Google is reworking which models are available on each Gemini app plan. According to Google's help page and reports published since October 3, 2026, the changes take effect on the free plan on October 9 and sharply narrow the models available.
Changes by plan
These are the changes described on Google's help page and in the reports.
- Free plan: Only Flash-Lite will be available; Flash and Pro will no longer be offered
- AI Plus: Flash-Lite and Flash remain available, but Pro will no longer be. Each account will be notified of its switchover date by email
- AI Pro: Flash-Lite, Flash and Pro remain available, and Deep Think, previously exclusive to Ultra, is being added
- AI Ultra: Flash-Lite, Flash, Pro and Deep Think are all available
Choosing reasoning effort
The Gemini app will also let users choose a reasoning effort level for each model: low, medium or high. Higher levels produce more thorough answers and handle complex tasks better, but they also use up more of your usage limit.
What it means for users
Free users can keep using Gemini for everyday questions and summaries after October 9, but will need to upgrade to a paid plan for more capable models. AI Plus subscribers who have been using Pro should check their notification email for the switchover date.
CoAI's take
With Google also announcing its next-generation Gemini 4 Argon model on September 30, the direction is becoming clear: the more capable the model, the higher the plan it is offered on. If you use Gemini for work, we recommend double-checking which plan includes the models you need.
