On November 13, 2026, Google said the monthly Google Cloud credits included with its Google AI Pro and Ultra plans can now be claimed inside Google AI Studio. They range from $10 to $100 a month, pay for Gemini API usage, and matter to anyone who wants Gemini running in their own website or app.
What we know
- What changed: per Google's blog, you now create a Google Developer Program profile, set up billing and redeem the credits in a single AI Studio dialog instead of visiting several sites.
- How much: the AI Studio guide and the Developer Program FAQ list $10 a month with AI Pro, $40 with AI Ultra 5x and $100 with AI Ultra 20x. Google AI Plus does not include these credits.
- How long they last: each monthly credit expires 12 months after it is issued, and months stack, according to Google. The earliest-expiring credits are spent first.
- What you need: an active plan, to be the primary subscriber (family plan members get an error if they try), and a $5 minimum prepayment on Gemini API billing. Google says that balance stays yours and is only used once credits run out.
- What they cover: the guide says Gemini API calls made with your paid key, on any Gemini model, including AI features in your own apps.
- Currency: credits are granted in US dollars and converted to your billing account's currency when redeemed, so the local amount can vary month to month, per the FAQ.
- Where to see them: the balance shows on the account card at the bottom left of AI Studio and on its billing page.
What changes and what doesn't
The process changes: before, you had to go to the Developer Program portal and the Google Cloud console to redeem each month. AI Studio now flags unclaimed credits and can auto-apply future grants.
What each plan includes does not change. Keep two things apart. Your plan's quota only applies inside the AI Studio interface; whatever your site does with an API key is billed separately, according to the AI Studio docs. The credits bridge the two. They are also not the same as Google One AI credits, which AI Studio does not support. The announcement does not list countries.
How to tell if this affects you
- Check whether you pay for AI Pro or Ultra. Sign in to AI Studio with the plan's account and look for the credits card in the left menu.
- Work out what may have piled up. Since each month lasts 12 months, an unused plan can hold up to 12 live grants: $120 with AI Pro, $480 with Ultra 5x and $1,200 with Ultra 20x. That is this article's estimate; if you never redeemed them, your billing page shows the real balance.
- Pick the feature that will use them. A chatbot, on-site search, form triage or product summaries all call the API. Measure how many calls a day it makes first.
- Keep the key off the browser. The paid key belongs on the server (your site's back end or a serverless function), never in JavaScript visitors can see. If someone copies it, they spend your credits and then your balance.
- Set a spend cap. The AI Studio guide explains how to set a monthly cap per project. Without one, requests keep working once credits run out and are charged to your balance.
- Check who owns the plan. Only the plan's primary account gets the credits, and they apply to one billing account. If someone else runs your site, agree on which account redeems them.
Related: Gemini 4 Carbon Now Available: Who Can Use It, Pricing
Sources
- Google (official blog), "Claim your Google Cloud Credits in Google AI Studio", November 13, 2026
- Google AI Studio guide, "Unlock Free API Credits Directly in AI Studio with Google AI Plans"
- Google Developer Program, benefits FAQ
- Google AI Studio documentation, "Google AI plans"
Updates: if Google changes the amounts or publishes the eligible countries, it will be added here with a link.