What it is
Gemini CLI is Google's open-source (Apache 2.0) terminal agent for Gemini models. It reads and edits code, runs shell commands, grounds answers in Google Search and connects to MCP servers.
It is being wound down for most users. On 18 June 2026 Google stopped serving Gemini CLI requests for the free Gemini Code Assist for individuals tier and for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, and pointed them to Antigravity CLI, a new tool written in Go. From 9 October 2026 new Gemini Code Assist Standard and Enterprise subscriptions can no longer be bought; existing ones can renew until 31 January 2027 (annual) or 31 December 2027 (monthly).
The CLI still works with paid Gemini API keys, Vertex AI and existing Code Assist licences, and still ships weekly: v0.65.0 arrived on 20 October 2026. The README says it is not optimised for Gemini 4 Argon.
Our review
Gemini CLI's defining feature was a free tier of 1,000 requests a day on a personal Google account, and that is gone. On 18 June 2026 Google stopped serving the CLI to free individual users and to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers and told them to move to Antigravity CLI. In October it stopped selling new Gemini Code Assist Standard and Enterprise subscriptions. The repository is still active, with about 107,600 stars and weekly stable releases, but the product strategy now points elsewhere.
What remains is a pay-as-you-go tool. A paid Gemini API key or Vertex AI works and bills per token, and existing Code Assist customers keep 1,500 requests per user per day on Standard and 2,000 on Enterprise until their contracts end. The README's own banner says the CLI is not optimised for the latest Gemini models and recommends Antigravity for Gemini 4 Argon, so this is no longer where Google's best model work lands first.
The open-source code still has value. Apache 2.0, MCP support, a non-interactive mode for scripts and configurable OpenTelemetry export make it a reasonable base for a team that wants to fork or embed a terminal agent, and it is more open than its replacement: Google's announcement describes Antigravity CLI's GitHub repository only as a community forum. Usage statistics go to Google by default; privacy.usageStatisticsEnabled turns them off.
The issue tracker shows a service in transition. The most-discussed open threads are about 429 capacity errors, requests for newer Gemini models and authentication failures on Enterprise Workspace accounts. Codex CLI and OpenCode offer the same terminal workflow without a vendor-announced exit, and OpenCode keeps model choice, which Gemini CLI never had.
Where it earns its place
A 30-developer team with Code Assist Standard seats bought before October 2026
Keep using a terminal agent until the contract ends
Each seat keeps 1,500 requests a day; at the last published $19 per user a month on annual terms that is $570 a month. The move to Antigravity or another agent needs planning before annual renewals close on 31 January 2027.
A platform engineer on Google Cloud
Run a scripted code-maintenance agent in CI against Vertex AI
Run gemini non-interactively with Vertex AI credentials under Google Cloud terms; quota follows the project's shared quota or provisioned throughput and cost is per token. Turn off usage statistics in the CI runner's settings.
A developer-tools team building its own coding agent
Fork an existing open-source agent instead of starting from scratch
Apache 2.0 allows a commercial fork with MCP, tools and a terminal UI already built. The risk is that Google's attention has moved to Antigravity, so the upstream project may not keep pace with new Gemini models.
Before you commit
- Setup
- npm install -g @google/gemini-cli (Node.js 20 or later), Homebrew or npx; sign in with a Code Assist licence and GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT, or set GEMINI_API_KEY or Vertex AI credentials. Personal free sign-in no longer serves requests.
- Integrations
- MCP servers, Google Search grounding, a non-interactive mode for scripts and OpenTelemetry export; Gemini models only.
- Data and privacy
- Terms depend on sign-in: Google Cloud terms for Code Assist and Vertex AI, Gemini API paid-services terms for paid keys. Usage statistics go to Google by default (privacy.usageStatisticsEnabled). Prompts and code go to Google's API; there is no local-model option.
- Cost at scale
- Code Assist Standard was $19 per user a month on annual terms ($22.80 monthly) and Enterprise $45 ($54), now renewal-only. Otherwise usage is per token on a paid Gemini API key or Vertex AI.
- Limits
- Gemini models only; not optimised for Gemini 4 Argon; 753 open issues and pull requests, with 429 capacity errors among the most discussed; the quota page still lists an unpaid API-key tier of 250 Flash requests a day, but Google's June announcement names only paid keys.
What's good
- Apache 2.0, forkable, weekly releases
- Google Search grounding and MCP support
- Works with paid API keys and Vertex AI
- Existing Code Assist seats keep 1,500 to 2,000 requests a day
What's not
- Free and Google AI Pro/Ultra access ended 18 June 2026
- New Code Assist subscriptions stopped 9 October 2026
- Not optimised for Gemini 4 Argon; Google recommends Antigravity
- Gemini models only; usage statistics on by default
Best for
Existing Gemini Code Assist customers and Vertex AI teams who want an open-source terminal agent until their contracts run out.
Alternatives
Gemini CLI: common questions
- Is Gemini CLI worth it?
- A capable open-source agent that Google has already moved on from, and hard to justify adopting in late 2026. We rate it 3.3 out of 5.
- How much does Gemini CLI cost?
- Open source (Apache 2.0). The free Google-account tier ended on 18 June 2026; use now needs a paid Gemini API key, Vertex AI or an existing Code Assist licence.
- What are the downsides of Gemini CLI?
- Free and Google AI Pro/Ultra access ended 18 June 2026; new Code Assist subscriptions stopped 9 October 2026; not optimised for Gemini 4 Argon; Google recommends Antigravity; gemini models only; usage statistics on by default.
- Who is Gemini CLI best for?
- Existing Gemini Code Assist customers and Vertex AI teams who want an open-source terminal agent until their contracts run out.
- How much does Gemini CLI cost for a team or in production?
- Code Assist Standard was $19 per user a month on annual terms ($22.80 monthly) and Enterprise $45 ($54), now renewal-only. Otherwise usage is per token on a paid Gemini API key or Vertex AI.
- Is Gemini CLI safe for company data?
- Terms depend on sign-in: Google Cloud terms for Code Assist and Vertex AI, Gemini API paid-services terms for paid keys. Usage statistics go to Google by default (privacy.usageStatisticsEnabled). Prompts and code go to Google's API; there is no local-model option.
- What are the best Gemini CLI alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are OpenAI Codex CLI, OpenCode and goose.
Answers checked Oct 23, 2026.