AI Tool Atlas

CodingDocumented overviewLast checked Sep 29, 2026

Gemini CLI: Pricing, Features & Best Use Cases

Open-source terminal AI agent from Google bringing Gemini to the command line; site notes unpaid and Google One users moved to Antigravity CLI.

Gemini CLI homepage screenshot, coding AI tool

Our take: Choose Gemini CLI if you want an open-source terminal agent for Gemini that you can authenticate with an API key, Vertex AI or a paid Google plan, but note unpaid and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI.

Main limitation: Unpaid-tier and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026, and the plans page shows no USD prices.

By the AI Tool Atlas editors. Based on the vendor's official documentation; we have not tested this product hands-on. What “documented overview” means

Who Gemini CLI fits

Choose Gemini CLI if you want an open-source terminal agent for Gemini that you can authenticate with an API key, Vertex AI or a paid Google plan, but note unpaid and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI. Based on the vendor's documentation, not on a hands-on test.

Best for: Terminal-centric developers

Also a good fit for

  • Users of Google AI, AI Studio or Vertex AI

Consider another tool if unpaid tier and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026

Or if

  • No USD prices shown on the plans page
  • Higher limits require paid Google plans or API billing

Gemini CLI in the news

Headlines from US outlets, selected automatically — not endorsements. Updated Oct 2, 2026

Gemini CLI pricing and usage limits

Prices checked Sep 29, 2026 on the official US pricing page. Official pricing ↗ Prices and limits change often.

Gemini CLI pricing page with plans and prices — screenshot of the coding AI tool, Oct 2, 2026
The official Gemini CLI pricing page as we saw it. geminicli.com, captured Oct 2, 2026

Free access and trial conditions

Free tier existed via Google account but the site says unpaid users were moved to Antigravity CLI.

Paid plans: what changes as you upgrade

Free (Google account) Individual

Free source (opens in a new tab)

Month

Banner: unpaid tier and Google One users moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026.

For: Exploring

Limits

  • Verify current availability

Includes

  • Authenticate with Google account

No API

Google AI Pro Individual

See official pricing source (opens in a new tab)

Month

No USD price on the plans page.

For: Professionals

Limits

  • Higher limits than free

Includes

  • Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Vids
  • Cloud storage

No API

Google AI Ultra Individual

See official pricing source (opens in a new tab)

Month

No USD price on the plans page.

For: Power users

Limits

  • Highest limits

Includes

  • Deep Think via Gemini app

No API

Google Developer Program Team

See official pricing source (opens in a new tab)

Month

No USD price on the plans page.

For: Teams

Limits

  • Higher limits

Includes

  • Gemini Code Assist
  • Monthly cloud credits

No API

AI Studio API key API

Usage-based source (opens in a new tab)

Usage

For: Builders

Limits

  • Free-tier data may be used to improve products

Includes

  • Privacy and higher rate limits on paid

API included

Vertex AI API

Usage-based source (opens in a new tab)

Usage

For: Enterprises

Limits

  • Regional data residency options

Includes

  • Enterprise security and compliance
  • SLA

API included

Usage caps, credits and extra costs

API billing via AI Studio or Vertex AI.

What is Gemini CLI, and how does it work?

Gemini CLI is an open-source (Apache 2.0) AI agent that brings Gemini into the terminal for querying and editing codebases, with built-in tools and MCP support. The official site banner states that for unpaid-tier and Google One users Gemini CLI was replaced by Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026. Paid options remain via Google AI plans, Developer Program, AI Studio or Vertex AI.

Gemini CLI homepage — screenshot of the coding AI tool, Oct 2, 2026
Gemini CLI's official site: how the product presents itself. geminicli.com, captured Oct 2, 2026

What you provide and what you get back

How Gemini CLI works: what you provide, where it runs and what you get backYOU PROVIDEYour inputPrompts typed in the terminalLocal files and directoriesImages or PDFsWeb pages via search and fetchCODINGGemini CLICLI, Desktopfree tier, paid price not publish…free tier availableaccount requiredchecked Sep 29, 2026YOU GET BACKThe resultEdited filesShell command resultsGenerated appsPlans and todosinput → Gemini CLI → output · from the vendor's own pages, no hands-on test unless stated
What you give Gemini CLI and what comes back, from its documentation

You provide

  • Prompts typed in the terminal
  • Local files and directories
  • Images or PDFs
  • Web pages via search and fetch

You get back

  • Edited files
  • Shell command results
  • Generated apps
  • Plans and todos

Where you can use it

Platforms
CLI, Desktop
Account
Required
Models / versions
Gemini 3 family; Flash only on free API tier, Pro on paid (no exact versions)
IDEs and terminals
Terminal CLI; IDE integration documented source (opens in a new tab)
Repo access
Local files and directories; .geminiignore and trusted folders source (opens in a new tab)
Commands
Slash commands, custom commands, CLI cheatsheet source (opens in a new tab)
Sandboxing
Sandboxing, trusted folders and policy engine documented source (opens in a new tab)

Best use cases for Gemini CLI

Scenarios are worked out by our editors from the documentation; the actual result depends on your input and plan.

Querying large codebases

Who
Developers on large codebases
You provide
Questions about a project
Expected result
Explanations and navigation of the code
Plan needed
Any authenticated tier
Limitation
Free-tier access changed after Antigravity CLI replacement source (opens in a new tab)

Editing files from the terminal

Who
Developers making edits
You provide
A change request and local files
Expected result
File edits made from the terminal
Plan needed
Paid or API tiers
Limitation
Review edits before accepting source (opens in a new tab)

Running shell commands

Who
Developers automating chores
You provide
Shell tasks or scripts
Expected result
Commands executed with safety controls
Plan needed
Paid or API tiers
Limitation
Sandboxing and trusted folders must be configured source (opens in a new tab)

What Gemini CLI does, and where it stops

Gemini CLI homepage — screenshot of the coding AI tool, Oct 2, 2026
Feature overview on the official site. geminicli.com, captured Oct 2, 2026

Install via npm, npx, Homebrew or MacPorts

Installs globally with `npm install -g @google/gemini-cli`, or via npx, Homebrew or MacPorts, giving a `gemini` command in the terminal. Starts quickly on machines with Node.

Access: npm, npx, Homebrew, MacPorts.Limit: Needs authentication before first use. source (opens in a new tab)

Google Search grounding

Grounds answers with Google Search and can fetch web content during a session. Brings current information into coding help.

Access: Built-in tools.Limit: Web content quality varies. source (opens in a new tab)

File operations and shell commands

Reads, writes and edits local files and runs shell commands as built-in tools, with sandboxing, trusted folders and a policy engine in the docs. Lets the agent act on your project.

Access: Built-in tools.Limit: Needs careful permission settings. source (opens in a new tab)

MCP support

Connects to MCP servers and extensions to add tools and remote agents. Extends the agent to your own systems.

Access: MCP and extensions per docs.Limit: Setup is manual. source (opens in a new tab)

Gemini CLI: strengths and limits

Where Gemini CLI is strong

Limitations to check before paying

How to use Gemini CLI for exploring and editing an unfamiliar codebase

Gemini CLI documentation — screenshot of the coding AI tool, Oct 2, 2026
Gemini CLI documentation: where the steps below come from. geminicli.com, captured Oct 2, 2026

Set up Gemini CLI

  1. Install with `npm install -g @google/gemini-cli`.
  2. Open a terminal in your project folder and run `gemini`.
  3. Authenticate with a Google account, AI Studio API key or Vertex AI credentials.
  4. Optionally add a GEMINI.md file with project context.

Example: exploring and editing an unfamiliar codebase

  1. Ask for an overview of the project structure.
  2. Request a specific change.
  3. Review the proposed file edits and approve them.
  4. Ask it to run the tests.

Review and export the result

  1. Run the tests yourself.
  2. Review the git diff.
Example prompt suggested by our editors (not a recorded output of the product)
Explain how authentication works in this repository, then add rate limiting to the login endpoint in src/api/login.ts, and write a test for it. Show me the diff before applying changes.

Gemini CLI API

Gemini CLI documentation — screenshot of the coding AI tool, Oct 2, 2026
Gemini CLI documentation (continued). geminicli.com, captured Oct 2, 2026

API access and separate billing

Gemini CLI has no public API in its official documentation. Authentication via API key supported. API documentation ↗

Privacy, data use and commercial rights

Summarized from the vendor's current policies; this is not legal advice and a vendor's badge is not an independent audit.

How your inputs and outputs are handled

Not detailed in fetched pages.

Plans page: free tier data may be used to improve products; AI Studio pay-as-you-go offers privacy.

Commercial use and plan restrictions

Vertex AI lists Google Cloud terms, SLA and regional data residency.

Controls for business users

  • Enterprise configuration docs
  • Trusted folders
  • Policy engine

Policies: geminicli.com/plans/

Gemini CLI alternatives by need

"Better suited" is based on documented features and pricing, not on a head-to-head test.

Google Gemini: better suited to

GitHub Copilot: better suited to

Cursor: better suited to

Alternatives
AlternativeWhen to choose itPricingLimitation
Google Gemini——
GitHub Copilot——Compare
Cursor——Compare

Explore Gemini CLI further

Gemini CLI pricing, plan by planEvery plan with USD prices, limits and what is free.Best Gemini CLI alternativesTools for the same job, by need and starting price.Gemini CLI vs Claude CodeHead-to-head with a verdict and a side-by-side table.Best AI coding toolsOur picks in this category, compared by price and free tiers.Prompts for Gemini CLIReady-to-copy prompts with their sources.Extensions for Gemini CLISkills, plugins, MCP servers and rules that work with it.

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    Gemini CLI FAQ

    Was Gemini CLI replaced by Antigravity CLI?

    For unpaid-tier and Google One users, yes: the site says it was replaced on June 18, 2026. Paid options remain via Google AI plans, Developer Program, AI Studio or Vertex AI. source (opens in a new tab)

    How do I install Gemini CLI?

    Run `npm install -g @google/gemini-cli`; the site also lists npx, Homebrew and MacPorts. source (opens in a new tab)

    What authentication options does Gemini CLI support?

    Google account, AI Studio API key, or Google Cloud credentials for Vertex AI. source (opens in a new tab)

    Is Gemini CLI open source?

    Yes, under Apache 2.0, per the project README. source (opens in a new tab)

    Does Gemini CLI offer sandboxing?

    The docs list Sandboxing, trusted folders and a policy engine; configuration details are on the linked pages. source (opens in a new tab)

    Sources and review methodology

    Official sources and verification dates

    Not verified: USD prices; Context window; Languages; Retention; Commercial-use terms; Current free-tier limits; OS support.

    How we documented and maintain this page

    Every fact about Gemini CLI above comes from the 5 official pages listed here, last compared on Sep 29, 2026; we have not run Gemini CLI ourselves, so it has no editorial score. How we check and re-check pages.

    Article updated Oct 2, 2026; prices checked Sep 29, 2026. Outbound links to vendors are plain links; we do not earn commissions. How we review · Report an error