ChatGPT Plus vs Google AI Pro (Gemini) (Oct 2026)
ChatGPT starts at $8/mo, Gemini at $4.99/mo. Both have a free plan. Every plan from both vendors, the limits each one actually publishes, and what changed recently, with a source on every line.
The short answer
- Cheaper to start
- Gemini. Google AI Plus is $4.99/mo; the cheapest ChatGPT plan, ChatGPT Go, is $8/mo ($3.01 more).
- Free plan
- Both have one. What each includes is quoted under Free plans below.
- Top of the ladder
- ChatGPT Pro 500 at $500/mo vs Google AI Ultra (20x) at $199.99/mo.
- Hard numbers
- Neither vendor publishes exact allowances, so the limits below are quoted, not counted.
- Latest move
- ChatGPT, 29 Sep 2026: ChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance.
Pick Gemini if you want the lowest monthly bill. Beyond price and free access, the deciding factor is which models and features you need; we track the money, not the model quality.
Head to head
| Fact | ChatGPT | Gemini |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free tier | Free tier |
| Cheapest plan | Go · $8/mo | Google AI Plus · $4.99/mo |
| Top plan | Pro 500 · $500/mo | Google AI Ultra (20x) · $199.99/mo |
| Plans tracked | 5 | 4 |
| Yearly discount | None shown | None shown |
| Allowance periods | Not stated | Monthly |
| Latest change | new tierlimit cut | price cutnew tier |
| Last checked |
Closest price match: ChatGPT Plus vs Google AI Pro
Google AI Pro
Every plan side by side
| Tool | Plan | Price | Limits as stated & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Go | $8/mo | More messages with tools, more uploads, image creation and voice than Free; longer memory. May include ads. Exact caps not published. Source: chatgpt.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Plus | $20/mo | Expanded messages/uploads, advanced reasoning with GPT-6, expanded deep research and Codex. 'Limits apply'; message caps may vary with demand and are not published. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 100 | $100/mo | Pro reasoning (GPT-6 Astra), longer Codex/Work sessions, 'unlimited' subject to abuse guardrails. Lowest of three Pro tiers; per-model allowances vary by tier and are not published. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 200 | $200/mo | More usage than Pro 100. New (non-grandfathered) Pro 200 subscriptions get a lower usage allowance than previously offered. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 500 | $500/mo | Highest included usage; includes GPT-6 Astra Ultrafast and GPT-6.1 Sol Ultrafast. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Gemini | Google AI Plus | $4.99/mo | 2x standard (Free) usage limits; 128k context; 200 Google Flow credits; 400 GB storage. Source: gemini.google · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Gemini | Google AI Pro | $19.99/mo | 4x standard usage limits; 1M-token context; 1,000 Flow credits; higher Jules limits; entry Antigravity rate limits; $10/mo Google Cloud credits; 5 TB storage. Source: gemini.google · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Gemini | Google AI Ultra (5x) | $99.99/mo | 5x AI Pro usage limits; 10,000 Flow credits; higher Antigravity limits; YouTube Premium; from 20 TB storage. Source: gemini.google · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Gemini | Google AI Ultra (20x) | $199.99/mo | 20x AI Pro usage limits; 25,000 Flow credits; highest Antigravity limits. Source: gemini.google · checked 2026-10-16 |
Free plans
| Tool | Free? | What you get for $0 & source |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Free tier | Free $0: 'Unlimited text chats with GPT-6' subject to abuse guardrails; limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory, Codex access. Help center says Free users have GPT-5.6 Luna; tools have separate limits. Ads may appear in some countries. Source: chatgpt.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Gemini | Free tier | Free $0 with a Google Account: 'standard limits' (compute-based; refresh every 5 hours until a weekly limit); 32k-token context window; limited Nano Banana Pro; 15 GB storage. Source: support.google.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Recent price and limit changes
-
new tierlimit cutChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance
Pro 500 adds Ultrafast GPT-6 Astra / GPT-6.1 Sol. New, non-grandfathered Pro 200 subscriptions get a lower allowance; grandfathered users keep the old allowance through Oct 29, 2026.
-
price cutnew tierGoogle AI Ultra cut from $249.99 to $199.99; new $99.99 Ultra (5x Pro) tier
Announced at Google I/O 2026. The top Ultra tier keeps 20x AI Pro limits at the lower price.
-
new tierChatGPT adds a $100/month Pro tier (5x Plus Codex usage)
New Pro tier between Plus ($20) and Pro ($200); temporary 10x Codex promo through May 31, 2026. Plus Codex usage rebalanced across the week.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT or Gemini?
Gemini is cheaper to start: Google AI Plus costs $4.99/mo, against $8/mo for ChatGPT Go. At the top end, ChatGPT Pro 500 is $500/mo and Google AI Ultra (20x) is $199.99/mo.
Is ChatGPT or Gemini free?
ChatGPT: Yes. Free $0: 'Unlimited text chats with GPT-6' subject to abuse guardrails; limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory, Codex access. Help center says Free users have GPT-5.6 Luna; tools have separate limits. Ads may appear in some countries. Gemini: Yes. Free $0 with a Google Account: 'standard limits' (compute-based; refresh every 5 hours until a weekly limit); 32k-token context window; limited Nano Banana Pro; 15 GB storage.
How do the usage limits compare at the closest price?
ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo): Expanded messages/uploads, advanced reasoning with GPT-6, expanded deep research and Codex. 'Limits apply'; message caps may vary with demand and are not published. Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo): 4x standard usage limits; 1M-token context; 1,000 Flow credits; higher Jules limits; entry Antigravity rate limits; $10/mo Google Cloud credits; 5 TB storage.
When did ChatGPT and Gemini last change their pricing?
29 Sep 2026, ChatGPT: ChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance. 19 May 2026, Gemini: Google AI Ultra cut from $249.99 to $199.99; new $99.99 Ultra (5x Pro) tier. 9 Apr 2026, ChatGPT: ChatGPT adds a $100/month Pro tier (5x Plus Codex usage).