Google AI credits are extra usage you can buy once your Google AI plan's limit runs out, for Google Flow, Google Antigravity and other products that support them. Only Google AI Pro and Ultra members can buy them, not Plus. You buy them through Google One in amounts such as 2,500, 5,000 or 20,000, as a one-off or with auto-reload.
Credits are separate from the Flow credits your plan includes each month, which is where most of the confusion starts. Here's how both work, who's locked out and what to watch for, from Google One's own help pages, checked as of October 2026.
Plan credits vs purchased credits
Google's subscription page lists the Google Flow credits that come with each plan:
| Plan | Google Flow credits included | Can buy extra AI credits? |
|---|---|---|
| Free | None listed (limited Nano Banana Pro access) | No |
| Google AI Plus | 200 | No |
| Google AI Pro | 1,000 | Yes |
| Google AI Ultra | 10,000 or 25,000 | Yes |
When you use up your plan's allowance in Flow or Antigravity, purchased AI credits take over. Google says the amount used varies by feature and model.
Who can't buy AI credits
- Google AI Plus members: credits are only sold with Pro and Ultra.
- Anyone in Japan: Google says credits aren't on sale there, and aren't supported for Flow or Antigravity in Japan.
- Members who subscribed through a third party, Pixel Pass or Apple billing.
- Family group members: only the plan manager can buy credits.
The Apple billing rule is the one that catches people. If you signed up to Google AI Pro through the App Store on an iPhone, Google lists that as not eligible, so check how you subscribed before you plan on buying credits.
How to buy AI credits
- Go to the Google One AI credits page at one.google.com/ai/credits.
- Choose an amount, such as 2,500, 5,000 or 20,000 credits.
- Follow the on-screen prompts and select Buy.
- Check your balance and history on the AI credits activity page, which shows each category (such as Google Flow or Google Antigravity) and every addition and deduction.
Auto-reload, and its limits
After your first purchase you can turn on auto-reload, which tops up your balance when it falls below a minimum. You must be at least 18. To set it up, find Make it automatic on the confirmation screen or the AI credits page, choose an amount and agree to the purchase. Google limits auto-reloads to five a day and sends a notification each time one happens.
To change the amount, Google says you have to cancel the current auto-reload plan and set up a new one: go to the AI credits page, find Auto-reload, select Manage and choose Cancel plan.
A simple monthly check
- Open the AI credits activity page at the start of each month.
- Look at the Amount column to see how many credits Flow and Antigravity used last month.
- If you're in a family group, check who used the most; members are listed from most to least.
- Decide whether a one-off pack, auto-reload or a bigger plan fits that pattern.
Doing this once a month takes two minutes and stops auto-reload from running five times a day without you noticing.
How credits are spent in Antigravity
Google Antigravity, Google's agentic coding platform, has its own two-step system. You get a time-bound baseline quota from your plan, and credits pay for anything beyond it, deducted at standard API pricing for the model and the complexity of each request. In Antigravity's settings or model selector you can choose Always, so credits kick in the moment your quota ends, or Never, so you get a quota reached notice instead. I'd start on Never until you know how fast a session uses them.
Do you need credits at all?
Probably not for everyday Gemini use. Google says each product has its own usage limits, and credits extend usage in Google Flow, Google Antigravity and other products where credits are supported. Gemini app limits refresh every five hours up to a weekly cap, and Pro and Ultra subscribers who hit the chat limit can carry on with Flash-Lite. Credits are for the heavy creative and coding tools, not for asking Gemini more questions.
You'll know when you need them. Google says Flow and Antigravity tell you if you don't have enough credits to complete a request, or if you've run out. That's the moment to decide between a one-off pack and waiting for your plan's allowance to refresh.
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The allowance that comes with each plan is a separate thing from credits, and the guide to Gemini usage limits lays it out.
Things to know before you buy
- Credits may expire after a period set when you buy them, so don't stock up far ahead.
- Credits count as spent once they're used. If the tool fails, Google says your credits aren't affected, though they can take a while to reappear.
- With family sharing on, storage and AI credits for eligible features are pooled, and members can see total credit use per person, sorted from most to least.
- If you have both an individual and a family membership, your credits combine, and you'll have two refresh dates.
- Project Genie doesn't use credits while it's an early research prototype.
Most people only need credits for heavy video work in Google Flow. If you're running out every month, compare the cost with moving up to Google AI Ultra, which includes far more Flow credits.
My verdict
Buy a small one-off pack first and watch the activity page for a week before you switch on auto-reload. Credits are handy for a busy launch month, but if you need them every month, a bigger plan is usually the tidier answer.
Credits only make sense once you know what your plan already covers, so start with what Google AI Pro includes.
Frequently asked questions
What are Google AI credits?
Extra usage you buy through Google One for Google Flow, Google Antigravity and other supported products after your plan's limit runs out.
Can Google AI Plus members buy AI credits?
No. Google says AI credits are only available for Google AI Pro and Ultra plans.
Do Google AI credits expire?
They may. Google says credits can expire after a period set out when you acquire them.
Can I share AI credits with my family?
Yes. With family sharing on, AI credits for eligible features are pooled, but only the plan manager can buy more.
Why can't I buy Google AI credits?
You may be on Plus, in Japan, or billed through Apple, Pixel Pass or another third party.
