Google AI Plus launches in US at $8 a month, bridging gap between free and premium AI access

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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Google expanded its affordable AI subscription plan to 35 new countries including the United States, priced at $7.99 per month. The tier includes access to Gemini 3 Pro, Nano Banana Pro, 200GB of storage, and AI filmmaking tools like Flow and Whisk. Google One Premium 2TB subscribers automatically receive all AI Plus benefits at no extra cost.

Google AI Plus arrives in US markets with competitive pricing

Google announced on Tuesday that its Google AI Plus subscription is now available in the US and 35 additional countries, expanding the affordable AI subscription plan to all markets where the company sells its AI services

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. The US launch brings the service at $7.99 per month, positioning it as a middle ground between Google's free AI offerings and the $20-per-month AI Pro plan

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. This expansion follows the plan's initial debut in Indonesia last September, with subsequent rollouts across dozens of global markets focused primarily on emerging economies

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Source: 9to5Google

Source: 9to5Google

The pricing strategy varies by region, with users in India paying ₹399 ($4.44 USD) per month, while the $8 a month price point in the United States directly competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT Go plan

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. New US subscribers can take advantage of a limited-time promotional offer receiving 50% off for the first two months, bringing the cost down to $3.99 per month

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Enhanced AI capabilities and storage benefits

The AI plan delivers enhanced access to Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro within the Gemini app, tools that represent Google's latest advancements in conversational AI and image generation

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. Nano Banana Pro generates images with such photorealistic quality that they're nearly indistinguishable from ordinary phone photos, a feature Google had to limit due to overwhelming demand

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Subscribers gain access to 200GB of storage across Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail, with the ability to share plan benefits with up to five family members

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. This storage capacity significantly exceeds the 15GB offered in the free tier but falls short of AI Pro's 2TB allocation

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. The plan also includes Deep Research capabilities and limited access to Veo 3.1 Fast for video generation

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Source: Android Authority

Source: Android Authority

AI filmmaking tools and creative features expand access

Google AI Plus unlocks expanded capabilities across the company's creative AI ecosystem. Subscribers receive 200 monthly credits for Flow AI and Whisk, compared to 100 credits for free users and 1,000 for AI Pro subscribers

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. Flow's AI filmmaking tools enable users to create cinematic scenes and stories, while Whisk offers image-to-video creation powered by Veo 3 technology

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. The tier guarantees access to image-to-video creation capabilities that remain uncertain for free tier users

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Integration with Workspace apps represents another significant benefit, bringing Gemini functionality to Gmail, Google Vids, and Chrome

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. NotebookLM subscribers gain access to more Audio Overviews, additional notebooks, and enhanced research and writing assistance

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. These features were previously restricted to users paying for AI Pro or higher tiers

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Strategic positioning against competitors and market implications

The available in the US rollout positions Google to capture a broader segment of AI users who find the $20 monthly cost of premium plans prohibitive but want more than free offerings provide

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. By matching OpenAI's ChatGPT Go pricing, Google aims to attract the large online population of casual users who could become regular AI customers over time, boosting adoption numbers across its AI ecosystem

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Source: Engadget

Source: Engadget

Google One Premium 2TB subscribers will automatically receive all Google AI Plus plan benefits over the next few days at no additional cost, effectively upgrading their existing $9.99 monthly subscription

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. This automatic upgrade rewards existing customers while simplifying Google's subscription structure, though users still face choices between AI Plus, the $20 AI Pro plan with 2TB storage, and the $250 AI Ultra plan offering 30TB storage and unrestricted access to all AI tools

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The expansion signals Google's commitment to democratizing AI access while building sustainable revenue streams. As AI tools become increasingly central to productivity and creativity workflows, the $8 price point could determine whether mainstream users view AI subscriptions as essential utilities or optional luxuries. Watch for usage data and retention rates in coming months to gauge whether this pricing strategy successfully converts free users into paying customers.

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