Gemini 4 Argon became generally available on the Gemini API on 13 October 2026. It is Google’s newest flagship model, and it accepts text, images, video, audio and PDF files.
Is it free?
No. Google’s pricing page lists Gemini 4 Argon as not available on the free tier. To call it through the API you need a project with billing enabled.
| Gemini 4 Argon | |
|---|---|
| Model ID | gemini-4-argon |
| Free tier | No |
| Input price | $2 per million tokens (introductory, until 30 November 2026) |
| Output price | $10 per million tokens (introductory, until 30 November 2026) |
| After 30 November 2026 | $4 input and $20 output per million tokens |
| Image input | Yes |
Prices are Google’s own figures as of 29 October 2026 and change often. Check the Gemini API pricing page before you rely on them.
The free alternative on the same key
If you want a current Gemini model without paying, use Gemini 3.8 Flash. It is on the free tier, accepts images, and is the newest Gemini model you can call for free. Gemini 3.6 Flash and 3.5 Flash-Lite are free too and are faster for simple questions.
Because the free tier and the paid tier use the same kind of key, you can start with Gemini 3.8 Flash today and switch the model name to gemini-4-argon later, once billing is set up. Free-tier limits are set per project and shown in AI Studio.
One difference to know before choosing: on the free tier, Google may use your prompts and answers to improve its products; on the paid tier it does not.
How to get a key
The key is the same for both models. How to get a free Gemini API key walks through it in about two minutes, including the 2026 change to key types that makes some older keys stop working.
Other options
None of the other big releases of autumn 2026 has a free API either: the GPT-6 and Claude 5.5 families, Kimi K3.1 Pro and DeepSeek V4.1 Flash are paid. Which new AI models have a free API lists each one with its closest free alternative, and best free AI APIs in 2026 compares the providers that do have a free tier.
Using Gemini in LuciQA
LuciQA is a free desktop app that answers questions about what is on your screen with the provider you choose. With a Gemini key it offers Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.6 Flash and 3.8 Flash on the free tier, and Gemini 4 Argon when your project has billing enabled. All of them read images, so a chart or a formula on screen works as well as plain text. Start with Gemini 3.8 Flash; switch to Gemini 4 Argon in Settings for the questions where you want the strongest model.