Google is overhauling how it meters usage on Gemini. In a service terms update, the company announced that starting May 17, 2026, it will scrap the old "daily fixed question count" limit for users 18 and older. Instead, Gemini will adopt a compute-based usage quota that refreshes every five hours, with a weekly cap.
Under the new system, the quota consumption will be calculated in real time based on the complexity of the prompt, the features used, and the length of the conversation. Tasks that use the Pro model, Deep Research, extended thinking, or media generation (images, video, music) will burn through quota faster. For paying subscribers, the multiplier scales directly with subscription price: $8/month AI Plus gets 2x the free tier, $20/month AI Pro gets 4x, and $250/month AI Ultra gets a whopping 20x.