $10 outputSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Cheapest current API model | Not verified Google lists several Flash-Lite models; we did not read their prices today. | gpt-6-luna: $0.10 input, $0.50 outputSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| API context window | 1,048,576 input tokens on gemini-3.1-pro-preview and gemini-3.8-flashSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | 1.05M tokens on gpt-6-astra, gpt-6.1-sol and gpt-6-lunaSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| API maximum output | 65,536 tokensSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | 128K tokensSource: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Long-prompt surcharge | Yes on gemini-3.1-pro-preview: prompts over 200k tokens cost $4 input, $18 outputSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | A separate, higher 'long context' rate is listed: gpt-6-astra $20 input, $75 outputThe token threshold where the long-context rate starts was not captured.Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Free API tier | gemini-3.8-flash has a free tier (content may be used to improve Google products); gemini-3.1-pro-preview has noneSource: Google, checked 1 Oct 2026 | Not verified Not read today. |
| Knowledge cutoff of top model | Not verified Not captured from the model page. | 30 Apr 2026 (gpt-6-astra)Source: OpenAI, checked 1 Oct 2026 |
Best for, and not ideal for
Each point follows from a row in the tables above. We have not run quality or speed tests, so nothing here says which one writes or codes better.
Gemini
Best for
- People already paying for Google storage. AI Pro bundles 5 TB and AI Plus 400 GB.
- A low paid price: AI Plus at $4.99 a month, the lowest paid price we could verify among ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
- Free users who want research and image tools. Deep Research and image generation are on the Free plan.
- Developers watching token cost at the top end: gemini-3.1-pro-preview lists $2 input and $12 output per million tokens for prompts up to 200k tokens, and $4 and $18 above that.
Not ideal for
- Long API responses. Maximum output is 65,536 tokens; OpenAI and Anthropic list 128K.
- People who want a plain token number for the app: Google describes app limits as compute-based, refreshing every 5 hours.
ChatGPT
Best for
- People who want tiers to grow into: there are Go, Plus and three Pro levels between free and $500 a month.
- Heavy image use. Image creation is listed from the Free plan and becomes unlimited on Pro.
- Developers who need a very cheap model: gpt-6-luna lists $0.10 per million input tokens, the lowest price among the models we read today.
Not ideal for
- Pasting very long documents on a $20 plan. Plus is capped at a 54K context window on Instant models and 256K on reasoning models.
- Anyone who wants an ad-free low-cost plan: OpenAI says Go may include ads.
Questions people ask
- Is Gemini cheaper than ChatGPT?
- At the main tier the gap is one cent: Google AI Pro is $19.99 a month and ChatGPT Plus is $20. Google also sells AI Plus at $4.99 a month. Both have a free plan.
- What is bundled with Google AI Pro and with ChatGPT Plus?
- Google’s plans page lists 5 TB of cloud storage, Gemini in Gmail, Docs and Chrome, and a YouTube Premium Lite plan with AI Pro. OpenAI’s pricing page lists ChatGPT features for Plus, such as projects, custom GPTs and expanded Codex usage, and no storage or other non-ChatGPT service.
- How do the usage limits differ?
- Google describes compute-based limits that refresh every 5 hours until a weekly limit is reached, with AI Pro at 4x the free allowance. OpenAI describes Plus as having expanded messages and uploads, without publishing counts on the pricing page.
- Google Gemini vs ChatGPT: how do search and other apps fit in?
- Google lists Gemini in Gmail, Vids and more from AI Plus, and in Docs and Chrome from AI Pro. OpenAI lists Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Google Sheets extensions, but which plan gets what was not readable on the page. Both list a research mode: Deep Research is on Gemini’s Free plan, and deep research is limited on ChatGPT Free and expanded on Plus.
Sources
Every figure on this page was read from these vendor pages on 1 Oct 2026. A cell marked “Not verified” means we could not confirm it from a vendor page that day, so we left it blank.
- Google: Google AI plans (United States page), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2026. Read in a browser from an Australian connection; plan prices on this page were shown in A$.
- OpenAI: What is ChatGPT Plus? (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: About ChatGPT Pro tiers (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: ChatGPT Business overview (Help Center), checked 2 Oct 2026. The page gives these as USD prices for most countries and says pricing may vary by country and currency.
- OpenAI: ChatGPT Free Tier FAQ (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: Gemini API pricing, checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: Models (API docs), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview model page, checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: Pricing (API docs), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: Talk naturally with Gemini Live (Gemini Apps Help), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: ChatGPT Voice (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: Upload and analyze files in Gemini Apps (Gemini Apps Help), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: File Uploads FAQ (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: What you need to sign in to Gemini Apps (Gemini Apps Help), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- OpenAI: The ChatGPT home page (Help Center), checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Google: Get started with the Gemini mobile app (Gemini Apps Help), checked 1 Oct 2026.
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