Gemini is included in Google Workspace plans rather than sold as a separate license. Business Starter gets a limited version, while Business Standard, Business Plus and Enterprise get Gemini across Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet and Chat. On 31 October 2026 Google's US pricing page showed $7, $14 and $22 per user per month for Starter, Standard and Plus, excluding tax.
This guide is for small business owners and IT admins in the US who are choosing a Workspace plan, or wondering whether an upgrade is worth it just for the AI features. By the end you will know which plan includes which Gemini features, what it costs, what the admin controls are, and how to estimate your bill. Everything here comes from Google's own pricing and help pages, checked on the date above. Google changes plans and prices often, so treat the figures as a snapshot.
If you are also comparing other vendors, see ChatGPT Team vs Claude Team vs Gemini Business pricing and Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for small business.
Who this is for and what you will have at the end
You manage or approve software for a team of roughly 5 to 500 people. After reading, you will be able to name the cheapest plan that covers the apps your team actually uses with Gemini, calculate a monthly and annual cost, and know where to check and change the Gemini settings.
Prerequisites
- A Google Workspace account, or the intention to start one.
- Access to your Admin console if you want to review settings (admin.google.com).
- A headcount, ideally split between people who need Gemini in documents and meetings and people who only use email.
What changed: Gemini is bundled
Google's help page on this topic says AI features are now included in Google Workspace subscriptions, depending on your edition. It lists the add-ons that are no longer available to buy: Gemini Business (Legacy), Gemini Enterprise (Legacy), AI Meetings and Messaging, and AI Security. If you or an older article refer to a separate Gemini add-on per user, that no longer applies to new purchases. The AI Pro for Education add-on remains available to educational organizations only.
The features Google highlights as included are:
- Gemini in the side panel of Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive and Chat
- Help me write in Gmail and Docs
- Note-taking in Meet
- The Gemini app
- Gemini Notebook
- Gemini in AppSheet
Which of these you get depends on your edition, as the next section shows.
Plans, prices and Gemini features
On 31 October 2026, Google's US pricing page listed these prices per user per month, excluding tax:
| Plan | Price per user per month |
|---|---|
| Business Starter | $7.00 |
| Business Standard | $14.00 |
| Business Plus | $22.00 |
| Enterprise | Not listed (contact sales) |
The page has a toggle labeled "Annual (Save 16% with 1 year commitment)", but it showed the same dollar figures as the flexible view. Check the page at checkout for the exact flexible and annual amounts for your region.
The page also advertised a time-limited promotional discount for the first three months of a subscription, starting 14 November 2026, with prices returning to the list prices above afterward. The discount percentage and eligibility terms were not consistent across the page (a footnote described a different introductory offer for new customers), so confirm the terms at checkout rather than budgeting on a promotional price.
Gemini features by plan
From Google's feature comparison table on the same page:
| Gemini feature | Starter | Standard | Plus | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini in Workspace apps | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gemini in Gmail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet, Chat | Not supported | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gemini in Vids | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google's most capable models for complex tasks | Not supported | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customize AI with skills | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gemini Notebook | Basic access | Expanded access | Expanded access | Expanded access |
For Gemini Notebook, Google lists Audio Overviews at up to 3 per day on Starter and up to 20 per day on the other plans.
The summary on the plan cards is consistent with this. Starter lists a Gemini AI assistant in Gmail and chat with AI in Gemini, with a note that your company data is not used to train models. Standard adds the Gemini assistant in Gmail, Docs, Meet and more, and expanded Gemini Notebook. Plus and Enterprise list no additional Gemini-specific bullet points beyond Standard on that page.
Choosing a plan for Gemini
The practical decision is usually between Starter and Standard.
- Choose Starter if your team mostly needs help in email and an occasional chat with the Gemini app. Gemini in Gmail is included.
- Choose Standard if people write in Docs, build in Sheets or Slides, use Drive search, or want note-taking in Meet. This is the lowest plan with Gemini in those apps in Google's table.
- Choose Plus or Enterprise when you need other features of those plans. On Google's page they do not add separate Gemini bullets beyond Standard, so do not upgrade for Gemini alone.
You can mix plans only by the way your organization is licensed in the Admin console. Check the console and Google's licensing documentation before splitting a team across editions, because this article does not cover the rules for mixed editions.
Estimate your cost
A simple model:
monthly cost = users on Starter x $7 + users on Standard x $14 + users on Plus x $22For 20 people all on Standard, that is 20 x $14 = $280 per month before tax. If five of them only need email and could use Starter, and you can license them that way, the cost becomes 15 x $14 + 5 x $7 = $245. The page advertises a 16% saving with a one-year commitment, so confirm the exact annual figure at checkout before budgeting.
Taxes are excluded from the listed prices. Prices outside the US vary by country and currency.
Admin controls for Gemini
Google's page lists these controls for admins:
- Manage access to Gemini features in Workspace services (Enterprise editions only).
- Turn the Gemini app on or off, which does not affect other AI features.
- Turn Gemini Notebook, Google Vids and Workspace Studio on or off.
- Control whether AI takes notes in Meet.
- Turn Google Workspace smart features on or off.
- Turn Gemini for App Creation and Gemini in AppSheet Solutions on or off.
- Block Gemini from Workspace Studio with API controls.
In practice, a Business plan admin can disable the Gemini app or Notebook, but the per-service access control requires an Enterprise edition. If your policy requires restricting AI by group or in a single app, check this before choosing a plan. Where the controls live in the Admin console menu changes over time, so search the Admin console for the setting name rather than relying on a fixed path.
Data and privacy statements
Google states that interactions with Gemini stay within your organization and that it does not share your content outside the organization without your permission. It also says existing Workspace data protections apply automatically to the AI features, and that your content is not used for other customers, is not human reviewed and is not used for model training outside your domain without permission.
These are vendor statements. If you handle regulated data, read Google's terms and your own compliance obligations rather than relying on a summary, and keep an AI usage policy for staff. See AI usage policy template for small business.
Troubleshooting
Users do not see Gemini in Docs or Sheets
Check which edition the user is licensed for. Google's table marks Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet and Chat as not supported on Starter. Upgrading the user's edition is the fix if they need it. Also check that Gemini and smart features are turned on for their organizational unit.
The Gemini app is missing
An admin may have turned the Gemini app off. In the Admin console, search for the Gemini app setting and check it for the user's organizational unit.
You were looking for the old Gemini add-on
Gemini Business (Legacy) and Gemini Enterprise (Legacy) are no longer available for purchase. Move to an edition that includes the features instead.
The price on your invoice differs from this article
Prices vary by region, billing mode, currency, tax and promotions. Compare against your own checkout or the pricing page for your country.
Checklist
- List who needs Gemini in email only and who needs it in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet or Chat.
- Match those groups to Starter, Standard or higher using Google's comparison table.
- Calculate cost per user per month and confirm annual versus flexible pricing at checkout.
- Decide whether you need Enterprise-only per-service controls.
- Review the Admin console settings for the Gemini app, Notebook, Vids and Meet note-taking.
- Publish an AI usage policy for staff.
Comments
Questions and tips are welcome. Comments are checked by the EpiFive team before they appear; please do not share passwords, phone numbers or other private details.