Gemini 3.8 Live
Google's speech-to-speech model that talks, sees live video, and runs tools in the background without pausing you.
Updated 2026-09-16
Yes, within limits. Gemini 3.8 Live runs a free tier with paid plans above it.
Listed pricing: Free in Gemini/Search Live; API from $0.005/min audio in.
Overview
Gemini 3.8 Live is Google DeepMind's speech-to-speech model for real-time voice conversations that can also see live video and call tools without interrupting the user. It is the engine behind Search Live and Gemini Live, and it is available as an API for developers who want the same low-latency audio loop in their own apps.
The September 15, 2026 launch paired the base Live model with Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking, which debuted at number one on Artificial Analysis's Speech-to-Speech index with a score of 82.6. Google is rolling both into Search Live, Gemini Live, and Google Workspace, so a Google account is enough to try the consumer surface while Pro and Ultra plans unlock Live inside Docs, Gmail, and Keep.
What sets it apart from a typical chatbot voice mode is the combination of native audio, camera input, and background tool use at a much lower API audio price than OpenAI's GPT-Live. The catch is that the full Workspace Live experience sits behind Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) or Ultra (from $100/mo), and the model is still a Google-stack product: you get it through Gemini, Search, Workspace, or the Gemini API rather than as a separate app.
Is Gemini 3.8 Live free?
Yes, within limits. Gemini 3.8 Live runs a free tier with paid plans above it.
What the free tier covers: Free in Search Live and Gemini Live with a Google account; Gemini API also has a free tier before paid audio/text rates.
Listed pricing: Free in Gemini/Search Live; API from $0.005/min audio in.
Pricing on this page has not been re-verified. The entry was last edited on , and no separate pricing check has been run since. Treat the figures as a record of what was published then and confirm on the official site.
What the free tier leaves out
Read straight off the plan list below. Vendors move features between tiers, so check the current split before you pay.
- Gemini API $0.005/min in, $0.018/min out Free tier, then $0.005 per minute audio in and $0.018 per minute audio out, or $0.75 / $4.50 per 1M text tokens
- Google AI Pro $19.99/mo Unlocks Workspace Live in Docs, Gmail, and Keep
- Google AI Ultra From $100/mo Highest consumer tier; Workspace Live plus the rest of the Ultra Gemini stack
Gemini 3.8 Live pricing
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free (Gemini / Search Live) | Free | Live voice (and video) in Search Live and Gemini Live with a Google account |
| Gemini API | $0.005/min in, $0.018/min out | Free tier, then $0.005 per minute audio in and $0.018 per minute audio out, or $0.75 / $4.50 per 1M text tokens |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99/mo | Unlocks Workspace Live in Docs, Gmail, and Keep |
| Google AI Ultra | From $100/mo | Highest consumer tier; Workspace Live plus the rest of the Ultra Gemini stack |
Live voice (and video) in Search Live and Gemini Live with a Google account
Free tier, then $0.005 per minute audio in and $0.018 per minute audio out, or $0.75 / $4.50 per 1M text tokens
Unlocks Workspace Live in Docs, Gmail, and Keep
Highest consumer tier; Workspace Live plus the rest of the Ultra Gemini stack
Pricing on this page has not been re-verified. The entry was last edited on , and no separate pricing check has been run since. Treat the figures as a record of what was published then and confirm on the official site.
Is Gemini 3.8 Live worth it?
You can test that on the free tier before paying anything. The recorded trade-offs are listed below, and any one of them can settle the question on its own.
The 9.2/10 AI Score is an editorial read of published capability, price and shipping pace. Nobody here has hands-on hours with Gemini 3.8 Live. How we verify.
Worth it if
The strengths recorded against this entry.
- Extended Thinking debuted #1 on Artificial Analysis's Speech-to-Speech index (82.6)
- API audio in at $0.005/min — roughly 10x cheaper than GPT-Live's ~$0.05/min input
- Sees live video and runs tools in the background without pausing the conversation
- Free consumer access in Search Live and Gemini Live; Workspace Live on Pro/Ultra
Not worth it if
Any one of these blocks your use case.
- Full Live-in-Workspace experience requires Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) or Ultra (from $100/mo)
- Tied to Google's Gemini, Search, and Workspace stack — not a standalone voice app
- Two live SKUs (base vs Extended Thinking) make it easy to confuse which surface you are on
- Availability is a staged rollout across Search Live, Gemini Live, and Workspace rather than a single global switch
Key features
Speech-to-speech
Native audio in and out so conversations stay in voice instead of a text-to-speech overlay. Extended Thinking is the higher-reasoning live variant, ranked first on Artificial Analysis's Speech-to-Speech index at 82.6.
Live video
The model can see a live camera feed during the conversation, so you can point the phone at a screen, a document, or a physical object and keep talking without switching modes.
Background tools
Tool calls run in the background without pausing the speaker. That is the practical difference from voice modes that go silent while they search or execute a function.
Extended Thinking
Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking is the deeper-reasoning live SKU Google launched alongside the base model, rolling out in Search Live, Gemini Live, and Workspace.
How it compares
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.8 Live | — | Free in Gemini/Search Live; API from $0.005/min audio in | 9.2/10 |
| ChatGPT | Users who want one subscription covering reasoning, voice, vision, image and video generation, and agentic browsing in a single app. | Free tier + Plus $20/mo + Pro $200/mo | 9.5/10 |
| Claude | Developers and professionals who need agentic coding, computer control, and large-document or codebase analysis in one assistant. | Free tier + Pro $20/mo + Team $30/mo/user | 9.5/10 |
| Gemini | Google Workspace users who want an assistant that can read their Gmail, Drive, and Calendar while reasoning across huge documents or videos in one pass. | Free tier + Advanced $19.99/mo | 9.2/10 |
Compare head-to-head
Comparison explorer Put Gemini 3.8 Live up against any three tools Opens with Gemini 3.8 Live already loaded. Add up to three more from the full index and read pricing, features, pros and cons in one table. →Related reading
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