Google preps AI Ultra Lite plan to bridge $230 pricing gap between Pro and Ultra subscriptions

Google appears to have an 'AI Ultra Lite' subscription tier in the works

Google is also working on adding a new AI usage limit dashboard. Right now, Google's subscription AI offerings have a pretty big gap between the AI Pro and AI Ultra levels. But evidence suggests Google may quietly be developing a new option between the two: AI Ultra Lite. We can see the name of the upcoming Google AI subscription tier in a string of text within the macOS version of the Gemini app, along with its apparent codename, "Neon." Since AI Pro costs $20 a month and the original AI Ultra costs $250, the price for AI Ultra Lite will likely fall somewhere between those two. Whatever its final cost, that could mean it might provide everything AI Pro offers and many of the features the original AI Ultra offers, but maybe with some slightly lower usage limits. For example, it may offer access to Deep Think reasoning mode but not Project Genie. In addition to the new subscription tier, 9to5Google uncovered text strings that suggest Google is working on a new page dedicated to tracking explicit AI usage limits in Gemini and how close you are to reaching that quota at any given time: Those strings could imply that the page will take users to a dashboard that takes separate five-hour and weekly usage limits into account, as well as overage credits that go beyond what the subscription plan allows -- as we see with peers like Anthropic. Details about AI Ultra Lite are pretty sparse at the moment, but it's possible we will see what it will look like -- and learn if it keeps this "Ultra Lite" name -- at Google I/O 2026, which is a little under two weeks away.

Google's new Gemini AI plan could fill a glaring pricing gap

I've been writing about Android since 2011, with a focus on device reviews, Samsung and Google Pixel hardware, and the latest happenings in the ecosystem. In my entire writing career, I've reviewed more than 75 Android phones. Carrying both a Samsung or Pixel flagship and an iPhone as a daily driver provides me with deep insight into how Android works and how it compares to iOS. I have been writing for Android Police since 2021, covering news, how-tos, and features. You can find my previous work on Neowin, AndroidBeat, Times of India, iPhoneHacks, MySmartPrice, and MakeUseOf. When not working, I tend to mindlessly scroll through X, play with new AI models, or go on long road trips. You can reach out to me on X or drop a mail at [email protected]. Google offers several AI plans under the Google One umbrella, which provide higher usage limits and access to more powerful Gemini features and tools. The $250 AI Ultra plan sits at the top of the chart and provides a plethora of perks, while the $7.99 AI Plus plan serves as the entry-level option. Now, it looks like Google may be preparing to introduce another subscription tier to its AI lineup. The $7.99 AI Plus or the $19.99 AI Pro plans are great for beginners and moderate users who want to play around with all of Gemini's bells and whistles. The next plan in Google's lineup after that is AI Ultra, which costs a whopping $250 per month. While it packs a lot of benefits and gracious usage limits, it's a big jump from the $20 per month AI Pro plan. Anthropic and OpenAI offer a perfect middle ground with a $100 per month plan, which provides 5x the limit of the $20/month plan. Now, based on a teardown of the Gemini app for macOS by 9to5Google, Google appears to be working on a new AI Ultra Lite plan. As the name indicates, the "Lite" tier should sit below the $250 AI Ultra plan and above the AI Pro plan. If OpenAI and Anthropic's plan pricing is any indication, Google may charge a similar $100 per month for its upcoming AI plan. With Gemini only getting more powerful and capable, the new AI Ultra Lite plan should be a great option for most power users. Dedicated page to check Gemini usage limits The report also states that Google is working on a dedicated page from where you can see your Gemini usage limits. It will supposedly allow users to view their token usage, time remaining until the next reset, and more. Claude already offers a similar page that displays weekly and five-hour session limits. With token usage becoming a growing concern among power users, such a feature would be a welcome addition. Google I/O 2026 is just around the corner, and we'll likely see Google talking about its new AI plan at the event.

Google readies 'AI Ultra Lite' plan and explicit 'usage limits' for Gemini

Google is quietly preparing a new "AI Ultra Lite" subscription tier to slot between its $20 Pro and $250 Ultra plans, plus a dedicated dashboard for subscribers to see their remaining token budget. If you've been following AI news in recent weeks, you know that after months of rapid adoption of AI agents and coding tools, we've now entered a bit of a token crunch. Users of Claude have clamored on social media about what feels like notable decreases to their per-session usage limits, while GitHub Copilot has dramatically adjusted the pricing for many of the models it provides access to. Some people (myself included, admittedly) have taken this as a sign to upgrade to a higher-tier subscription plan to maintain unfettered access. Then there's Gemini. While Google certainly offers some of the same niceties as Anthropic's ecosystem -- a Gemini CLI, the Antigravity IDE, AI Studio, Stitch, etc. -- the coding capabilities of Gemini have not yet captured the hearts of developers and vibecoders. With the company's annual Google I/O developer conference just weeks away, this seems like a prime opportunity for Gemini to regain lost ground. A recent report from The Information indicates that Google co-founder Sergey Brin is leading a "strike team" to radically improve code creation with Gemini. Should this strike force succeed, it's likely that more subscribers would ramp up their Gemini-powered coding and push the limits of their Google AI Plus or Pro subscriptions, as coding agents tend to be quite token heavy. As it stands today, your only upgrade options from there are to either switch to the Gemini API and pay directly for your usage or switch to the Google AI Ultra plan, which runs a hefty $250 per month in the US. This is a dramatic increase over the Pro plan's $20 monthly rate and even exceeds Anthropic's Claude Max 20x plan. As spotted by our APK Insight team, the latest update to the recently launched Gemini app for macOS includes new signs of an in-between plan to bridge the gap between AI Pro and AI Ultra. The new plan carries the codename "Neon" and is currently dubbed "Google AI Ultra Lite" though this branding is unlikely to be final. RobinApolloNeon__neon_brand_name_in_mavatar ULTRA LITE RobinApolloNeon__neon_brand_name_string Google AI Ultra Lite Nothing in the app points to a price point for this upper-mid-level subscription, though somewhere between $50 and $150 would reasonably separate it from the Pro and Ultra plans. Both Anthropic and OpenAI offer a $100 plan, which Google may seek to match. Neither is there any information about the additional Gemini features that would be included in Google AI Ultra Lite compared to Pro, other than the increased usage limits. As it stands, the highest AI Ultra plan offers exclusive demos like Project Genie, increased usage of the video & music generator Flow, larger notebooks in NotebookLM, and premium features in several other more traditional Google apps. Alongside the shakeup to Google's AI subscriptions, the Gemini app also points to aupcoming dedicated page to display your token usage to make an informed assessment of whether you're paying for the correct plan: SETTINGS_MENU_USAGE_LIMITS Usage limits gemini.google.com/usage Anthropic offers an equivalent usage page for Claude subscribers, showing what percentage of their token budget is available for the current "session," when that session limit resets next, and how much is available in their weekly budget. Gemini's usage page is not yet live but seems poised to offer a similar experience. Matching the current experience visible in Google Antigravity, Gemini uses separate five-hour and weekly usage limits, as well as overage credits to go beyond your subscription's allotment: GXU_FIVE_HOURLY GXU_WEEKLY OVERAGE_CREDITS Having a visual indicator of your current token budget makes it easy to know whether you have enough headroom to begin a token-heavy agentic coding session or if you should wait a few hours. Between Gemini preparing a usage indicator and an upper-middle tier "Google AI Ultra Lite" subscription, it seems Google is positioning itself to handle a major increase in demand for its AI models. What remains to be seen is whether Google will succeed in driving new demand for its models and tools.

There might finally be a Google AI plan that fits between $20 and $250 - Phandroid

Google's AI subscription lineup has a pretty awkward gap in it. You've got AI Pro at $20 a month, which covers most casual users just fine. Then there's AI Ultra at $250 a month, which is a massive jump. There's not much in between for power users who need more than Pro but won't pay $3,000 a year. A new Google AI Ultra Lite plan might be about to change that. Code spotted by 9to5Google's APK Insight team in a recent Gemini macOS app update points to the new tier. The plan carries the codename "Neon" internally, and the name "Google AI Ultra Lite" is a tentative placeholder that could change before any official launch. No pricing has been confirmed, but 9to5Google estimates somewhere between $50 and $150 would make sense given the existing tiers. Anthropic already has a $100 Max tier, and OpenAI added its own $100 mid-tier plan last month. Google may be following the same playbook. In terms of what Google AI Ultra Lite would actually offer, the only detail the code suggests is increased usage limits over Pro. Nothing points to new features beyond what the Ultra plan already offers. It's more headroom for the kind of heavy usage that bumps up against Pro's caps. That usage ceiling is a real pain point right now. AI agents and coding tools have driven demand up sharply, and users across platforms have been hitting their limits hard. A middle tier gives Google a way to catch subscribers ready to spend more, without asking for a $250 monthly commitment. Alongside the Google AI Ultra Lite discovery, 9to5Google also spotted plans for a dedicated usage dashboard at gemini.google.com/usage. The page would let subscribers track their remaining token budget in real time. Right now, usage limits on Gemini are pretty opaque. You often don't know you're close to hitting the wall until you're already there. If you've been eyeing the Ultra plan's AI Inbox and advanced Gemini perks but can't stomach the price, this could be the tier that bridges the gap. Google hasn't announced anything officially, and features found in app code don't always make it to launch.