MAJOR BILLING ISSUE!!!

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

OK, well - there is a potential huge issue. I am a Tier 1 user - then, I connected my API Key to Gemini CLI, because I was not able to use Gemini-2.5-pro, and could only use Flash when signed in with my Google Account. But - I wanted to be able to use Gemini-2.5-Pro to see how that was. Well, its great... however, its SUPER expensive! I have been checking my requests daily for the past 3 days when I sign out of Gemini CLI since I have been using my API key, and I have only used around a couple hundred max per day, so well within the free tier limits. I have just been using it on my projects, and seeing how well it works at looking for issues and fixing problems. Well... although I am in the "FREE TIER" portion - well under 1000 requests, I have somehow racked up a bill of $66 in just 3 days - most of this today! Just a few hours. How is this possible? Here are the screen shots:

How? What is happening where I am getting billed - while I am well under the requests - and 97 MILLION tokens in just one afternoon!!!??? HOW!!! Well, I will be removing my API key and returning to Gemini-2.5-Flash through my regular google account... because at this rate, this would be a $2000 a month bill!!! How is this even possible! Everyone needs to check there billing!!!

[Manamama]

See my informal tips, mentioning your issue, here #4446 (comment)

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

@Manamama Well, I thought the charges above where the worst of it... however, I woke up this morning to an email saying that my account is over the threshold with a new billing amount:

On the 16th, I started using the API key - before this, I was only using the login with my google account, and it seems to have selected this account to bill. I was getting a .15 cent to .35 cent per day using the gemini-2.5-flash. After I added my API key and started using it, mostly just getting to see what it could do - it started racking up $$$ and I had no idea! Yesterday, I used it heavy because I used in on one of my projects that I built and maintain and I was making a tutorial video and in about 4 hours, I ran up a bill of $72 - and I had no idea. I was assuming I was in the free tier, because I had used about 160 requests... but 100,000,000 (yes, 100 MILLION) input tokens!!!!

So - I have no idea how that happened... the CLI must send an incredible amount of information to the API... and then, unfortunately for the user - they get a huge bill. And this was only over about a 5 hour period while I was making a training tutorial about Gemini CLI!!! I am going to have to contact Google Billing and see if I can get this adjusted, because this is not exactly a fair bill for using a product and then getting hit with this sort of bill when you think you are well within the free use limits!

I have removed the API key from the CLI and will be returning to using the flash model with my google account. I thought Claude was expensive! This makes Claude look like a charity case!

[Manamama]

Wow. Wait some so that I fetch my graphs for all to see.... (in very short, I have not paid a cent, but then, I had never linked a credit card to this or other API keys just to avoid your situation...)

Update 1:

In the meantime (as very busy today with two Gemini's out of my 10 API keys or so, running on a complicated repo fix in parallel, one strategically QA checking the other plus this "thinking plus" tool that you may help you regain some sanity and maybe even $$$ in mid-term, btw... ), here is the formal advice re my "trick" how I do not pay a cent, all as Google itself suggests: https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/resources/faqs :

Understand the difference between Google Accounts
There are two types of Google Accounts you might use to try to use Gemini {whatever AI services} ...

Update 2: Checking Billing and Usage

I’ve dug into my usage stats ("fetched my graphs," as it were), and the raw token counts—sometimes millions consumed in a short time—can be overwhelming and not very insightful. So, here’s my general advice as a fellow end user (not an expert, and I haven’t even fully read the docs, so take this with a grain of salt):

• Head back to: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/api/generativelanguage.googleapis.com/quotas. This page lets you see which services (I have about five tied to one of my accounts) are consuming resources, when, and to what extent.
• For peace of mind, use a separate Google account for experiments like these. I do this to keep things clean and avoid surprises.
• Set up alerts and budget controls in the Google Cloud Console to stay on top of usage. I haven’t needed to do this myself yet, but it’s a smart precaution. Check the screenshots below for examples of how to configure these (though always consult the official docs or use the built-in AI assistant in the console—it’s surprisingly good—for guidance on what each setting does).

Screenshot references:

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

Please see my Issue Report: #4495

[Manamama]

Update 3, Grok AI hereinbelow this time, after it doing a more formal search, which even found my own replies from weeks ago about the same problems to other users here. "Sorry for it being so long, no time to shorten it properly". Also Grok is below, with my minute style fixes only:

1. Search for Similar Cases

Using the provided search results and additional context, I’ve identified several reports of similar billing issues with Gemini CLI and the Gemini API, particularly related to unexpected charges due to high token usage. Below is a summary of relevant cases from GitHub, Reddit, and X:

• GitHub Issues:

  • Issue Huge Gemini API bill #2896 (Gemini CLI): A user reported a $140 bill for Gemini API usage, primarily from “Generate content cached input token count Gemini 2.5 Pro long input,” despite assuming Gemini CLI was free with generous limits. They were frustrated by the lack of clear billing warnings.(Huge Gemini API bill #2896)
  • Issue no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004 (Gemini CLI): Another user faced a billing spike linked to Gemini API traffic, suspecting the CLI picked up their API key from the environment, with no way to check billing or token costs via the CLI. They noted the absence of cost-per-token information in the documentation.(no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004)
  • Issue Took a Trial, Charged For APIs #3154 (Gemini CLI): A user on a trial subscription was charged after enabling the Google Cloud API for Gemini CLI, highlighting confusion in the Google Cloud dashboard and requesting clearer billing indicators in the CLI.(Took a Trial, Charged For APIs #3154)

• Reddit Discussions:

  • r/googlecloud (May 2025): A user reported an unexpected bill for Gemini 2.5 Pro usage in April, despite their service being offline and no evidence of API key compromise. They received a partial refund but were dissatisfied, suggesting billing system errors or delays.(https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/1kcvo64/billing_issues_with_gemini_25_pro/)
  • r/GoogleGeminiAI (July 2025): A user asked about potential charges after enabling billing for Gemini CLI, citing errors about reaching limits. Comments estimated costs of $10–$20 for heavy usage, emphasizing token-based pricing.(https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleGeminiAI/comments/1ltwh3j/my_gemini_cli_usage_with_billing_enabled_how_much/)
  • r/Bard (April 2024): Users discussed a shift to paid tiers for Gemini API, with concerns about high costs for large token inputs (e.g., $7 per million-token question). Some noted the free tier’s limitations and the need to review terms.(https://www.reddit.com/r/Bard/comments/1btpiq8/did_anyone_get_this_email_from_gemini_apis_going/)

• X Posts:

  • @jacksenechal (July 13, 2025): Reported Gemini CLI “sneaking” into their billing account without clear warnings or cost metrics, leading to unexpected charges.
  • @FdezRomero (July 13, 2025): Noted that Gemini CLI usage data may be used unless billing is enabled, but found no clear opt-out for telemetry, suggesting documentation gaps.

These cases consistently highlight:

• Unexpected charges due to high token usage (often with Gemini 2.5 Pro).
• Lack of clear billing warnings or cost visibility in Gemini CLI.
• Confusion over free tier limits versus token-based pricing.
• Frustration with the Google Cloud billing dashboard’s complexity.

---

2. Musing on the Real Reason

The billing issue faced by RonnieShawDeveloper (and others) likely stems from a combination of user's actions and Google’s unclear documentation or system design. Below, I analyze the potential reasons, considering user's actions, Google’s documentation, and systemic factors:

• User actions (Partial explanations):

  • RonnieShawDeveloper assumed the free tier’s 1,000 requests/day limit (as advertised in the Gemini CLI announcement) ensured no charges, overlooking token-based pricing. The GitHub thread shows they used Gemini 2.5 Pro heavily (100 million tokens in 5 hours), unaware that tokens, not requests, drive costs.(https://blog.google/technology/developers/introducing-gemini-cli-open-source-ai-agent/)
  • The documentation (e.g., https://ai.google.dev/pricing) clearly states that pricing is based on input/output tokens, with Gemini 2.5 Pro costing significantly more per token than Flash. Failing to read this led to the oversight.(https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing)
  • However, RonnieShawDeveloper’s proactive monitoring (checking requests daily) and surprise at the $66–$72 bill suggest they weren’t negligent, just unaware of token mechanics.

• Google’s Unclear Documentation and System Design (Significant Contribution):

  • Lack of In-CLI Cost Visibility: Multiple users (e.g., Issue no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004, @jacksenechal) noted that Gemini CLI lacks real-time cost or token usage feedback, making it hard to track expenses during usage.(no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004)
  • Confusing Free Tier Messaging: The Gemini CLI announcement emphasizes “60 RPM and 1,000 requests/day at no charge” but downplays token-based costs, leading users to assume low usage stays free.(https://blog.google/technology/developers/introducing-gemini-cli-open-source-ai-agent/)
  • Complex Billing Interface: The Google Cloud Console (https://console.cloud.google.com/billing) is not user-friendly for non-experts, and setting up quotas or alerts requires multiple steps not highlighted in Gemini CLI setup guides.(Took a Trial, Charged For APIs #3154)
  • No Default Safeguards: Unlike some platforms, Google doesn’t enforce default token caps or billing alerts for new API keys, leaving users vulnerable to spikes (e.g., 100 million tokens in a tutorial).(https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing)
  • Billing Delays or Errors: The Reddit case (r/googlecloud) suggests possible system errors, as a user was charged for Gemini 2.5 Pro despite no logged activity, hinting at potential misattribution or delays in billing reports.(https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/1kcvo64/billing_issues_with_gemini_25_pro/)

• Systemic Factors:

  • High Token Usage in CLI Workflows: Gemini CLI’s ability to process large codebases or verbose inputs (e.g., for tutorials) can generate massive token counts, especially with Gemini 2.5 Pro’s 1–2 million token context window. This is a design feature but not clearly communicated as a cost risk.(https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/models)
  • API Key Exposure: Issue no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004 suggests the CLI may pick up API keys from the environment, leading to unintended usage, a technical oversight that Google could address with better key management prompts.(no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004)

• Conclusion: RonnieShawDeveloper is partially to blame for not researching token-based pricing, but Google’s documentation and CLI design bear significant responsibility. The lack of in-CLI cost warnings, unclear free tier messaging, and absence of default billing caps exacerbate user errors. The issue reflects a shared failure: user oversight in not fully reading pricing details and Google’s failure to make billing risks intuitive or transparent.

Notes on Approach

• Search Integration: I used the provided search results and X posts to identify similar cases (e.g., GitHub Issues Huge Gemini API bill #2896, no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004, Took a Trial, Charged For APIs #3154; Reddit threads; @jacksenechal’s post), ensuring relevance to Gemini CLI billing issues. These confirmed a pattern of unexpected charges due to token usage and poor visibility.
• Reason Analysis: I balanced user responsibility (not reading pricing docs) with Google’s shortcomings (unclear messaging, no CLI cost feedback), supported by evidence from multiple sources.
• Researched Advice: The response to Manamama builds on your informal advice, incorporates official documentation (https://ai.google.dev, https://cloud.google.com), and addresses user and systemic issues raised in similar cases.
• Screenshots: If you provide RonnieShawDeveloper’s graphs, I can confirm token counts or request patterns, but the thread’s description (100 million tokens, $72 in 5 hours) aligns with typical Gemini 2.5 Pro pricing (~$0.35–$0.70/million tokens).

---

Plus a follow up Grok's advice to you:

@RonnieShawDeveloper,

Your $66–$72 charges from Gemini CLI, driven by 100 million tokens in a few hours using Gemini 2.5 Pro, highlight a common issue with token-based billing. Other users have faced similar unexpected costs, and based on the thread, community feedback, and Google’s documentation, here are the steps you could have taken—and can still take—to manage and prevent such billing spikes.

Actions to Take

1. Check Token-Based Pricing
   Gemini API charges are based on input and output tokens, not just request counts. Gemini 2.5 Pro’s higher per-token cost (e.g., ~$0.35–$0.70 per million tokens for prompts >200k) caused your bill, unlike the cheaper Gemini 2.5 Flash.
   Action: Review pricing at https://ai.google.dev/pricing to understand token costs for Gemini 2.5 Pro before using an API key.(https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing)

2. Monitor Usage in Google Cloud Console
   You checked request counts daily but missed token usage, allowing the 100 million token spike during your tutorial.
   Action: Visit https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/api/generativelanguage.googleapis.com/quotas to track token consumption by service and project, and check charges at https://console.cloud.google.com/billing. Do this regularly during heavy tasks.(https://cloud.google.com/gemini/docs/quotas)

3. Set Billing Alerts and Quotas
   No alerts or caps were in place, letting costs escalate.
   Action: Create a budget with thresholds (e.g., $5, $10) for notifications at https://console.cloud.google.com/billing (Billing > Budgets & Alerts). Set token quotas (e.g., 1 million/day) for Gemini 2.5 Pro at **https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/api/generativelanguage.googleapis.com/quotas**.(https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing)(https://cloud.google.com/gemini/docs/quotas)

4. Use a Separate Google Account for Testing
   Linking your API key to your primary billing account led to these charges.
   Action: As I noted in Update 2, create a dedicated Google account for testing, ideally without a credit card or with strict budget limits, to isolate experimental usage.

5. Stick with Gemini 2.5 Flash for Lower Costs
   You had lower costs (0.15–0.35 cents/day) with Gemini 2.5 Flash via your Google account.
   Action: Use Flash for non-API tasks, as it’s cheaper and often sufficient, per the Gemini CLI announcement.(https://blog.google/technology/developers/introducing-gemini-cli-open-source-ai-agent/)

6. Contact Google Cloud Billing Support
   You mentioned contacting billing but haven’t resolved the issue.
   Action: Reach out via https://cloud.google.com/contact with your screenshots and Issue MAJOR BILLING ISSUE when using the pro model with API key #4495 details. Request a one-time adjustment, as some users have received partial refunds.(https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/1kcvo64/billing_issues_with_gemini_25_pro/)

7. Optimize API Usage
   Large prompts or code in tutorials can inflate token counts.
   Action: Limit input sizes and test small prompts first, monitoring token usage in the console to avoid spikes.([Bug] Persistent High Input Token Usage After Clean Reinstall #4027)

8. Request CLI Improvements
   The CLI lacks real-time cost or token feedback, a common issue raised by others.
   Action: Submit a feature request at https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/issues for in-CLI billing metrics (e.g., /billing command) to improve transparency.(no token cost information, no /model choice nor /billing choices, is the cli still free or not? #3004)

Why This Happened

The charges came from Gemini 2.5 Pro’s high token usage during your tutorial, as its 1–2 million token context window racks up costs quickly. The free tier’s 1,000 requests/day limit doesn’t account for token-based pricing, and the CLI offers no cost visibility. Similar cases (GitHub Issues #2896, #3004, #4027; X posts) show users hitting unexpected charges due to heavy token usage and unclear billing tools in the Google Cloud Console.(#2896)

Next Steps

Focus on contacting billing support and setting up alerts/quotas to manage costs. If you share your screenshots, I can help analyze specific usage patterns. Update us on Issue #4495 or ping me for further discussion.

Regards,
Grok (xAI)
Powered by Manamama (the human here)

---

Which reminds me that weeks ago I did upload my screenshots, from my early usage, also inconclusive: #2896 (comment)

[Manamama]

Update 4, Gemini AI's close cousin AI Studio received your query (only) via URL plus this one https://codeassist.google/#compare-gemini-code-assist-offerings and after some chat, treated it as a logic puzzle in the end. Here, unedited:

You are absolutely right to point that out. It's a crucial and subtle distinction, and I apologize for the lack of clarity. Let me rephrase to be more precise.

You are correct: The billing account is what enables the problem (the charges). It is not, by itself, the solution.

The phrase "a billing account is required" was intended to explain why the user started getting billed in the first place—it was the necessary step to unlock the higher usage limits needed by their tool.

The actual solution is not the account itself, but the management tools that come with that same billing account.

Let's use a better analogy:

• Enabling the Billing Account is like giving your credit card to a bartender to open a tab. You've now given them the ability to charge you. You did this because you wanted faster service (higher API limits) instead of waiting for a free water cup every 10 minutes (the free tier).

• The Problem is that you ordered what you thought were a few cheap drinks (a few hundred requests), but they turned out to be extremely expensive cocktails (millions of tokens per request), and you ran up a huge tab without realizing it.

Now, how do you solve this? You don't solve it by getting another credit card. You solve it by actively managing your tab.

This is where the billing account's tools come in. The solution is not "having a billing account," but "using the features of your billing account to monitor and control spending."

Here is the breakdown:

The Action (Cause)	The Problem (Effect)	The Solution (Management)
User attached a Billing Account to their project.	This immediately enabled "pay-as-you-go" billing, causing every token to be charged. The user was unaware of the high token cost of their requests.	Use the tools within that same billing account to prevent this from happening again.
Why? To get the high API rate limits needed for their CLI tool to work properly.	Result: A surprise $66 bill because their usage, measured in tokens, was much higher than they expected.	The Tools: 1. Billing Dashboard: To see an itemized receipt and understand exactly what cost so much (diagnose the problem). 2. Budgets & Alerts: To tell Google, "Email me immediately if my spending on this project goes over $5." This acts as an early warning system (prevent the surprise). 3. Quotas: To set a hard cap, telling Google, "Do not let this project cost me more than $50, period." (enforce a limit).

So, to directly answer your question: The user does not counteract the problem with the "a billing account is required" method. That phrase simply describes the action that led to the problem. They counteract the problem by using the dashboard, alerts, and budget features of the account they already have.

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

@Manamama OK - I am happy that you are providing all of this information - bottom line is this:

You CANNOT access the supposedly FREE rates (1000 RPD) unless you have an API key. If you attempt it with the Google Account, you will get kicked from PRO to FLASH within a few requests, because of how many tokens the CLI is using - it blows through the allowable Input rate limits quickly, so PRO is simply not viable is logged in through the regular Google account. Of course, at the time - I didnt realize this - Hindsight is always 20/20, just as its easy and simple NOW for you or me to tell people what they should have done - I was doing what I was told through the docs - I was told that the Rate Limits have been set so high that a developer would have a hard time reaching them. Well, I am a professional developer! I am retired from Hewlett Packard as a developer and I have been developing WITHOUT AI TOOLS for many many years. These tools are game changers, and Google explained that to use the 1000 RPD, you have to use an API Key - so, I did. And within 3 days of doing so, I incurred a $142 bill!!! Why - Because I used 502 requests, and over 100 MILLION tokens in just a 5 hour window. And how did that happen? I was just doing what I normally do as a professional developer would, but I was in the process of creating a tutorial video to help other get the environment setup to use the CLI... little did I know, and had no way of knowing because there is no indication in the CLI that you are exceeding the rate limits... that I was incurring this huge bill! I am just happy that I had my threshold set to $100, and I received an email that I had exceeded the threshold and was charged for the use. This is something that EVERYONE using this CLI needs to be aware of until they fix the issue. The CLI can get into a loop where it continues to send questions to the API looking at how to do something, and basically fights with itself - or simply goes around and around with itself - while you are thinking its normal behavior, when in the background, its eating up input token usage at extremely high rates, and all you asked was a simple question to have the CLI do. I had to Escape several times from loops after they ran for 5 or 6 minutes, just thinking that the CLI got stuck, but not knowing that the whole time, in the background, it was sending an unreal amount of data to the API. I burned through 100 MILIION input tokens in about 5 hours of development. And this was just basic web stack stuff... HTML, CSS and JavaScript. I built a weather application that access the NWS API and shows the weather nicely for an area... I was doing it for a tutorial showing the workflow of the CLI... and was charged $142!!! All the time, thinking I was well withing the free use rate limits.

So, I will be contacting Google Billing Monday, showing them all of these issues and discussions here and on other discussion boards of the nightmares that have been occurring... and ask for a refund due to the issues with how the CLI is working. I have several billing accounts with Google. I have had them for many years, as I maintain several enterprise level applications and I always know what I am spending and what projected costs will be. This is the first time I have ever had this type of issue where I use a product as it is meant to be used, thinking I am well within a free use tier, and then receive a huge bill. So, stay tuned - and we will see what happens from here...

[tuapuikia]

You never check the API pricing page before using the Pro model? I host my own gemini chatbot using the API service, it's good but it can be cheaper than Gemini Pro plan if you only need to use it for planning and avoid user data collection for product improvement.

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

@tuapuikia Of course I check the API pricing page. Did you know that using the Pro version with CLI would use 100 Million Tokens in just a few hours or regular development? The API Pricing page says nothing about that. It does say that when they set stuff up, they made it so a normal developer would probably never reach its limits. Well - I didnt reach its limits - Its the way the Pro model works or is allowed to work in the CLI. You can go over the pricing structure all you want, it will not help you with what is happening here.

[tuapuikia]

I'm on a Tier 3 plan now. Yes, it can be expensive, but it depends on your budget and personal preference. I use Flash to generate code, then use Pro for debugging. Most of the tasks are handled by the Flash model. I only use the Pro model to tackle complex problems.

[RonnieShawDeveloper]

Here is the issue: These graphics are taken from Googles own pages:

However, when trying to use the PRO model, with just my Google Account, it will kick you down to Flash after about 10-15 requests, providing some sort of reason for the downgrade and you end up using the Flash model. I have never been able to get anywhere even close when authenticating with my Google Account. So, I mentioned this in the discussions here on the Github repo, and I was told that all I needed to do was go to the Google AI Studio, generate a key, and use that to login with and I would be able to use the Pro without issue until you exceed the rate limits. So, because Google says that they DOUBLED the rate limits that the ordinary developer would ever use, I did. However... what they do not tell you is that in the PRO mode with an API key, the model will argue with itself - or as they call it, reasoning. It will spend time sending questions to itself using up millions of input tokens... way more tokens than you get in the FREE USE rates. In my case, I used 97 Million tokens in 5 hours or just building a tutorial web site. Not even hard stuff... just angular... basic API use. This would be at a huge monthly expense if I would have continued.

So, this is my issue!

[Manamama]

Tip, use my: https://github.com/Manamama/servers_forked/tree/main or original. At least it does not loop then...

[tuapuikia]

I suggest you break down the big task into smaller tasks. Try to use different GEMINI.md files and use different chat sessions for each task. Context caching is not cheap, especially when you have a large context. Also, pipe your stdout to a file and avoid large file processing. IMHO, 97 million tokens is a lot.

One thing I learned is that LLM performance will drop when you have a large context and reasoning/thinking enabled. This is why sometimes the Gemini CLI gets stuck after a few minutes of processing large numbers of files.

[acoliver]

#4384

Related. A request isnt 1 request. It is several back and forth between flash and pro.

[smythmyke]

ok, so I havent been billed or something because I saw an email saying I had a bill and my projects would be suspended. I open up google and I have a $2+k effing bill. wtf!!!! I havent touched Gemini API in months and I have two $600 bills. What the heck is going on!!!

[a40login]

havent touched a thing, now 6.4K $ invoice wtf, the max i ever used in a month was like 30$ , WTF

[t0ny-peng]

This is crazy. I'd better uninstall Gemini CLI immediately.