> ## AI Agent Context
> Get the complete documentation index at: https://aistudio.google.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages.
> For the full documentation in a single file, fetch: https://aistudio.google.com/llms-full.txt

# Billing

This guide provides an overview of different Gemini API billing options,
explains how to enable billing and monitor usage, and provides answers to
frequently asked questions (FAQs) about billing.

## About billing and tiers  {% id="about-billing" %}

Billing for the Gemini API is based on your payment history.

| Usage tier | Qualification | [Billing tier cap](/docs/billing#spend-caps) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Free** | [Active project](/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) or free trial; some projects need [verification](/docs/verification) | N/A |
| **Tier 1** | [Set up and link an active billing account](/docs/billing#setup-billing) | $250 |
| **Tier 2** | Paid $100 + 3 days from first successful payment | $2,000 |
| **Tier 3** | Paid $1,000 + 30 days from first successful payment | $20,000 - $100,000+ |

New accounts begin on the Free Tier, which allows access to
[certain models](/docs/pricing) in the Gemini API and AI Studio,
up to the models' free tier [rate limits](https://aistudio.google.com/rate-limit).

To deploy your applications directly from Build mode, eligible accounts can use
the **Google Cloud Starter Tier**. This tier lets you publish up to 2 full-stack
applications without setting up a Google Cloud project or billing account.
See [Deploying from Google AI Studio](/docs/aistudio-deploying#starter-tier-eligibility) for
eligibility details and refer to the [Google Cloud Starter Tier documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/starter-tier) for more information.

To access higher rate limits, use advanced models, and ensure your prompts and
responses are **not** used to improve Google products{% sup %}*{% /sup %},
you can
[link a billing account](/docs/billing#setup-billing) and [Prepay](/docs/billing#prepay) to move to the
Paid Tiers.
Then, you'll move through higher tiers based on cumulative spend and account
age.

Tiers, rate limits, and billing account caps are all determined at the [billing
account](/docs/billing#cloud-billing) level.

{% sup %}*{% /sup %} *Enterprise-grade data privacy: For more information on
data use
for paid services, see the [Terms of Service](/docs/terms#data-use-paid).*

## Set up billing to access the Paid Tier  {% id="setup-billing" %}

You can create a project and set up billing, or import an existing project, to
upgrade to the Paid Tier in [Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/projects).
Upgrading from the Free Tier to the Paid Tier means linking a billing account
and [prepaying](/docs/billing#prepay) to add a minimum of $5 (or equivalent in other
currencies) of credits to your account.

1.   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.

  *     New users will have a [project and API key](/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) created for them by default.

  *     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.


2.   Find the Free Tier project you want to upgrade to the Paid Tier, and click
  **Set up billing** under the *Billing Tier* column.

3.   If you've never set up a Google billing account before:

  * You'll be asked to select your country to agree to the Terms of Service.
  * Then, fill in or confirm your contact information and payment method to continue.

4.   If you have set up Google billing accounts in the past:

  * You'll be asked to choose from your existing billing accounts.
  * If you don't want to use any of your existing accounts, click **Add new
    billing account** and fill in or confirm your contact information and
    payment method to continue.

5.   Next, you will either be:

  *     Asked to prepay a minimum of $5 to complete billing
    setup (meaning your account is auto-assigned to the [Prepay](/docs/billing#prepay)
    billing plan),

  *     Given the choice between [Prepay](/docs/billing#prepay) and [Postpay](/docs/billing#postpay)
    billing plans for your account.

  *     Assigned to a [Postpay](/docs/billing#postpay) billing plan for an intermediary period
    until the new Prepay system propagates to all users (starting March 23,
    2026).


6.   After prepaying or selecting Postpay, your account setup is complete.


### Upgrade to the next paid tier  {% id="request-an-upgrade" %}

If you're already on a paid tier and meet the [criteria](/docs/billing#about-billing)
for a plan change, you will be automatically upgraded to the next tier
(subject to [processing times](/docs/billing#processing-times)).

## Verify billing status  {% id="verify-billing" %}

After you have [linked a billing account](/docs/billing#setup-billing) to your project, you
can monitor its status on the
[AI Studio Billing page](https://aistudio.google.com/billing). Unlike the free
tier, paid tier status is dynamic; while your usage tier is determined by your
account history, the Gemini API will only serve requests if you have a
positive [Prepay](/docs/billing#prepay) credit balance.

On the [Projects](https://aistudio.google.com/projects) page, you'll be able to
see your project's tier and billing plan under the *Billing Tier* column. Any
billing status actions you may need to take for a project display in the
*Billing Tier* or *Status* columns:

*   "***Set up billing***" if the project doesn't have a billing account attached.

*   "***Set up Prepay***" if the project does have a billing account attached, but
  is required to use a [Prepay](/docs/billing#prepay) billing plan that needs to be set up.

*   "***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.


Click any of the messages to proceed with the necessary actions.

## Monitor usage  {% id="monitor-usage" %}

You can monitor your usage of the Gemini API in
[Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/usage) in **Dashboard** >
**Usage**.

## Billing plans  {% id="billing-plans" %}

Billing plans for the Gemini API and AI Studio fall into two categories that
determine when you pay for usage: Prepay and Postpay. You can check your
assigned billing plan and manage payment methods on the
[AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.

Important: Prepay and Postpay billing plans start taking effect
**March 23, 2026**.

*    Accounts that predate the introduction of Prepay and Postpay billing plans
  will be evaluated and assigned a plan or offered the choice between plans.

*    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](/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay) for details.

*    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.


### Prepay  {% id="prepay" %}

In the Prepay billing plan, you purchase credits towards your prepay balance in
advance of your Gemini API usage, and your API usage costs are deducted from
your Prepay credit balance in [near real-time](/docs/billing#processing-times).
You can prepay by [adding credits](/docs/billing#buy-credits) into your account, or setting
up [auto-reload](/docs/billing#auto-reload). After credits are purchased, unused credits
expire after 12 months and are [non-refundable](/docs/billing#refunds), except after
[switching to a Postpay account](/docs/billing#postpay).

When your Prepay credit balance on the billing account hits $0, all API keys in
all projects linked to that billing account will stop working simultaneously.
Requests then fail with an [HTTP 402 Payment
Required](/docs/api-errors) error until you add credits.
Prepay credits apply only to Gemini API usage costs; you can't use
them to pay for other Google Cloud services.

{% callout type="note" %}
  Note: Prepay billing is subject to overages during the approximately 10 minute
  billing pipeline latency. Long-running tasks like
  [batch mode](/docs/batch-api) and agents may continue to consume
  credits beyond your balance before the system can process and halt usage.

{% /callout %}

New users default to the Prepay billing plan. Projects that pre-date the
introduction of Prepay and Postpay billing plans may need to [update their
project's billing details](/docs/billing#verify-billing) before continuing to use the Gemini
API.

*Note that Prepay is not available for [Invoiced (or Offline)](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts#billing_account_types)
accounts.*

#### Add Prepay to an existing Postpay account  {% id="adding-prepay-to-postpay" %}

If your existing Cloud Billing account uses a **Postpay** plan, you can add **Prepay**
capabilities to purchase credits in advance. These prepay credits let you use
the Gemini API without creating a new Cloud Billing account.

During the setup to add **Prepay** to an existing account, you are
presented with a mandatory confirmation screen explaining that your selected
Cloud Billing account will be modified.

The system must modify your account state *before* you submit your prepayment.
Therefore, canceling the process after confirming the modification but before
completing the prepayment setup might result in temporary service disruptions
for projects already linked to that Cloud Billing account. Ensure you are ready
to complete the prepayment process before confirming the transition. If you
encounter issues, see [Services disrupted after canceling a **Prepay**
setup](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#prepay-issue).

If you are eligible and manually switch from a **Prepay** cycle to a **Postpay**
cycle, any remaining prepay credit balance is automatically refunded to the
original payment method used for the prepayment. However, if you close your
Cloud Billing account for any other reason, any remaining prepay
credits are forfeited and aren't refunded.

#### Buy credits  {% id="buy-credits" %}

You can manually purchase credits in advance of your Gemini API usage to load
them into your Prepay account credit balance.

To purchase credits, go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page and select **Buy credits**.
The minimum purchase is $5. The maximum amount of credits you can prepay for is
$5,000.

{% callout type="note" %}
  Note: Prepay users must [purchase Prepaid credits](/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.

{% /callout %}

#### Auto reload  {% id="auto-reload" %}

Auto-reload is an optional feature that automatically tops up your Prepay credit
balance when it's running low. This is useful to prevent service interruptions.

You can set up auto reload and see your auto-reload status in the *Available
credits* card on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing)
page. Click **Setup auto-reload** or
**Manage auto-reload** to set your payment method, reload amount, and the
minimum balance that triggers a reload payment.

#### Monthly auto-charge limit  {% id="monthly-auto-charge-limit" %}

The monthly auto-charge limit is available to Prepay users
and helps prevent unexpected costs from frequent automatic credit reloads.
Use this feature to set a maximum limit for automatic credit reloads within
a single billing cycle. Once the total amount of automatic reloads in a billing
cycle reaches this limit, the system disables auto-reload until the start of the
next month. One-time payments you initiate manually don't count against this
limit.

To set the monthly auto-charge limit when auto-reload is enabled:

1. Go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.
2. Click **Manage auto-reload**.
3. Expand the **Monthly Limit** section and enter the maximum monthly limit for auto-reloads.
4. Click **Save**.

### Postpay  {% id="postpay" %}

In the Postpay billing plan, your Cloud Billing account accrues costs and you
are automatically charged at the end of the month, or when your costs reach an
[automatically assigned spend cap](/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) based on your account tier.
The payment is charged to the payment method attached to your Postpay payments
account, which you can manage on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.
On the **Billing** page you'll be able to view your balance, due dates,
and past payments, as well as make payments and manage payment methods.

When [setting up billing](/docs/billing#setup-billing) for a new project, if you are eligible
for Postpay, you will have the option to choose between Prepay and Postpay in
the [billing setup](/docs/billing#setup-billing) dialogue.

After you switch a Cloud Billing account to use the Postpay billing plan, all
projects linked to that billing account are switched to the Postpay plan. You
can move an eligible account to Prepay by following the steps in [Migrate to prepay](/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay). You can also
move a project to a billing account with a different billing plan to change
the charging cycle for that project; visit the Cloud documentation on [managing
billing for projects](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project).

You can learn more about the Postpay charging cycle in the [Cloud Billing guide](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle).

### Migrate to prepay  {% id="migrate-to-prepay" %}

Google 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.

Switch 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.

To switch an existing Postpay account to Prepay:

1.   Go to the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page.

2.   Select **Switch to Prepay** for your billing account.

3.   [Purchase credits](/docs/billing#buy-credits) (minimum $5) to load your starting balance.


To prevent service interruptions after switching, configure [auto-reload](/docs/billing#auto-reload) to top up your credit balance when it runs low.

## Spend caps  {% id="spend-caps" %}

The Gemini API supports monthly spend caps at both the billing account tier and
project levels. These controls are designed to protect your account from
unexpected overages, and the ecosystem to ensure service availability.

*Note that spend caps are not available for [Invoiced (or Offline)](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts#billing_account_types)
accounts.*

### Project spend caps  {% id="project-spend-caps" %}

Experimental: The feature is experimental and limited in scope. You are subject
to overages for around a 10 minute latency period.

You can set your own [project-level](/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) spend caps in AI Studio.
This is useful if you have multiple projects under the same billing
account and want to ensure each has access to enough of the cumulative spending
limit.

Accounts with the project editor, owner, or admin [roles](https://docs.cloud.google.com/iam/docs/roles-overview) can set spend caps per
project in AI Studio on the [Spend](https://aistudio.google.com/spend) page
under **Monthly spend cap** > **Edit spend cap**.

For 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](/docs/troubleshoot-ai-studio#iam-permissions).

If 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),
any spend cap you already set for that project will persist, but any accumulated
spend will reset to $0 for the new billing cycle.

Long-running tasks like [batch mode](/docs/batch-api) completions and
agent sessions may incur overages beyond your project spend cap.

Billing data processing times can be delayed in AI Studio, up to around 10
minutes. You may experience overages beyond your project cap if billing data
hasn't processed before more charges are accrued.

### Billing account tier spend caps  {% id="tier-spend-caps" %}

Each [tier](/docs/billing#about-billing) has a maximum monthly spend limit:

| Usage tier | Spend cap |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Free** | N/A |
| **Tier 1** | $250 |
| **Tier 2** | $2,000 |
| **Tier 3** | $20,000 - $100,000 |

Monthly usage caps are enforced for the Gemini API at the [billing account](/docs/billing#cloud-billing) level. While default limits are preset, you can [request an
increase](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiP6BWJyNNN65lnwnlOr-5Kv0MOFp0jLQyqi_ixVCfddqWBw/viewform)
to accommodate higher usage. Total spend is aggregated across all linked
projects that have the Gemini API service enabled. After the cumulative account
total reaches the tier limit, service is paused for all projects linked to that
billing account until the start of the next billing cycle (the 1st of each
month).

#### Evaluate your billing account spend  {% id="evaluate-spend" %}

To evaluate your historical monthly spending to determine if the new [Billing
Account tier spend caps](/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) will impact your ongoing projects,
follow these steps:

1.   In the Google Cloud console, view your [Cloud Billing account Reports](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/reports) page.

  * 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.

2.   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 **Usage
  cost** column of the table.

3.   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**.

4.   Adjust the **Time range by usage date** filter to your desired range to
  evaluate your historical spend in a period.


## Processing times  {% id="processing-times" %}

Billing signals and updates don't always happen in real time.

*   **Credit usage**: Usage costs are typically drawn down from your balance
  within minutes.

*   **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.

*   **Tier upgrades**: After a successful payment, or when you meet the
  [upgrade criteria](/docs/billing#about-billing), tier upgrades usually reflect within 10
  minutes.

*   **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.


Read the Cloud Billing guides on [charging cycle](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle#delayed-billing)
and [transaction](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/view-history#missing-transactions)
latencies to learn more about potential billing delays.

## Refunds  {% id="refunds" %}

Refunds aren't allowed for **Prepay** billing accounts, except when switching
account types.

**When a Prepay account switches to the Postpay account type** (after you
meet the [criteria](/docs/billing#about-billing) and [manually upgrade](/docs/billing#postpay)
your account), the Prepay account is closed and any remaining prepaid credits
are automatically refunded to the payment method on file.

If you [close](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/close-or-reopen-billing-account#close-a-billing-account)
your Prepay account for any reason other than upgrading to Postpay, any
remaining prepaid credits are forfeited.

Purchased credits expire after 1 year. After expiration, credits are forfeited
and can't be retrieved.

**Postpay** accounts follow the [Google Cloud refund policy](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/resolve-issues#request_a_refund).

## Cloud Billing accounts  {% id="cloud-billing" %}

The Gemini API uses [Cloud Billing accounts](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts) for billing services, which you
can [set up directly in AI Studio](/docs/billing#setup-billing).
You can use AI Studio to track spending, understand costs, and make payments.

{% callout type="note" %}
  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/).

{% /callout %}

Tiers, rate limits, and billing account caps are all determined at the billing
account level.

### Projects and API keys  {% id="projects-api-keys" %}

All [projects](/docs/api-key#google-cloud-projects) linked to a Cloud
Billing account inherit the billing account's usage tier and associated rate
limits 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)
from one billing account to another, its tier, and subsequently rate limits and
account caps, will switch to the tier of the new billing account.

Cumulative spend (towards all Google Cloud products) and account age across all
projects tied to a billing account counts towards that billing account's
[tier qualifications](/docs/billing#about-billing).

You can [unlink a project](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#disable_billing_for_a_project)
from its billing account to return to the free tier.

[API keys](/docs/api-key) are credentials generated inside a project.
They have no independent billing settings; they inherit the tier limits and
billing status of the project. The cumulative usage from all keys within a
project counts toward that project's spend cap and the billing account's total
spend.

## Frequently asked questions  {% id="faq" %}

The following sections provide answers to frequently asked questions.

### What am I billed for?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="what-am-i-billed-for" %}

Gemini API pricing is based on the following:

- Input token count
- Output token count
- Cached token count
- Cached token storage duration

For pricing information, see the [Pricing page](https://ai.google.dev/pricing).

### Where can I view my quota?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="where-can-i-view-my-quota" %}

You can view your quota and system limits in
[AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/usage).

### How do I move to a higher rate limit tier, or request more quota?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="how-do-i-request-more-quota" %}

You will automatically be granted more quota when your account reaches the next
[tier requirements](/docs/rate-limits#usage-tiers).

### Can I use the Gemini API for free in EEA (including EU), the UK, and CH?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="is-Gemini-free-in-EEA-UK-CH" %}

Yes, we make the free tier and paid tier available in [many regions](/docs/available-regions).

### If I set up billing with the Gemini API, will I be charged for my Google AI Studio usage?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="is-AI-Studio-free" %}

AI Studio usage remains free of charge unless users link a paid API key for
access to paid features.
Once you link a paid API key as part of a paid project in AI Studio, you will be
charged for AI Studio usage for that key. You can switch between Paid Tier
projects and Free Tier projects as needed by using the respective API keys
linked to each type.

### If I'm on the Free Tier, how do I upgrade to higher tiers?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="how-do-i-upgrade" %}

To access higher tiers, you must set up billing on your project. Click [**Set up
billing**](/docs/billing#setup-billing) in Google AI Studio. This will walk you through
selecting or creating a Cloud Billing account. If you are required to be on the
prepaid billing model, the **Set up billing** process will guide you through the
process to create your Prepay account that is linked to your Cloud Billing
account.

### Can I use 1M tokens in the free tier?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="can-i-use-1m-tokens-for-free" %}

The free tier for Gemini API differs based on the model selected. For now, you
can try the 1M token context window in the following ways:

- In Google AI Studio
- With free-of-charge plans for select models
- With postpaid plans

### Can I revert back to Free Tier after I've upgraded to higher (paid) tiers?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="revert-to-free" %}

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)
on each of your projects that you want to downgrade. Some projects may need
[project verification](/docs/verification) before they can use the Free Tier.

### How can I calculate the number of tokens I'm using?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="count-tokens" %}

Use the [`GenerativeModel.count_tokens`](https://ai.google.dev/api/python/google/generativeai/GenerativeModel#count_tokens)
method to count the number of tokens. Refer to the [Tokens guide](/docs/tokens) to learn more about tokens.

### If I sign up for my first Cloud Billing account through AI Studio, will I still get a Google Cloud Free Trial?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="free-trial-through-ais" %}

When you sign up for your first ever Cloud Billing account, your [Google Cloud
Free Trial](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features#free-trial) starts
and you are granted a $300 [Welcome credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#welcome-credits).
However, those credits can't be used to pay for AI Studio usage. You can use the
Welcome credit to pay for other eligible services within Google Cloud (note that
once those credits are consumed or expire (within 90 days), any additional usage
costs are automatically billed to your established form of payment).

### Can I use my Google Cloud Welcome credit with the Gemini API?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="cloud-credits" %}

No, the Google Cloud [Welcome credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup#welcome-credits)
or free trial credit can't be used towards the Gemini API or AI Studio.

If you were granted a Google Cloud welcome credit before they became
ineligible, you are allowed to spend your remaining credits on the Gemini API
and AI Studio up until the credits expire (after 90 days).

### Does the Google Cloud Free Trial apply to Gemini API usage?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="cloud-free-trial" %}

No, starting March 2026, Gemini API usage costs are specifically excluded from
the [$300 Google Cloud Free Trial](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features#free-trial)
program.

### How do Google Cloud credits work with Prepay?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="cloud-credits-prepay" %}

Prepay users must first [purchase Prepaid credits](/docs/billing#buy-credits) before any
eligible Google Cloud credits can be applied to Gemini API usage. Once you have
an active Prepay credit balance, Google Cloud credits that are eligible for the
Gemini API 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.

Not all Google Cloud credits, such as the
[Google Cloud Welcome credit](/docs/billing#cloud-credits), can be used towards Gemini API
and AI Studio.

### How is billing handled?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="how-is-billing-handled" %}

Billing for the Gemini API is handled by the [Cloud billing](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/concepts) system. Learn about the
in-product Cloud Billing setup in the [Cloud Billing documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/in-product-billing-setup).

### Am I charged for failed requests?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="am-i-charged-for-failed-requests" %}

If your request fails with a 400 or 500 error, you won't be charged for the
tokens used. However, the request will still count against your quota.

### Is `GetTokens` billed?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="is-gettokens-billed" %}

Requests to the `GetTokens` API are not billed, and they don't count against
inference quota.

### How is my Google AI Studio data handled if I have a paid API account?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="paid-api-ai-studio" %}

Refer to the [Terms of service](/docs/terms#paid-services) for details on
how data is handled when Cloud billing is enabled (see "How Google Uses Your
Data" under "Paid Services"). Note that your Google AI Studio prompts are
treated under the same "Paid Services" terms so long as at least 1 API project
has billing enabled, which you can validate on the
[Gemini API key page](https://aistudio.google.com/api-keys) if you see any
projects marked as "Paid" under "Plan".

### What is Prepaid billing and who is required to use the prepaid billing model?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="what-is-prepaid" %}

Prepaid billing allows users of Gemini API in AI Studio to pre-purchase credits.
Starting Mar 23, 2026, new users to AI Studio might be required to be on the
Prepaid billing plan. During the AI Studio [Set up Billing](/docs/billing#setup-billing)
process, the UI will guide you through the billing set up flow and will indicate
if you are required to prepay.

### How do I purchase Prepay credits, and is there a minimum amount or maximum?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="purchase-prepay" %}

You can [purchase credits](/docs/billing#buy-credits) on the AI Studio Billing page. During
the purchase process, the UI will provide the minimum pre-purchase amount that
is required for your region and tier level, as well as a maximum amount that can
be in your account at one time.

### Can I configure my Prepay account to automatically purchase more credits as needed?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="configure-auto-purchase" %}

Yes, we recommend that you configure [auto-reload](/docs/billing#auto-reload) in the AI
Studio Billing settings. You specify a "trigger" credit balance (e.g., "when my
balance falls below $30") and a "reload value" (e.g., "add $100").

### Can I limit the amount of automatic reload charges?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="limit-auto-reload-charges" %}

Yes, Prepay users can set a [Monthly Auto-Charge Limit](/docs/billing#monthly-auto-charge-limit)
within the **Auto-Reload** widget. When the total amount of automatic reloads in
a billing cycle reaches this limit, the system disables auto-reload until the
next month. Manual credit purchases do not count toward this limit.

### Can I get a refund for my unused credits?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="refund-unused-credits" %}

All Prepaid API credits expire after 1 year and cannot be refunded. Read the
[refund policy for Prepay accounts](/docs/billing#refunds).

### Do my prepaid credits expire?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="prepay-credits-expire" %}

Yes, credits expire 12 months after their purchase date.

### What happens when my prepaid credit balance hits $0?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="zero-balance" %}

All Gemini API services in all projects paid for by that Cloud Billing Prepay
account will stop immediately to prevent incurring more charges. Your projects
aren't automatically downgraded to the Free Tier.

To restore service at your current Paid Tier level, you must [purchase
additional credits](/docs/billing#buy-credits). After you've purchased credits, you should be
able to use the Gemini API. Note that there might be a [delay](/docs/billing#processing-times) while our systems update to reflect your credit balance.

Optionally, 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)
on the projects you want to downgrade.

### Why did my usage stop even though my Prepay credit balance is greater than $0?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="usage-stop" %}

You may have hit the [usage limit](/docs/billing#tier-spend-caps) for your current tier.
Usage limits will increase automatically as you progress to higher tiers. Your
Gemini API AI Studio usage can also be impacted due to [the status of your
Cloud Billing account](/docs/billing#missed-payment).

### Why is my Prepay account credit balance negative?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="negative-balance" %}

Due to the complexity of our billing and processing systems, there might be
[delays](/docs/billing#processing-times) in our ability to cut off usage after you consume
all of your credits. This excess usage might appear as a negative credit balance
in your AI Studio billing dashboard. If this happens, your service is paused,
and your negative balance will be deducted from your next credit purchase.

To avoid a pause in your Gemini API service, we recommend setting up
[auto-reload](/docs/billing#auto-reload) to automatically purchase more credits when your
credit balance falls below a value you specify.

### Can I use my Prepay credits for other Google Cloud services, like Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="other-prepay" %}

No, Prepay credits are strictly locked to Gemini API usage. Any other Google
Cloud services you use (Compute, Storage, Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform) are
billed using the standard
[Cloud charging cycle](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle).

### Can I switch from Prepay to Postpay billing?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="switch-to-postpaid" %}

No, switching from a Prepay billing plan to a Postpay billing plan is not supported.

### Can I switch from Postpay to Prepay billing?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="switch-to-prepay" %}

Yes, you can transition an existing Postpay account on the [AI Studio Billing](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) page. See [Migrate to prepay](/docs/billing#migrate-to-prepay) for instructions.

### What happens to my Prepaid credits if I switch to Postpay?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="credits-in-postpaid" %}

When you upgrade to [Postpay](/docs/billing#postpay), Cloud Billing closes your Prepay
payments account, turns off [auto-reload](/docs/billing#auto-reload), and automatically
refunds any unused Prepay credits to you (subject to standard refund processing
time).

### Where can I see my current Prepay credit balance and transaction history?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="balance-history" %}

All balance management and transaction history for the Gemini API must be
done directly within the Google AI Studio Billing tab.

### Why am I seeing "The billing account type is inactive or unsupported"?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="eligible-accounts" %}

Payments interactions on the [AI Studio Billing page](https://aistudio.google.com/billing) may be blocked and replaced with the
message "The billing account type is inactive or unsupported" if your
selected billing account type or billing account status is not eligible for
the Paid Tier in AI Studio.

Check the [Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/) to see your
billing account's status. One ineligible type could be *Free trial account*, in
which case you can [activate billing](/docs/billing#setup-billing) in AI Studio to become
eligible. One inactive state could be *Closed*, in which case you can [reopen
the account](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/close-or-reopen-billing-account).

### Will my Gemini API usage costs show up in the Google Cloud console?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="cloud-console" %}

Yes, Gemini API costs, alongside costs associated with any other Google Cloud
services that are paid for by your Cloud Billing account, are viewable on the
[Cost management pages](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/split-charging-cycle#cost-reports)
in the [Cloud Billing console](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing). Note
that you can only manage your Prepay credit balance in AI Studio.

### 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?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="delayed-billing" %}

Google Cloud and AI Studio report usage data to Cloud Billing at varying
intervals. Due to the complexity of our billing and processing systems, you
might see a delay between your use of services, and the usage and costs being
available to view in Cloud Billing. Typically, your cost details are available
within a day, but can sometimes take more than 24 hours.
Learn more about delayed billing in the [Cloud Billing documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/billing-cycle#delayed-billing).

### If I use other Google Cloud services with costs that are subject to a Postpay charging cycle, what happens if I miss a payment?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="missed-payment" %}

Missing a payment for other Google Cloud services can suspend your Gemini API
access in AI Studio, **regardless of how many Prepaid credits you have
available**. AI Studio usage is powered by a Google Cloud Billing account, which
can share both Prepay billing for AI Studio and Postpay billing for other Cloud
services. An issue with your Postpay balance halts all services tied to that
account. Your Gemini API usage will be suspended if your Cloud Billing account
is flagged for issues such as:

* A delinquent or overdue balance
* A declined payment
* An invalid or expired payment method

To restore service, you must [resolve the Postpay account issue](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/resolve-issues#resolving-declined-payments)
in the Google Cloud Billing console. Once you resolve the issue, you will regain
access to your Prepaid Gemini API credits and services.

### Why are my projects disrupted after I canceled a Prepay setup?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="prepay-issue" %}

**Issue:** You started the flow to add Prepay capabilities to an existing
Postpay billing account, but closed the window or canceled the process before
completing the prepayment setup. Other projects linked to that billing account
lost access to the Gemini API.

**Cause:** During the transition flow, the infrastructure to support Prepay is
created on your billing account immediately after you accept the confirmation
dialog. If you don't complete the prepayment steps, the configuration remains
in an unchargeable state. Because this state applies at the billing account
level, it restricts access for all projects linked to that billing account that
rely on Prepay services.

**Resolution:** Because the account state has already changed, there is no
automatic way to revert the state if you abandon the payment flow. To restore
service to your linked projects, do one of the following:

* **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.
* **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.

### Where can I get help with billing?  {% class="hide-from-toc" id="get-help" %}

To get help with billing, see
[Get Cloud billing support](https://cloud.google.com/support/billing).