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Vertex AI Pricing 2026

Complete pricing guide for Vertex AI — plans, costs, and free options.

PaidFree plan + paid from $0.075/monthUpdated May 7, 2026

💰 Vertex AI Pricing Overview

Vertex AI uses a paid pricing model. Requires a paid subscription or one-time purchase. Current pricing: Pay-per-use. Gemini 1.5 Flash: $0.075/1M tokens. Free tier: $300 GCP credits for new accounts.. Vertex AI is a popular coding & development tool known for google cloud's ai platform for gemini, imagen, and ml model deployment. You can get started with Vertex AI for free and upgrade to a paid plan as your needs grow.

🔍 Compare Before You Buy

See all 5 alternatives →

Comparing Vertex AI to similar tools helps you make the best choice for your budget and needs:

Amazon Bedrock

Paid

AWS managed platform for accessing Claude, Llama, and other foundation models via API

Starting at $3/month

Compare with Vertex AI

Azure AI

Paid

Microsoft's cloud AI platform with GPT-4o, Copilot Studio, and enterprise AI services

Free plan + paid from $5/month

Compare with Vertex AI

Anthropic API

Paid

API access to Claude models for developers

Starting at $3/month

Compare with Vertex AI

Vertex AI Plans & Pricing

Most Popular

Gemini 1.5 Flash:

$0.075/month

/1M tokens

Free

$0forever

: $300 GCP credits for new accounts.

* Pricing information is based on publicly available data and may not reflect current promotions, annual discounts, or regional pricing. Visit the official Vertex AI website for the latest pricing.

Is Vertex AI Free?

Yes, Vertex AI offers a free plan

Vertex AI offers a free tier that lets you try the platform without any payment. The free plan typically includes core features with usage limits. For power users, paid plans unlock additional features, higher limits, and priority support.

Vertex AI Feature Comparison

Here's how Vertex AI's key features are typically distributed across pricing tiers. Feature availability is estimated based on common SaaS patterns — check the official site for exact tier details.

FeatureGemini 1.5 Flash:Free
Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access
Imagen 3 for text-to-image generation
AutoML for custom model training without code
Model Registry and versioning
Grounding — connect Gemini to Google Search
Pipelines for MLOps automation

✓ = Full access · ◐ = Limited · — = Not available. Feature availability is estimated and may vary.

Is Vertex AI Worth It?

Vertex AI is a premium coding & development tool that offers 6 key features including Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access, Imagen 3 for text-to-image generation, AutoML for custom model training without code. Google Cloud's Vertex AI is the managed machine learning platform that gives developers access to Gemini models (Ultra, Pro, Flash), PaLM 2, Imagen, and open-source models. Build, fine-tune, and deploy AI applications with Google Cloud's infrastructure. Includes AutoML, model serving, MLOps pipelines, and direct access to Google's latest foundation models.

Vertex AI is a good choice if you need:

  • Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access
  • Imagen 3 for text-to-image generation
  • AutoML for custom model training without code
  • Model Registry and versioning
  • Grounding — connect Gemini to Google Search

💡 Value Assessment

With a free tier available, Vertex AI is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to try coding & development tools without financial commitment. The paid plans offer good value for power users who need the additional features and higher usage limits.

Vertex AI Key Features

Vertex AI comes packed with features that make it a strong contender in the coding & development space. Here's what you get:

1.
Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access

Available in the free plan with limits — Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access helps you work more efficiently with Vertex AI.

2.
Imagen 3 for text-to-image generation

Powered by advanced AI models, Vertex AI delivers intelligent image generation capabilities.

3.
AutoML for custom model training without code

Powered by advanced AI models, Vertex AI delivers intelligent code generation capabilities.

4.
Model Registry and versioning

Available in the free plan with limits — Model Registry and versioning helps you work more efficiently with Vertex AI.

5.
Grounding — connect Gemini to Google Search

Search and browse capabilities help you find what you need quickly.

6.
Pipelines for MLOps automation

Available in the free plan with limits — Pipelines for MLOps automation helps you work more efficiently with Vertex AI.

Vertex AI Alternatives & Their Pricing

Considering alternatives to Vertex AI? Here's how competing tools compare on pricing:

Amazon Bedrock

Paid

AWS managed platform for accessing Claude, Llama, and other foundation models via API

Pricing: Pay-per-token. Claude 3.5 Sonnet via Bedrock: $3/1M input tokens. No minimum spend.

Azure AI

Paid

Microsoft's cloud AI platform with GPT-4o, Copilot Studio, and enterprise AI services

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go. GPT-4o via Azure OpenAI: $5/1M input tokens. Free tier available.

Anthropic API

Paid

API access to Claude models for developers

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go. Claude Sonnet $3/$15 per million tokens (input/output), Opus $15/$75, Haiku $0.25/$1.25

Together AI

Freemium

Open-source LLM cloud platform — 100+ models, fine-tuning, and dedicated endpoints

Pricing: Free $25 credit. Pay-as-you-go from $0.10/1M tokens. Enterprise custom.

Google AI Studio

Free

Google's free IDE for prototyping with Gemini models

Pricing: Free to use. API usage via Google AI has generous free tier, then pay-as-you-go

Ready to try Vertex AI?

Visit the official website for the latest pricing and to get started.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vertex AI free to use?

Yes, Vertex AI offers a free tier that you can use without paying. Paid plans starting at $0.075/month unlock additional features and higher usage limits.

How much does Vertex AI cost in 2026?

As of 2026, Vertex AI pricing is: Pay-per-use. Gemini 1.5 Flash: $0.075/1M tokens. Free tier: $300 GCP credits for new accounts.. Pricing may vary based on billing cycle (monthly vs annual) and region. Visit the official Vertex AI website for the most current pricing.

What is the cheapest Vertex AI plan?

The cheapest option is the free tier. If you need premium features, the most affordable paid plan is Gemini 1.5 Flash: at $0.075/month.

What are the best alternatives to Vertex AI?

Popular alternatives to Vertex AI include Amazon Bedrock, Azure AI, Anthropic API. Each offers different features and pricing structures. Compare them on AISO Tools to find the best fit for your needs and budget.

Is Vertex AI worth the price?

Vertex AI is well-regarded in the coding space, offering features like Gemini Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano model access, Imagen 3 for text-to-image generation, AutoML for custom model training without code. Whether it's worth the investment depends on your specific needs, usage volume, and budget. The free tier lets you try it before committing to a paid plan.

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