Gemini CLI is Google’s open-source (Apache 2.0) coding agent for the terminal. It ships stable and preview builds every Tuesday; the latest stable release is 0.68.0 from November 10, 2026.
Its audience has narrowed sharply. On June 18, 2026 it stopped serving Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers and free Code Assist users, who were moved to Antigravity CLI. The consumer version of Code Assist for GitHub shut down on July 17. Gemini Code Assist Standard and Enterprise, the paid plans that still include it, stopped taking new subscriptions on October 9, 2026. Annual renewals end after January 31, 2027 and monthly renewals after December 31, 2027.
Who it’s for
Officially, organisations that already have Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise, or Code Assist for GitHub on Google Cloud, plus people with legacy paid API or Vertex keys. Everyone else should look at Antigravity CLI, or at Google’s separate stateless gemini-api CLI for scripts and CI.
What stands out
- Open source. Apache 2.0, with weekly stable and preview releases and nightly builds.
- Scriptable. Non-interactive mode with
-pand JSON or streaming JSON output. - Multimodal input. It can build from PDFs, images or sketches.
- Multi-directory context. Pull several folders into one session with
--include-directories. - Hooks and sandboxing. Recent releases support hooks, ACP sessions and rootless Podman sandboxes.
Drawbacks and things to watch
- Not tuned for Gemini 4. The project says so itself and asks people not to use it to benchmark Gemini models.
- A shrinking path. You can’t buy new Code Assist subscriptions, and existing ones wind down through 2027.
- No free tier. Personal Google accounts no longer work.
Privacy and security
Which terms apply depends on how you sign in: Code Assist uses Google Cloud’s terms, where Google says Gemini doesn’t train on your prompts or responses; API and Vertex keys use those services’ paid terms. Usage statistics can be turned off in settings.
Moving to Antigravity CLI
Install agy and run it in a folder with your Gemini CLI setup; it offers to convert extensions, move session tokens to the keyring and map display settings. Then run agy plugin import gemini to turn extensions into plugins and move MCP servers into mcp_config.json. Your GEMINI.md and AGENTS.md files work as they are. Move workspace skills from .gemini/skills/ to .agents/skills/, and rename url or httpUrl to serverUrl for remote MCP servers. Google warns there isn’t full feature parity, and custom terminal themes don’t carry over.
Getting started
Install with npm install -g @google/gemini-cli (Node.js 20 or later) or brew install gemini-cli, then sign in with a Code Assist licence or set GEMINI_API_KEY.
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Code Assist Standard | Hourly via Google Cloud | $0.031232877/hour on a monthly term, $0.026027397/hour on a 12-month term. No new subscriptions since October 9, 2026. |
| Code Assist Enterprise | Hourly via Google Cloud | $0.073972603/hour on a monthly term, $0.061643836/hour on a 12-month term. Higher daily limits for agent mode and the CLI. No new subscriptions since October 9, 2026. |
| Gemini API / Vertex AI key | Pay per use | Billed at Gemini API rates. The README now calls this “legacy” access. |
Gemini CLI FAQ
Is Gemini CLI still free?
No. Since June 18, 2026 it has no free tier and doesn't work with Google AI Pro or Ultra. It now needs a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise licence, Code Assist for GitHub on Google Cloud, or a paid Gemini API or Vertex AI key.
What replaced Gemini CLI?
Antigravity CLI (agy), launched on May 19, 2026. Free and Google AI Pro/Ultra users were moved to it, and Google recommends it for Gemini 4.
How do I migrate from Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI?
Install agy and run it; on first launch it offers to convert extensions and settings. agy plugin import gemini turns extensions into plugins and moves MCP servers to mcp_config.json, where remote servers use serverUrl instead of url. GEMINI.md files carry over unchanged; workspace skills move to .agents/skills. Custom terminal themes aren't supported.
Can I still buy Gemini Code Assist?
No. Standard and Enterprise stopped taking new subscriptions on October 9, 2026. Annual renewals end after January 31, 2027 and monthly renewals after December 31, 2027.
Does Gemini CLI train on my code?
With a Code Assist licence, Google says Gemini doesn't use your prompts or responses to train its models. API and Vertex keys follow those services' paid terms. You can turn off usage statistics in settings.
Latest changes
Sources
- Gemini CLI on GitHub
- Google: transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI
- Gemini Code Assist: feature deprecations
- Gemini for Google Cloud pricing
- Gemini CLI: installation
- Gemini CLI: terms and privacy
- Antigravity docs: migrating from Gemini CLI
Facts last checked November 14, 2026.