Gemini 4 is Google’s new generation of AI models, and its first model, Gemini 4 Argon, has been available in the Gemini app since October 13, 2026. But not for everyone: for now only Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers can use it. Here is what it is, what changes, what it costs, what Gemini 4 Carbon is and what is official and what is not.
Quick answer: Gemini 4 Argon is the most advanced model you can use in the Gemini app today. It has been available since October 13, 2026, only with Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra. The free plan and Google AI Plus stay on Flash models. Gemini 4 Carbon, announced on October 28, is not open to the public yet. For current plan prices, see Google’s subscriptions page.
Gemini 4 at a glance: plans and access
| Google plan | Model in the Gemini app | Gemini 4 Argon? |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Flash-Lite | No |
| Google AI Plus | Flash | No |
| Google AI Pro | Gemini 4 Argon | Yes |
| Google AI Ultra | Gemini 4 Argon | Yes, with the highest usage |
What is Gemini 4?
Gemini 4 is the family of models that succeeds Gemini 3. Google is releasing it in stages, with names taken from chemical elements:
- Gemini 4 Argon: the first one. Google introduced it on September 30, 2026 as a “frontier” model for coding, enterprise work (legal and finance) and cybersecurity. It is the one already in the app.
- Gemini 4 Carbon: announced on October 28, 2026 as Google’s most powerful model. For now only selected cybersecurity experts can use it.
Google says it will bring the rest of the Gemini 4 family over time, but it has given no dates. Meanwhile, the free and Plus plans stay on models from the previous generation (Flash and Flash-Lite).
Gemini 4 key dates
| Date | What happened | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | Google introduces Gemini 4 Argon; cybersecurity defenders get it first | Official |
| Oct 13, 2026 | Argon arrives in the Gemini app for AI Pro and Ultra, and in the API for developers | Official |
| Oct 28, 2026 | Google announces Gemini 4 Carbon, with limited access | Official |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Argon launch pricing in the API ends | Official |
| No date | Carbon for the general public and lighter Gemini 4 models | Planned, no date |
What’s new in Gemini 4 Argon
More direct answers
This is the first thing you will notice. Google says Argon answers more directly, with less rambling and fewer stock phrases, and that it repeats itself less. On long tasks it also reports progress more often instead of leaving you waiting.
Tasks that run on their own
The Gemini app adds a switch in the main window to move from chat to tasks. You hand Gemini a job and it keeps working even when you are away from your computer. It is the same agent-style approach all the big AI companies are pursuing.
More connected apps
Gemini now connects with more than 40 apps. Google cites Instacart, OpenTable, Adobe and Shopify as examples, although not every integration works the same way in every country.
Better at coding
Argon improves a lot at code, and from the Gemini app for macOS you can jump from chat into Google Antigravity, Google’s agent-based coding environment. Google credits Argon with 77.9% on the DeepSWE v1.1 benchmark, a record according to the company itself.
More working memory
Google has raised the model’s output limit to 1 million tokens, up from 64,000. In practice, it can generate much longer documents or blocks of code in one go.
How much does Gemini 4 cost?
To use Gemini 4 Argon in the app you need Google AI Pro, which Google says includes four times more usage than the free plan, or Google AI Ultra, which has the highest level of access. Neither the free plan (which uses Flash-Lite) nor Google AI Plus (which uses Flash) includes Argon. Monthly prices differ by country and change, so check Google’s subscriptions page for the current price of each plan.
For developers, Argon costs $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens in the API during the launch period. From November 30, 2026 it rises to $4 and $20. Cached input gets a 95% discount.
How to use Gemini 4, step by step
- Subscribe to Google AI Pro or AI Ultra from the Gemini app or from Google’s subscriptions page.
- Open the Gemini app (web, Android or iOS) with the same account.
- Gemini 4 Argon is the default model on these plans. If you do not see it, wait a few days, because the rollout is gradual.
- Try the tasks switch to hand it longer jobs.
- If you code, use the macOS app to jump into Google Antigravity.
If you are not sure paying is worth it, compare first in our guide to ChatGPT vs. Claude vs. Gemini. And if you want OpenAI’s alternative, see what GPT-6 offers and how to use it for free, since it does reach the free ChatGPT plan.
A few practical tips. Check which model is selected before a long job, since the free plan will quietly use a Flash model. Keep the app updated on your phone, because new features usually reach the apps in stages. And if you are on a work or school account, ask your administrator whether Gemini 4 Argon is switched on, since access can depend on how the account is managed.
What is Gemini 4 Carbon?
Gemini 4 Carbon is the next model in the family, and Google presents it as the most capable it has ever built. It announced Carbon on October 28, 2026, barely two weeks after opening Argon. Google highlights its progress in long-running coding and in cybersecurity, and says it ranks first on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v5.0, with 59 points.
The catch is that you cannot use it yet. It starts with a small group of cybersecurity defenders and trusted partners. Google promises wider access for developers, businesses and users, but with no date. In the API it will cost the same as Argon did at launch.
Official vs. not confirmed
- Official (Google, Sep 30 to Oct 28, 2026): Argon and its availability in AI Pro and Ultra since October 13, the app features, the API prices and the announcement of Carbon with limited access.
- Not confirmed: when Gemini 4 will reach the free plan, and whether there will be Flash versions of Gemini 4. There is speculation, but Google has given no dates.
- Watch the numbers: every performance score is published by Google. They are not independent tests.
Who can safely skip it for now? Anyone who mainly asks short questions, drafts quick emails or looks things up. Flash models handle those jobs well, and the free plan costs nothing. Who should look closer? Developers, analysts and small teams that spend hours a week on code, contracts or long reports, where a stronger model saves real time. A simple test is to track how often you hit a usage limit or get a weak answer on the free plan. If it happens weekly, an upgrade is worth considering.
Is it worth paying for Gemini 4?
If you already pay for Google AI Pro, Argon is a clear upgrade at no extra cost. If you do not, it depends on how you use AI. It is worth it for people who code, work with long documents or live inside Gmail, Docs and Drive, because the plan includes Gemini in those apps. For everyday questions, the free plan is still enough.
If you use AI for work, you may also like our guides to AI for business, AI automation and AI for SEO.
Frequently asked questions
Not for now. Gemini 4 Argon is only available with Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra. The free plan uses the Flash-Lite model.
Google introduced Gemini 4 Argon on September 30, 2026 and opened it in the Gemini app for AI Pro and Ultra on October 13, 2026.
Argon is the first Gemini 4 model and you can already use it with AI Pro and Ultra. Carbon, announced on October 28, is more powerful (that is how Google presents it), but for now only selected cybersecurity experts can use it.
Google rolled Argon out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers worldwide, and its subscriptions page says those plans include Gemini 4 Argon. Availability can vary by country, so check the page for your account.
No. Google AI Plus gives you access to the Flash model, not to Gemini 4 Argon.
Keep reading
- ChatGPT vs. Claude vs. Gemini
- GPT-6: what it is and how to use it for free
- The best AI tools
- AI image generators
Official sources
- Google: official blog (introduction of Gemini 4 Argon, availability in the Gemini app and announcement of Gemini 4 Carbon).
- Gemini: release notes for October 13, 2026 and the subscriptions page.