Gemini CLI
Gemini CLI is Google's open-source terminal agent. The product site is still geminicli.com. This page used to freeze Gemini 2.5 Pro and a 1M-developer claim. The README on the public page talks about Gemini 3 in the CLI. Confirm the in-app model picker.
Consumer seats on gemini.google/subscriptions are Google AI Pro $19.99 / month and Google AI Ultra $249.99 / month. Those are Google AI plan prices, not a separate CLI SKU.
Compare Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Kiro.
Key Features
- ReAct terminal agent: Files, shell, and tools in one loop.
- MCP: First-party and community servers.
- Auth: Google account and/or API key, per the README.
- Not Gemini 2.5-only: Do not treat 2.5 Pro as the 2026 default.
Use Cases
- Google-account developers who want a CLI instead of Antigravity preview.
- Teams already on Gemini subscriptions who can reuse Pro / Ultra.
- People comparing open-source CLIs (this repo vs OpenCode).
Limitation: we did not re-verify a 1M-developer marketing number. Context window depends on the model you actually selected.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CLI binary | $0 | Apache-2.0. npm i -g @google/gemini-cli. |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 / month | From gemini.google/subscriptions on 2026-08-17. |
| Google AI Ultra | $249.99 / month | Same page. |
| API usage | Metered | If you auth with a Cloud / AI Studio key instead of a consumer plan. |
Getting Started
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli- Run
geminiand complete the login the CLI prints. - Point it at one repo before you add MCP servers.
- Confirm whether you are on Pro, Ultra, or a raw API key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the package @google/gemini-cli?
Yes, on the 2026-08-17 README.
Still Gemini 2.5 Pro?
Do not assume that. The repo now mentions Gemini 3. Check the session model.
Is Ultra required?
No. The CLI installs free. Ultra is a consumer plan.
Alternatives
- Claude Code: Anthropic CLI.
- Codex CLI: OpenAI CLI.
- Kiro: AWS IDE + CLI at $20 Pro.
Tips
- Quote 89k stars from the API date, not "1 million developers".
- Keep Pro $19.99 and Ultra $249.99 on the Google subscriptions page.
- Confirm the npm name if an old tutorial says something else.
Conclusion
Gemini CLI is still Google's open terminal agent, now on @google/gemini-cli with ~90k stars and consumer Pro / Ultra seats behind it. Start at geminicli.com or the repo, then compare Claude Code.
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