Gemini for Google Workspace Pricing 2025: Is It Included & Free?

Gemini for Google Workspace Pricing: Is It Included in 2025?

I recently read about Gemini and its new pricing in some Google blogs. Like you, I was confused about whether it is now paid or free. So, I did some research, and here is what I found.

Starting January 15, 2025, Google will include Gemini in the Google Workspace subscription. No matter your subscription level, you will get Gemini to help you be more productive.

However, they have raised the Google Workspace subscription pricing itself by 15-20%. However, in my opinion, it is still a good deal especially if you compare it with the competitors' pricing (e.g., ChatGPT Business will cost you $25 per user on top of your Google Workspace subscription).

Based on my research, here is the new pricing overhaul breakdown which will help you understand the cost and Gemini features you get with different subscription plans.

The New 2025 Google Workspace Pricing Model

Though Google has added Gemini in all of their Workspace subscriptions with this pricing change, the Gemini features you get depend on your subscription. For example, the standalone Gemini app is available to all Workspace users; however, the Business Starter plan is limited to just 5 prompts a day and the standard model.

Google has embedded Gemini side panels in their apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc., which allows you to interact with Gemini without switching the app or the context; however, it is available in Business Standard, Plus, and Enterprise subscriptions. This might be the reason you should consider upgrading if you are still on a Business Starter plan.

Gemini Side Panel in Google Docs:

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Here is the new pricing table with their Gemini status for reference:

Google Workspace Business Standard Gemini: The Sweet Spot

If you are on Business Standard, you are the biggest winner of this update.

Before this pricing update, you would have paid $32 per user: $12 (for Workspace subscription) + $20 (for Gemini as Add-on), but now you would pay just $14 per month, and you get access to most of the Gemini features which should be good enough for most small businesses.

Some of them are worth mentioning below:

• Side Panels in Google Workspace Apps: They allow you to interact with Gemini right in the apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc., to give you a response or create content instantly. An example of this is asking the sidebar in Google Docs to help you write a proposal, or asking the Gmail sidebar to summarize an email for you.
• Google Meet AI: It allows you to ask Google Meet to take notes for you, and it sends you the transcription and notes in a Google Doc after the meeting is over. I personally love this feature because I can then refer to these notes later or share them with teammates who could not attend the meeting.
• Gemini in Slides: It can create the slides for you, simply ask the Gemini sidebar nicely :).
• Gemini in Sheets: I am not sure about you, but I am seriously too bad at writing spreadsheet formulas, and this Gemini sidebar in Google Sheets has been very helpful to me. Of course, it gives me the formula if I ask for it, but I now rather use it to get insights (e.g., asking questions like "tell me the best-selling product in this sheet" and it gives me the answer right away).
• Enterprise-Grade Data Protection: Though I am a small business, I do care about the security and privacy of our data, and Google’s documentation mentions that regardless of the Workspace subscription, they provide enterprise-grade security and data protection (e.g., their models are not trained on my data, no human will review my prompts and responses to Gemini).

Is Gemini Free for Google Workspace?

So if you are still wondering if Gemini is free for Google Workspace, the answer I would say is technically no, as you started paying an additional price after this overhaul. Also, as you see my comments above, you would need to upgrade to Business Standard if you really want to leverage Gemini reasonably.

However, if you are new to Google Workspace or just signing up now, you have no idea (or won’t worry) about the previous Google Workspace pricing, so you should be good considering Gemini as one more feature of Google Workspace, and it is safe to say ‘Gemini is free for Google Workspace’ or part of it.

The Verdict: Is It Worth The Price Hike?

Now, the final question: is Gemini inclusion for this overhaul pricing worth it?

I have been using Gemini almost everyday since its launch, and based on this active usage I can definitely say it is absolutely worth it.

It has allowed me to brainstorm ideas on different aspects of our business, it has saved me countless hours every day, and made me very productive whether it's simply responding to emails, catching up on chat, asking questions to Google Meet in the middle of the meeting, or asking complicated questions to Gemini in Google Sheets.

Conclusion

So if you are still wondering whether it's worth it to upgrade, I would suggest you try the upgrade for a month and see the difference for yourself (Pro Tip: Instead of upgrading every user in your company, you can just upgrade yourself, test it out, and then upgrade everyone if you find it worth it).

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I opt out of the Gemini price increase if I don't use AI?

‍Unfortunately No, Google has now merged Gemini as a feature of Workspace, so regardless of whether you want to use it or not, you get it. You can turn it off if needed, but I would highly recommend leveraging it as it can help you be more productive.

Is my company data used to train Gemini?

‍As per Google’s Privacy Hub documentation, Google Workspace users' data is not used to train any of Google’s AI models.

What is the difference between Gemini Business Starter and Business Standard?

‍Gemini in Business Starter is really not much; if you really want to use Gemini in your day-to-day, you would have to upgrade to Business Standard at least.

Do I still need to pay for the separate Gemini Add-On?

‍No, Google has stopped selling Gemini as a separate add-on starting early 2025; now it is part of all Workspace subscriptions.

Why can't I see Gemini in my Google Docs or Gmail?
‍The Business Starter version does not give you access to those side panels; consider upgrading to Business Standard. You can also save some money with our Google Workspace Promo Code.