spb/doc-api

1This guide provides an overview of different Gemini API billing options,2explains how to enable billing and monitor usage, and provides answers to3frequently asked questions (FAQs) about billing.45## About billing and tiers67Billing for the Gemini API is based on your payment history.89| Usage tier | Qualification | [Billing tier cap](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#spend-caps) |10|---|---|---|11| **Free** | [Active project](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) or free trial | N/A |12| **Tier 1** | [Set up and link an active billing account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) | $250 |13| **Tier 2** | Paid $100 + 3 days from first successful payment | $2,000 |14| **Tier 3** | Paid $1,000 + 30 days from first successful payment | $20,000 - $100,000+ |1516New accounts begin on the Free Tier, which allows access to17[certain models](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing) in the Gemini API and AI Studio,18up to the models' free tier [rate limits](https://aistudio.google.com/rate-limit).1920To deploy your applications directly from Build mode, you can use the21**Google Cloud Starter Tier** . This tier lets you publish up to 2 full stack22applications without setting up a Google Cloud project or billing account.23See [Deploying from Google AI Studio](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/aistudio-deploying) for24details and refer to the [Google Cloud Starter Tier documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/starter-tier) for more information.2526To access higher rate limits, use advanced models, and ensure your prompts and27responses are **not** used to improve Google products^\*^, you can28[link a billing account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) and [Prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) to move to the29Paid Tiers.30Then, you'll move through higher tiers based on cumulative spend and account31age.3233Tiers, rate limits, and billing account caps are all determined at the [billing34account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#cloud-billing) level.3536^\*^ *Enterprise-grade data privacy: For more information on data use37for paid services, see the [Terms of Service](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/terms#data-use-paid).*3839## Set up billing to access the Paid Tier4041You can create a project and set up billing, or import an existing project, to42upgrade to the Paid Tier in [Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/projects).43Upgrading from the Free Tier to the Paid Tier means linking a billing account44and [prepaying](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) to add a minimum of $5 (or equivalent in other45currencies) of credits to your account.46471. Go to the AI Studio [API keys](https://aistudio.google.com/api-keys) page, [Projects](https://aistudio.google.com/projects) page, or anywhere you see **Set up billing** button in AI Studio.48   - New users will have a [project and API key](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) created for them by default.49   - If you need a new key, click [**Create API key**](https://aistudio.google.com/api-keys) and follow the dialog to add a key-project pair to the table.502. Find the Free Tier project you want to upgrade to the Paid Tier, and click **Set up billing** under the *Billing Tier* column.513. If you've never set up a Google billing account before:52   - You'll be asked to select your country to agree to the Terms of Service.53   - Then, fill in or confirm your contact information and payment method to continue.544. If you have set up Google billing accounts in the past:55   - You'll be asked to choose from your existing billing accounts.56   - If you don't want to use any of your existing accounts, click **Add new57     billing account** and fill in or confirm your contact information and payment method to continue.585. Next, you will either be:59   - Asked to prepay a minimum of $5 to complete billing setup (meaning your account is auto-assigned to the [Prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) billing plan),60   - Given the choice between [Prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) and [Postpay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#postpay) billing plans for your account.61   - Assigned to a [Postpay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#postpay) billing plan for an intermediary period until the new Prepay system propagates to all users (starting March 23, 2026).626. After prepaying or selecting Postpay, your account setup is complete.6364### Upgrade to the next paid tier6566If you're already on a paid tier and meet the [criteria](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#about-billing)67for a plan change, you will be automatically upgraded to the next tier68(subject to [processing times](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#processing-times)).6970## Verify billing status7172After you have [linked a billing account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) to your project, you73can monitor its status on the74[AI Studio Billing page](https://aistudio.google.com/billing). Unlike the free75tier, paid tier status is dynamic; while your usage tier is determined by your76account history, the Gemini API will only serve requests if you have a77positive [Prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) credit balance.7879On the [Projects](https://aistudio.google.com/projects) page, you'll be able to80see your project's tier and billing plan under the *Billing Tier* column. Any81billing status actions you may need to take for a project display in the82*Billing Tier* or *Status* columns:8384- "***Set up billing***" if the project doesn't have a billing account attached.85- "***Set up Prepay*** " if the project does have a billing account attached, but is required to use a [Prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#prepay) billing plan that needs to be set up.86- "***No credits***" if the billing account is required to purchase credits but the Prepay payments account isn't set up or the available credit balance is depleted.8788Click any of the messages to proceed with the necessary actions.8990## Monitor usage9192You can monitor your usage of the Gemini API in93[Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/usage) in **Dashboard** \>94**Usage**.9596## Billing plans9798Billing plans for the Gemini API and AI Studio fall into two categories that99determine when you pay for usage: Prepay and Postpay. You can check your100assigned billing plan and manage payment methods on the101[AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.102103> [!IMPORTANT]104> **Important:** Prepay and Postpay billing plans start taking effect **March 23, 2026** .  105> - Accounts that predate the introduction of Prepay and Postpay billing plans will be evaluated and assigned a plan or offered the choice between plans.106> - Accounts created after the effective date might not be immediately affected; you may be assigned a Postpay account initially, and be switched to Prepay once the new billing plan system is fully released. See [Migrate to prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay) for details.107> - If you have a prepay billing account, you must add funds to your account before you can use promotional Cloud Credits. After adding funds, your promotional credits will be consumed first before your prepaid funds.108>109### Prepay110111In the Prepay billing plan, you purchase credits towards your prepay balance in112advance of your Gemini API usage, and your API usage costs are deducted from113your Prepay credit balance in [near real-time](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#processing-times).114You can prepay by [adding credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits) into your account, or setting115up [auto-reload](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#auto-reload). After credits are purchased, unused credits116expire after 12 months and are [non-refundable](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#refunds), except after117[switching to a Postpay account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#postpay).118119When your Prepay credit balance on the billing account hits $0, all API keys in120all projects linked to that billing account will stop working simultaneously.121Prepay credits apply only to Gemini API usage costs; you can't use122them to pay for other Google Cloud services.123124> [!NOTE]125> **Note:** Prepay billing is subject to overages during the approximately 10 minute billing pipeline latency. Long-running tasks like [batch mode](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/batch-api) and agents may continue to consume credits beyond your balance before the system can process and halt usage.126127New users default to the Prepay billing plan. Projects that pre-date the128introduction of Prepay and Postpay billing plans may need to [update their129project's billing details](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#verify-billing) before continuing to use the Gemini130API.131132*Note that Prepay is not available for [Invoiced (or Offline)](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts#billing_account_types)133accounts.*134135#### Add Prepay to an existing Postpay account136137If your existing Cloud Billing account uses a **Postpay** plan, you can add **Prepay**138capabilities to purchase credits in advance. These prepay credits let you use139the Gemini API without creating a new Cloud Billing account.140141During the setup to add **Prepay** to an existing account, you are142presented with a mandatory confirmation screen explaining that your selected143Cloud Billing account will be modified.144145The system must modify your account state *before* you submit your prepayment.146Therefore, canceling the process after confirming the modification but before147completing the prepayment setup might result in temporary service disruptions148for projects already linked to that Cloud Billing account. Ensure you are ready149to complete the prepayment process before confirming the transition. If you150encounter issues, see [Services disrupted after canceling a **Prepay**151setup](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#prepay-issue).152153If you are eligible and manually switch from a **Prepay** cycle to a **Postpay**154cycle, any remaining prepay credit balance is automatically refunded to the155original payment method used for the prepayment. However, if you close your156Cloud Billing account for any other reason, any remaining prepay157credits are forfeited and aren't refunded.158159#### Buy credits160161You can manually purchase credits in advance of your Gemini API usage to load162them into your Prepay account credit balance.163164To purchase credits, go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page and select **Buy credits**.165The minimum purchase is $5. The maximum amount of credits you can prepay for is166$5,000.167168> [!NOTE]169> **Note:** Prepay users must [purchase Prepaid credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits) before they can use any Google Cloud credits that are eligible for the Gemini API. Once you have an active Prepay credit balance, eligible Google Cloud credits are consumed before your Prepay credit balance. When your Prepay credit balance on the billing account hits $0, Google Cloud credits will no longer be consumed.170171#### Auto reload172173Auto-reload is an optional feature that automatically tops up your Prepay credit174balance when it's running low. This is useful to prevent service interruptions.175176You can set up auto reload and see your auto-reload status in the *Available177credits* card on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing)178page. Click **Setup auto-reload** or179**Manage auto-reload** to set your payment method, reload amount, and the180minimum balance that triggers a reload payment.181182#### Monthly auto-charge limit183184The monthly auto-charge limit is available to Prepay users185and helps prevent unexpected costs from frequent automatic credit reloads.186Use this feature to set a maximum limit for automatic credit reloads within187a single billing cycle. Once the total amount of automatic reloads in a billing188cycle reaches this limit, the system disables auto-reload until the start of the189next month. One-time payments you initiate manually don't count against this limit.190191To set the monthly auto-charge limit when auto-reload is enabled:1921931. Go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.1942. Click **Manage auto-reload**.1953. Expand the **Monthly Limit** section and enter the maximum monthly limit for auto-reloads.1964. Click **Save**.197198### Postpay199200In the Postpay billing plan, your Cloud Billing account accrues costs and you201are automatically charged at the end of the month, or when your costs reach an202[automatically assigned spend cap](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) based on your account tier.203The payment is charged to the payment method attached to your Postpay payments204account, which you can manage on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page. On the **Billing** page you'll be able205to view your balance, due dates, and past payments, as well as make payments and206manage payment methods.207208When [setting up billing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) for a new project, if you are eligible209for Postpay, you will have the option to choose between Prepay and Postpay in210the [billing setup](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) dialogue.211212After you switch a Cloud Billing account to use the Postpay billing plan, all213projects linked to that billing account are switched to the Postpay plan. You214can move an eligible account to Prepay by following the steps in [Migrate to prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay). You can also215move a project to a billing account with a different billing plan to change216the charging cycle for that project; visit the Cloud documentation on [managing217billing for projects](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project).218219You can learn more about the Postpay charging cycle in the [Cloud Billing guide](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle).220221### Migrate to prepay222223Google AI Studio is transitioning developer accounts from Postpay to Prepay billing for Gemini API usage. This change applies only to the Gemini API; other Google Cloud services linked to your billing account remain on Postpay.224225Switch to Prepay and add credits before the cutover date in your account notice to avoid service interruptions. Accounts that use only Free Tier features do not need to take action.226227To switch an existing Postpay account to Prepay:2282291. Go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.2302. Select **Switch to Prepay** for your billing account.2313. [Purchase credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits) (minimum $5) to load your starting balance.232233To prevent service interruptions after switching, configure [auto-reload](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#auto-reload) to top up your credit balance when it runs low.234235## Spend caps236237The Gemini API supports monthly spend caps at both the billing account tier and238project levels. These controls are designed to protect your account from239unexpected overages, and the ecosystem to ensure service availability.240241*Note that spend caps are not available for [Invoiced (or Offline)](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts#billing_account_types)242accounts.*243244### Project spend caps245246> [!WARNING]247> **Experimental:** The feature is experimental and limited in scope. You are subject to overages for around a 10 minute latency period.248249You can set your own [project-level](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) spend caps in AI Studio.250This is useful if you have multiple projects under the same billing251account and want to ensure each has access to enough of the cumulative spending252limit.253254Accounts with the project editor, owner, or admin [roles](https://docs.cloud.google.com/iam/docs/roles-overview) can set spend caps per255project in AI Studio on the [Spend](https://aistudio.google.com/spend) page256under **Monthly spend cap** \> **Edit spend cap**.257258For details on the specific Google Cloud IAM permissions required to view or edit spend caps and billing information in AI Studio, see the [AI Studio troubleshooting guide](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/troubleshoot-ai-studio#iam-permissions).259260If you [move a project to a different billing account](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#change_the_billing_account_for_a_project),261any spend cap you already set for that project will persist, but any accumulated262spend will reset to $0 for the new billing cycle.263264Long-running tasks like [batch mode](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/batch-api) completions and265agent sessions may incur overages beyond your project spend cap.266267Billing data processing times can be delayed in AI Studio, up to around 10268minutes. You may experience overages beyond your project cap if billing data269hasn't processed before more charges are accrued.270271### Billing account tier spend caps272273Each [tier](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#about-billing) has a maximum monthly spend limit:274275| Usage tier | Spend cap |276|---|---|277| **Free** | N/A |278| **Tier 1** | $250 |279| **Tier 2** | $2,000 |280| **Tier 3** | $20,000 - $100,000 |281282Monthly usage caps are enforced for the Gemini API at the [billing account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#cloud-billing) level. While default limits are preset, you can [request an283increase](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiP6BWJyNNN65lnwnlOr-5Kv0MOFp0jLQyqi_ixVCfddqWBw/viewform)284to accommodate higher usage. Total spend is aggregated across all linked285projects that have the Gemini API service enabled. After the cumulative account286total reaches the tier limit, service is paused for all projects linked to that287billing account until the start of the next billing cycle (the 1st of each288month).289290#### Evaluate your billing account spend291292To evaluate your historical monthly spending to determine if the new [Billing293Account tier spend caps](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) will impact your ongoing projects,294follow these steps:2952961. In the Google Cloud console, view your [Cloud Billing account Reports](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/reports) page.297   - If you have more than one billing account, at the prompt, choose the Cloud Billing account for which you'd like to view cost reports.2982. The report defaults to "Group by Service" in the "Current month". You will see **Gemini API** in the **Service** column and total spend in the **Usage299   cost** column of the table.3003. To see granular costs limited to Gemini API usage, set the **Group by** filter to group by **SKU** , and the **Services** filter to **Gemini API**.3014. Adjust the **Time range by usage date** filter to your desired range to evaluate your historical spend in a period.302303## Processing times304305Billing signals and updates don't always happen in real time.306307- **Credit usage**: Usage costs are typically drawn down from your balance within minutes.308- **Payment confirmation**: While most card payments are instant, some forms of payment (like bank transfers) may take several days to clear. Services only resume or upgrade after the purchase of credits is officially confirmed.309- **Tier upgrades** : After a successful payment, or when you meet the [upgrade criteria](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#about-billing), tier upgrades usually reflect within 10 minutes.310- **Total Cost breakdown graphs** : The graphs showing your total cost breakdown on both the [Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page and the [Spend](https://aistudio.google.com/spend) page can take up to 24 hours to update.311312Read the Cloud Billing guides on [charging cycle](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle#delayed-billing)313and [transaction](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/view-history#missing-transactions)314latencies to learn more about potential billing delays.315316## Refunds317318Refunds aren't allowed for **Prepay** billing accounts, except when switching319account types.320321**When a Prepay account switches to the Postpay account type** (after you322meet the [criteria](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#about-billing) and [manually upgrade](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#postpay)323your account), the Prepay account is closed and any remaining prepaid credits324are automatically refunded to the payment method on file.325326If you [close](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/close-or-reopen-billing-account#close-a-billing-account)327your Prepay account for any reason other than upgrading to Postpay, any328remaining prepaid credits are forfeited.329330Purchased credits expire after 1 year. After expiration, credits are forfeited331and can't be retrieved.332333**Postpay** accounts follow the [Google Cloud refund policy](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/resolve-issues#request_a_refund).334335## Cloud Billing accounts336337The Gemini API uses [Cloud Billing accounts](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts) for billing services, which you338can [set up directly in AI Studio](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing).339You can use AI Studio to track spending, understand costs, and make payments.340341> [!NOTE]342> **Note:** New users might be granted a [$300 Welcome credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#welcome-credits) in their new Google Cloud Billing accounts. If you opened your account **after March 2, 2026** , you can't use these credits to pay for Gemini API and AI Studio usage, but you can use them on [other Google Cloud products](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features) in the [Google Cloud console](https://console.cloud.google.com/).343344Tiers, rate limits, and billing account caps are all determined at the billing345account level.346347### Projects and API keys348349All [projects](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) linked to a Cloud350Billing account inherit the billing account's usage tier and associated rate351limits and account caps. If you [change a project](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#change_the_billing_account_for_a_project)352from one billing account to another, its tier, and subsequently rate limits and353account caps, will switch to the tier of the new billing account.354355Cumulative spend (towards all Google Cloud products) and account age across all356projects tied to a billing account counts towards that billing account's357[tier qualifications](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#about-billing).358359You can [unlink a project](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#disable_billing_for_a_project)360from its billing account to return to the free tier.361362[API keys](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key) are credentials generated inside a project.363They have no independent billing settings; they inherit the tier limits and364billing status of the project. The cumulative usage from all keys within a365project counts toward that project's spend cap and the billing account's total366spend.367368## Frequently asked questions369370The following sections provide answers to frequently asked questions.371372### What am I billed for?373374Gemini API pricing is based on the following:375376- Input token count377- Output token count378- Cached token count379- Cached token storage duration380381For pricing information, see the [Pricing page](https://ai.google.dev/pricing).382383### Where can I view my quota?384385You can view your quota and system limits in386[AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/usage).387388### How do I move to a higher rate limit tier, or request more quota?389390You will automatically be granted more quota when your account reaches the next391[tier requirements](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/rate-limits#usage-tiers).392393### Can I use the Gemini API for free in EEA (including EU), the UK, and CH?394395Yes, we make the free tier and paid tier available in [many regions](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/available-regions).396397### If I set up billing with the Gemini API, will I be charged for my Google AI Studio usage?398399AI Studio usage remains free of charge unless users link a paid API key for400access to paid features.401Once you link a paid API key as part of a paid project in AI Studio, you will be402charged for AI Studio usage for that key. You can switch between Paid Tier403projects and Free Tier projects as needed by using the respective API keys404linked to each type.405406### If I'm on the Free Tier, how do I upgrade to higher tiers?407408To access higher tiers, you must set up billing on your project. Click [**Set up409billing**](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) in Google AI Studio. This will walk you through410selecting or creating a Cloud Billing account. If you are required to be on the411prepaid billing model, the **Set up billing** process will guide you through the412process to create your Prepay account that is linked to your Cloud Billing413account.414415### Can I use 1M tokens in the free tier?416417The free tier for Gemini API differs based on the model selected. For now, you418can try the 1M token context window in the following ways:419420- In Google AI Studio421- With free-of-charge plans for select models422- With postpaid plans423424### Can I revert back to Free Tier after I've upgraded to higher (paid) tiers?425426To downgrade to the Free Tier, you can [disable billing](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#disable_billing_for_a_project)427on each of your projects that you want to downgrade.428429### How can I calculate the number of tokens I'm using?430431Use the [`GenerativeModel.count_tokens`](https://ai.google.dev/api/python/google/generativeai/GenerativeModel#count_tokens)432method to count the number of tokens. Refer to the [Tokens guide](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/tokens) to learn more about tokens.433434### If I sign up for my first Cloud Billing account through AI Studio, will I still get a Google Cloud Free Trial?435436When you sign up for your first ever Cloud Billing account, your [Google Cloud437Free Trial](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features#free-trial) starts438and you are granted a $300 [Welcome credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#welcome-credits).439However, those credits can't be used to pay for AI Studio usage. You can use the440Welcome credit to pay for other eligible services within Google Cloud (note that441once those credits are consumed or expire (within 90 days), any additional usage442costs are automatically billed to your established form of payment).443444### Can I use my Google Cloud Welcome credit with the Gemini API?445446No, the Google Cloud [Welcome credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#welcome-credits)447or free trial credit can't be used towards the Gemini API or AI Studio.448449If you were granted a Google Cloud welcome credit before they became450ineligible, you are allowed to spend your remaining credits on the Gemini API451and AI Studio up until the credits expire (after 90 days).452453### Does the Google Cloud Free Trial apply to Gemini API usage?454455No, starting March 2026, Gemini API usage costs are specifically excluded from456the [$300 Google Cloud Free Trial](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features#free-trial)457program.458459### How do Google Cloud credits work with Prepay?460461Prepay users must first [purchase Prepaid credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits) before any462eligible Google Cloud credits can be applied to Gemini API usage. Once you have463an active Prepay credit balance, Google Cloud credits that are eligible for the464Gemini API are consumed before your Prepay credit balance. When your Prepay465credit balance on the billing account hits $0, Google Cloud credits will no466longer be consumed.467468Not all Google Cloud credits, such as the469[Google Cloud Welcome credit](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#cloud-credits), can be used towards Gemini API470and AI Studio.471472### How is billing handled?473474Billing for the Gemini API is handled by the [Cloud billing](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts) system. Learn about the475in-product Cloud Billing setup in the [Cloud Billing documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup).476477### Am I charged for failed requests?478479If your request fails with a 400 or 500 error, you won't be charged for the480tokens used. However, the request will still count against your quota.481482### Is `GetTokens` billed?483484Requests to the `GetTokens` API are not billed, and they don't count against485inference quota.486487### How is my Google AI Studio data handled if I have a paid API account?488489Refer to the [Terms of service](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/terms#paid-services) for details on490how data is handled when Cloud billing is enabled (see "How Google Uses Your491Data" under "Paid Services"). Note that your Google AI Studio prompts are492treated under the same "Paid Services" terms so long as at least 1 API project493has billing enabled, which you can validate on the494[Gemini API key page](https://aistudio.google.com/api-keys) if you see any495projects marked as "Paid" under "Plan".496497### What is Prepaid billing and who is required to use the prepaid billing model?498499Prepaid billing allows users of Gemini API in AI Studio to pre-purchase credits.500Starting Mar 23, 2026, new users to AI Studio might be required to be on the501Prepaid billing plan. During the AI Studio [Set up Billing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing)502process, the UI will guide you through the billing set up flow and will indicate503if you are required to prepay.504505### How do I purchase Prepay credits, and is there a minimum amount or maximum?506507You can [purchase credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits) on the AI Studio Billing page. During508the purchase process, the UI will provide the minimum pre-purchase amount that509is required for your region and tier level, as well as a maximum amount that can510be in your account at one time.511512### Can I configure my Prepay account to automatically purchase more credits as needed?513514Yes, we recommend that you configure [auto-reload](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#auto-reload) in the AI515Studio Billing settings. You specify a "trigger" credit balance (e.g., "when my516balance falls below $30") and a "reload value" (e.g., "add $100").517518### Can I limit the amount of automatic reload charges?519520Yes, Prepay users can set a [Monthly Auto-Charge Limit](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#monthly-auto-charge-limit)521within the **Auto-Reload** widget. When the total amount of automatic reloads in a billing522cycle reaches this limit, the system disables auto-reload until the next month. Manual credit523purchases do not count toward this limit.524525### Can I get a refund for my unused credits?526527All Prepaid API credits expire after 1 year and cannot be refunded. Read the528[refund policy for Prepay accounts](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#refunds).529530### Do my prepaid credits expire?531532Yes, credits expire 12 months after their purchase date.533534### What happens when my prepaid credit balance hits $0?535536All Gemini API services in all projects paid for by that Cloud Billing Prepay537account will stop immediately to prevent incurring more charges. Your projects538aren't automatically downgraded to the Free Tier.539540To restore service at your current Paid Tier level, you must [purchase541additional credits](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#buy-credits). After you've purchased credits, you should be542able to use the Gemini API. Note that there might be a [delay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#processing-times) while our systems update to reflect your credit balance.543544Optionally, to downgrade to the Free Tier, you can [disable billing](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#disable_billing_for_a_project)545on the projects you want to downgrade.546547### Why did my usage stop even though my Prepay credit balance is greater than $0?548549You may have hit the [usage limit](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) for your current tier.550Usage limits will increase automatically as you progress to higher tiers. Your551Gemini API AI Studio usage can also be impacted due to [the status of your552Cloud Billing account](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#missed-payment).553554### Why is my Prepay account credit balance negative?555556Due to the complexity of our billing and processing systems, there might be557[delays](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#processing-times) in our ability to cut off usage after you consume558all of your credits. This excess usage might appear as a negative credit balance559in your AI Studio billing dashboard. If this happens, your service is paused,560and your negative balance will be deducted from your next credit purchase.561562To avoid a pause in your Gemini API service, we recommend setting up563[auto-reload](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#auto-reload) to automatically purchase more credits when your564credit balance falls below a value you specify.565566### Can I use my Prepay credits for other Google Cloud services, like Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform?567568No, Prepay credits are strictly locked to Gemini API usage. Any569other Google Cloud services you use (Compute, Storage, Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform) are billed using570the standard [Cloud charging cycle](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle).571572### Can I switch from Prepay to Postpay billing?573574No, switching from a Prepay billing plan to a Postpay billing plan is not supported.575576### Can I switch from Postpay to Prepay billing?577578Yes, you can transition an existing Postpay account on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page. See [Migrate to prepay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay) for instructions.579580### What happens to my Prepaid credits if I switch to Postpay?581582When you upgrade to [Postpay](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#postpay), Cloud Billing closes your Prepay583payments account, turns off [auto-reload](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#auto-reload), and automatically584refunds any unused Prepay credits to you (subject to standard refund processing585time).586587### Where can I see my current Prepay credit balance and transaction history?588589All balance management and transaction history for the Gemini API must be590done directly within the Google AI Studio Billing tab.591592### Why am I seeing "The billing account type is inactive or unsupported"?593594Payments interactions on the [AI Studio Billing page](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) may be blocked and replaced with the595message "The billing account type is inactive or unsupported" if your596selected billing account type or billing account status is not eligible for597the Paid Tier in AI Studio.598599Check the [Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/) to see your600billing account's status. One ineligible type could be *Free trial account* , in601which case you can [activate billing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing#setup-billing) in AI Studio to become602eligible. One inactive state could be *Closed* , in which case you can [reopen603the account](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/close-or-reopen-billing-account).604605### Will my Gemini API usage costs show up in the Google Cloud console?606607Yes, Gemini API costs, alongside costs associated with any other Google Cloud608services that are paid for by your Cloud Billing account, are viewable on the609[Cost management pages](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/split-charging-cycle#cost-reports)610in the [Cloud Billing console](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing). Note611that you can only manage your Prepay credit balance in AI Studio.612613### Why isn't my Gemini API Usage showing up in the Cloud Billing Console, when I can see it in AI Studio Billing, along with the consumption of my credits?614615Google Cloud and AI Studio report usage data to Cloud Billing at varying616intervals. Due to the complexity of our billing and processing systems, you617might see a delay between your use of services, and the usage and costs being618available to view in Cloud Billing. Typically, your cost details are available619within a day, but can sometimes take more than 24 hours.620Learn more about delayed billing in the [Cloud Billing documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle#delayed-billing).621622### If I use other Google Cloud services with costs that are subject to a Postpay charging cycle, what happens if I miss a payment?623624Missing a payment for other Google Cloud services can suspend your Gemini API625access in AI Studio, **regardless of how many Prepaid credits you have626available**. AI Studio usage is powered by a Google Cloud Billing account, which627can share both Prepay billing for AI Studio and Postpay billing for other Cloud628services. An issue with your Postpay balance halts all services tied to that629account. Your Gemini API usage will be suspended if your Cloud Billing account630is flagged for issues such as:631632- A delinquent or overdue balance633- A declined payment634- An invalid or expired payment method635636To restore service, you must [resolve the Postpay account issue](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/resolve-issues#resolving-declined-payments)637in the Google Cloud Billing console. Once you resolve the issue, you will regain638access to your Prepaid Gemini API credits and services.639640### Why are my projects disrupted after I canceled a Prepay setup?641642**Issue:** You started the flow to add Prepay capabilities to an existing643Postpay billing account, but closed the window or canceled the process before644completing the prepayment setup. Other projects linked to that billing account645lost access to the Gemini API.646647**Cause:** During the transition flow, the infrastructure to support Prepay is648created on your billing account immediately after you accept the confirmation649dialog. If you don't complete the prepayment steps, the configuration remains650in an unchargeable state. Because this state applies at the billing account651level, it restricts access for all projects linked to that billing account that652rely on Prepay services.653654**Resolution:** Because the account state has already changed, there is no655automatic way to revert the state if you abandon the payment flow. To restore656service to your linked projects, do one of the following:657658- **Complete the setup:** Return to Google AI Studio, restart the billing setup flow, and complete the prepayment process. After the payment is processed, the Prepay billing plan becomes active and the service is restored.659- **Contact Support:** If you don't want to use the Prepay billing plan and want to revert your billing account back to Postpay, [contact Cloud Billing Support](https://cloud.google.com/support/billing) to manually reset your account state.660661### Where can I get help with billing?662663To get help with billing, see664[Get Cloud billing support](https://cloud.google.com/support/billing).