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Coding agent · prices checked Nov 3, 2026

Gemini CLI for vibe coding: pricing, pros, cons and real apps

Google's open-source (Apache 2.0) terminal coding agent for Gemini models. Since June 18, 2026 it no longer serves free, Google AI Pro or Ultra individual users, who were moved to the closed-source Antigravity CLI; it remains for Code Assist Standard/Enterprise and paid API/Vertex keys.

Heads up: Since June 18, 2026 Gemini CLI no longer serves free, Google AI Pro or Ultra individual users; Google points them to Antigravity CLI.

No
free plan
Gemini API pay-as-you-go
paid from
—
makers here
Nov 3, 2026
checked

Official site: github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli · Links on this page are not affiliate links.

Short answer

Now aimed at enterprise Code Assist customers and developers with paid Gemini API or Vertex keys; individuals are pointed to Antigravity CLI.

Pick Gemini CLI if: You have a paid Gemini API key or a Code Assist license and want an open-source terminal agent.

Skip it if: You're an individual hoping for free use; Google moved you to Antigravity CLI.

Gemini CLI at a glance

Type
Coding agent
Made by
Google (Mountain View)
Best for
Developers
Free plan
No. The Google-account free tier (formerly 1,000 requests/day) ended for Gemini CLI on June 18, 2026. Google's quota doc still lists a Gemini API key free tier of 250 requests/day on Flash only.
Paid from
Gemini API pay-as-you-go
Pricing model
free/open-source + paid API key or enterprise license
Builds
code
Tech stack
any language (edits your repo)
Hosting & deploy
No built-in hosting; runs your own deploy commands.
Code ownership
local repo
AI models
Google Gemini models via API key/Vertex (e.g. gemini-3.1-pro-preview, Flash models); Google says it is not optimized for Gemini 4 Argon
Runs on
terminal (npm, npx, Homebrew, MacPorts, Anaconda)

Gemini CLI pricing (Nov 3, 2026)

Official pricing →
Gemini CLI plans · checked Nov 3, 2026 on the official pricing page
PlanPriceWhat you get
Gemini API key (pay-as-you-go)Pay per tokene.g. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview $2/$12 per 1M tokens (<=200k prompts)
Vertex AIPay per tokenExpress Mode free for 90 days, then billing required
Gemini Code Assist StandardSee Google Cloud1,500 requests/day; access unchanged after June 18, 2026
Gemini Code Assist EnterpriseSee Google Cloud2,000 requests/day; access unchanged
Google AI Pro / Ultran/a for Gemini CLIStopped working in Gemini CLI on June 18, 2026; use Antigravity CLI instead

Pricing model: free/open-source + paid API key or enterprise license. The Google-account free tier (formerly 1,000 requests/day) ended for Gemini CLI on June 18, 2026. Google's quota doc still lists a Gemini API key free tier of 250 requests/day on Flash only.

How to vibe code with Gemini CLI

Short steps based on the official docs.

  1. Install: npm install -g @google/gemini-cli (or brew install gemini-cli)
  2. Set a paid Gemini API key (GEMINI_API_KEY) or sign in with a Code Assist Standard/Enterprise account
  3. cd into your project and run gemini
  4. Optionally pick a model with gemini -m <model>
  5. Describe the change you want and approve tool actions
  6. If you're an individual on a free or Google AI Pro/Ultra account, install Antigravity CLI from antigravity.google/download instead

Pros

  • Open source under Apache 2.0
  • Weekly stable and preview releases plus nightlies
  • Works with paid Gemini API keys, Vertex AI and Code Assist licenses
  • Supports extensions, MCP and headless use in scripts

Cons and limits

  • No free individual tier since June 18, 2026
  • Google AI Pro/Ultra subscriptions no longer work with it
  • Google is steering individuals to Antigravity CLI, which lacks 1:1 feature parity
  • Gemini models only

Gemini CLI news, 2025–2026

Funding, launches and changes, each from the sources listed below.

  • May 19, 2026: Google announced it is transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI, a Go-based agent sharing a harness with the Antigravity 2.0 desktop app (Google Developers Blog)
  • Jun 18, 2026: Gemini CLI and Code Assist IDE extensions stopped serving Google AI Pro/Ultra and free Code Assist individual users (Google Developers Blog)

Indie makers who use Gemini CLI

No maker on IndieMakerList lists Gemini CLI in their stack yet.

Built something with Gemini CLI? Add your profile and list it in your stack.

Gemini CLI alternatives

All vibe coding tools →
  • Claude Code$20/mo (Claude Pro)

    You want the agent and model pair that currently tops Terminal-Bench 4.0 working across your whole repo, in a terminal, IDE or desktop app.

  • CodexFree in ChatGPT; Plus $20/mo

    You already pay for ChatGPT or want an agent you can try free, in a terminal or the ChatGPT app.

  • ClineFree + model API costs

    You want a free, open-source agent in VS Code and control over which model you pay for.

  • gooseFree + model API costs

    You want a free, open-source, model-agnostic agent with a desktop app that also handles non-coding tasks.

  • BoltFree plan · $25/mo

    You want a browser builder that can also produce an Expo mobile app and lets you pick the Claude model.

  • ReplitFree plan · $20/mo

    You want an agent plus a full cloud IDE, database and hosting in one place, and may grow into editing code.

Gemini CLI FAQ

Is Gemini CLI free?

No, not for building. The Google-account free tier (formerly 1,000 requests/day) ended for Gemini CLI on June 18, 2026. Google's quota doc still lists a Gemini API key free tier of 250 requests/day on Flash only. Paid use starts at Gemini API pay-as-you-go (checked Nov 3, 2026).

How much does Gemini CLI cost?

Gemini CLI pricing as listed on its official page on Nov 3, 2026: Gemini API key (pay-as-you-go): Pay per token; Vertex AI: Pay per token; Gemini Code Assist Standard: See Google Cloud; Gemini Code Assist Enterprise: See Google Cloud; Google AI Pro / Ultra: n/a for Gemini CLI. Pricing model: free/open-source + paid API key or enterprise license.

Is Gemini CLI good for vibe coding?

Now aimed at enterprise Code Assist customers and developers with paid Gemini API or Vertex keys; individuals are pointed to Antigravity CLI. Pick it if: You have a paid Gemini API key or a Code Assist license and want an open-source terminal agent. Skip it if: You're an individual hoping for free use; Google moved you to Antigravity CLI.

Which AI models does Gemini CLI use?

Google Gemini models via API key/Vertex (e.g. gemini-3.1-pro-preview, Flash models); Google says it is not optimized for Gemini 4 Argon

Can I export my code from Gemini CLI?

local repo

What are the best Gemini CLI alternatives?

Common alternatives are Claude Code ($20/mo (Claude Pro)), Codex (Free in ChatGPT; Plus $20/mo), Cline (Free + model API costs), goose (Free + model API costs) and Bolt ($25/mo). See the full comparison of vibe coding tools for how they differ.

Related: what vibe coding is, the best vibe coding tools compared, head-to-head comparisons and the indie maker tech stack.

Sources

Official pages were read on Nov 3, 2026. Prices change often; check the vendor's page before you buy.

  1. gemini-cli GitHub README
  2. Gemini CLI quota and pricing
  3. Google Developers Blog: Transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI
  4. Gemini API pricing
What we couldn't confirm from an official source
  • Homebrew formula name (brew install gemini-cli) not confirmed; README lists Homebrew as an option
  • Gemini Code Assist Standard/Enterprise seat prices not fetched
  • Whether the Gemini API key free tier (250 req/day, Flash) still applies in Gemini CLI after June 18, 2026 is unclear; the quota page predates/overlaps the cutoff notice
  • Antigravity CLI's own free-tier quota is not published as a number