# Gemini API in Egypt (2026): the price and how to pay

> Is the Gemini API available in Egypt, what Google charges per million tokens, why Egyptian cards get declined, and how to pay in EGP by wallet or InstaPay.

Updated: 2026-11-01

Egypt is on Google's list of regions for the Gemini API, and new accounts start on the Free Tier. Paid use needs a Google Cloud billing account and a card Google accepts, which is where Egyptian cards often fail. Without one, top up 5abeer in Egyptian pounds by wallet or InstaPay and call Gemini models below official prices.

## Is the Gemini API available in Egypt?

Yes. Egypt is on Google's list of available regions for Google AI Studio and the Gemini API. Paid use runs through a Google Cloud billing account that you fund in advance. These are Google's terms for paying:

Paying for the Gemini API: Google's official terms

| Service | Item | Value | Note | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google | Countries where the Gemini API is available | Egypt is on the list | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/available-regions |
| Google | Free Tier | Certain models only, with lower rate limits | Google may use what you send on the Free Tier to improve its products. It does not on the paid tier. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Paid tier: smallest credit purchase | $5 | Needs a linked Google Cloud billing account. Usage is deducted from the credit as you go. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Most credit you can prepay | $5,000 | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | How long bought credit lasts | Unused credit expires after 12 months | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | When the credit runs out | Every key in every project on the billing account stops at once, with error 402 | Usage that slips through before it stops shows as a negative balance, taken from your next purchase. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Auto-reload | Optional: tops up your credit when it falls below a level you set | You set the payment method, the amount and the level that triggers it. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Cards accepted | Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and debit cards with the Visa or Mastercard logo | Prepaid cards are not accepted, nor debit cards that ask for a one-time code on every payment. Methods vary by country and currency. | https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/payment-methods |

Each row links to the page it comes from, checked November 1, 2026. These figures can change, so check the source before you buy.

Two rows matter most when you pay from Egypt. Google does not accept prepaid cards, or debit cards that ask for a one-time code on every payment. And when credit runs out, every key on the account stops at once, so a live app needs auto-reload or a close eye on the balance.

## How much does the Gemini API cost?

Google charges per million tokens, with one price for input (what you send) and one for output (what the model writes). The output price includes the model's thinking tokens. These are the official paid-tier prices for current Gemini models:

Official Gemini model prices per million tokens (paid tier)

| Service | Item | Value | Note | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google | Gemini 4 Argon: input, per million tokens | $2 | Doubles from December 1, 2026. Not on the Free Tier. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Gemini 4 Argon: output, per million tokens | $10 | Includes thinking tokens. Doubles from December 1, 2026. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Gemini 3.8 Flash: input, per million tokens | $0.75 | Doubles from January 1, 2027. Available on the Free Tier. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Gemini 3.8 Flash: output, per million tokens | $3.75 | Includes thinking tokens. Doubles from January 1, 2027. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview: input, per million tokens | $2 | For prompts up to 200k tokens, higher above. Not on the Free Tier. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |
| Google | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview: output, per million tokens | $12 | Includes thinking tokens, for prompts up to 200k tokens. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing |

Each row links to the page it comes from, checked November 1, 2026. These figures can change, so check the source before you buy.

Google has announced that the prices of two of these models will double on the dates given in the notes, so check again before you budget around them. Some models also charge more per token when a request is very long.

## Is there a free Gemini API tier?

Yes, for certain models only. The Free Tier needs no billing account, but its rate limits are lower, and some models are not on it at all, as the price table above shows. Rate limits apply per project, and the daily request count resets at midnight Pacific time.

Data use differs too. On the Free Tier, Google may use what you send to improve its products; on the paid tier it does not. If your app handles your customers' data, that alone is a reason to move to the paid tier.

## How to pay for the Gemini API, step by step

### 1. Sign in to Google AI Studio

Use the Google account that owns the project behind your API key. Billing is set per project.

### 2. Set up billing

From the API keys page or the Projects page, choose Set up billing. Google asks you to link a Cloud Billing account to the project, or to create one.

### 3. Add a card Google accepts

Use a Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit card, or a Visa or Mastercard debit card, with online purchases from outside Egypt turned on. Make sure this month's limit covers the amount plus any fees your bank adds.

### 4. Buy credit

On the Billing page in AI Studio, choose Buy credits and enter at least the smallest purchase in the table above. Some accounts are offered postpay billing instead of prepaid credit.

### 5. Decide on auto-reload

Auto-reload buys credit for you when your balance falls below a level you set, so a live app doesn't stop. Each reload is a new international charge on your card, and that is where cards that ask for a one-time code fail.

## Why does Google decline Egyptian cards?

Since Egypt is supported, a declined payment usually comes from the card itself. The most common reasons:

- **The card is prepaid.** Google does not accept prepaid cards for this billing, and some cards issued by banks and wallets are prepaid.
- **The card asks for a code on every payment.** Debit cards that need an SMS code each time can't be charged while you are away, so Google rejects them for recurring payments.
- **International online purchases are off.** Some banks leave them disabled until you turn them on in the app or through customer service.
- **The limit is too low.** The monthly limit for international online purchases may not cover the amount and fees.

Google's own advice for a declined card is to try another payment method, or to buy through a local reseller or invoiced billing. We cover every way to pay from Egypt in [How to pay for the OpenAI or Claude API from Egypt](https://5abeer.ai/en/guides/pay-ai-api-from-egypt).

## How do Gemini API spending tiers work?

Your payment history sets your billing account's usage tier, and each tier caps how much the whole account can spend in a month, across all its projects:

Gemini API usage tiers and their monthly caps

| Service | Item | Value | Note | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google | Tier 1: how you qualify | Link an active billing account | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Tier 1: spending cap | $250 a month | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Tier 2: starts at total payments of | $100 | And 3 days after your first successful payment. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Tier 2: spending cap | $2,000 a month | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Tier 3: starts at total payments of | $1,000 | And 30 days after your first successful payment. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Tier 3: spending cap starts at | $20,000 a month | You can ask for more. Google lists caps up to 100,000 dollars. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | When you reach the cap | Service pauses for every linked project until the 1st of next month | The cap counts the whole billing account, adding up all its projects. | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |
| Google | Moving between tiers | Automatic once you meet the next tier's criteria | — | https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/billing |

Each row links to the page it comes from, checked November 1, 2026. These figures can change, so check the source before you buy.

When you reach the cap, service pauses for every linked project until the first of the next month, which can stop a launch halfway through. You can ask Google for a higher cap, or set a lower monthly spend cap per project yourself from the Spend page in AI Studio.

## Pay for Gemini in Egyptian pounds without a card

5abeer is an independent service, not affiliated with Google, OpenAI or Anthropic. It serves Gemini, Claude and GPT models through our API, including Google's generateContent format for the models that support it. You top up in Egyptian pounds, and each request is deducted from your balance by model and token count. This is not Google credit: it is a 5abeer balance, so you don't need a Google Cloud billing account. Everything about paying from Egypt is on the [API in Egypt page](https://5abeer.ai/en/api/egypt).

### 1. Create an account and top up

In your dashboard choose top up, then pay with a mobile wallet such as Vodafone Cash or with InstaPay, and send the receipt. Every method and its steps are in [Payment methods](https://5abeer.ai/en/docs/start/payment.md).

### 2. Create a key for Gemini models

Each key works with one provider's models, so create a key for Gemini models. Claude and GPT keys don't work with the Gemini base URL, but all keys draw on the same balance, as explained in [Keys and authentication](https://5abeer.ai/en/docs/start/keys.md#per-provider).

### 3. Point your Gemini code at our base URL

Send the key in the `x-goog-api-key` header, and keep the model id in the request path, as with Google's API:

| Format | Base URL | Key header |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OpenAI | `https://api.5abeer.ai/v1` | `Authorization: Bearer <KEY>` |
| Anthropic | `https://api.5abeer.ai` | `x-api-key: <KEY>` |
| Gemini | `https://api.5abeer.ai/v1beta` | `x-goog-api-key: <KEY>` |

This is a full generateContent request. Parameters, streaming and error handling are in [Gemini generateContent](https://5abeer.ai/en/docs/api/gemini.md):

```bash
curl --request POST "https://api.5abeer.ai/v1beta/models/gemini-4-argon:generateContent" \
  --header "x-goog-api-key: $KHABEER_API_KEY" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{"contents":[{"role":"user","parts":[{"text":"Write a product idea in one sentence."}]}]}'
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.5abeer.ai/v1beta/models/gemini-4-argon:generateContent",
    headers={
        "x-goog-api-key": os.environ['KHABEER_API_KEY'],
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    json={
    "contents": [
        {
            "role": "user",
            "parts": [
                {
                    "text": "Write a product idea in one sentence."
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
},
    stream=False,
    timeout=60,
)

response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())
```

The same key also runs Gemini CLI. Follow [Gemini CLI setup](https://5abeer.ai/en/docs/apps/gemini-cli.md). These are Gemini models you can call now:

| Model | Id | Input (ours) | Output (ours) | Context |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gemini 4 Argon | `gemini-4-argon` | $0.60 | $3 | — |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | `gemini-2.5-pro` | $0.38 | $3 | 1M |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | `gemini-3.8-flash` | $0.23 | $1.13 | — |
| Gemini 3 Flash | `gemini-3-flash` | $0.15 | $0.90 | 1M |

## What does Gemini cost when you pay in EGP?

Take a feature inside an app that sends five million tokens a month and gets one million back, on [`gemini-3.1-pro`](https://5abeer.ai/en/models/gemini-3.1-pro) for example:

Example: 5,000,000 input tokens and 1,000,000 output tokens on Gemini 3.1 Pro (`gemini-3.1-pro`) cost $6.60 at our price against $22.00 at the official price (70% lower). Official price checked October 19, 2026.

And this is that model's price per million tokens, ours next to the official one:

Gemini 3.1 Pro (`gemini-3.1-pro`) per 1M tokens: input $0.60 (official $2), output $3.60 (official $12). Official price checked October 19, 2026.

Our prices follow Google's published prices, and every price shows the date it was last checked. Every Gemini model and its price is on [Gemini API](https://5abeer.ai/en/api/gemini), and the full list is on the [models page](https://5abeer.ai/en/models).

## A direct Google account or 5abeer credit?

|  | Direct Google account | 5abeer credit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How you pay | A credit or debit card Google accepts | Mobile wallet or InstaPay in Egyptian pounds, or an international card |
| Price per token | Google's official price | Below the official price |
| Free use | A Free Tier on certain models | Every request is deducted from your balance |
| Models | Gemini models only | Gemini, Claude and GPT on one balance, with a key per provider |
| Spending control | Tier caps and a monthly spend cap per project | A spend limit, an expiry date and an IP allow-list on every key |
| Best fit | Your card works and you need a direct contract or AI Studio features | You want to pay in pounds and pay less per token |

If you only need the Free Tier, or your card works and you need a contract with Google, going direct is the better fit.

## FAQ

### Can I use the Gemini API for free from Egypt?

Yes, within the Free Tier. It covers certain models only, with lower rate limits, and Google may use what you send to improve its products. For models outside the Free Tier, or for higher limits, you need the paid tier.

### Does the Vodafone Cash virtual card work for Gemini API billing?

It depends on the card. Google does not accept prepaid cards, or debit cards that ask for a code on every payment, so ask the issuer about both before you add it. If you want to pay from your wallet balance, you can top up 5abeer credit from the wallet directly.

### What does "Your card does not support automatic recurring payments" mean?

Google charges your card while you are not there, for example on auto-reload. A card that needs a one-time code on every payment can't be charged that way, so Google rejects it. Use another card, or a way to pay that needs no card.

### What happens when my Gemini API credit runs out?

Every key in every project on the billing account stops at once, with error 402, until you add credit. Usage that slips through before the stop shows as a negative balance and is taken from your next purchase.

### How long does Gemini API credit last?

Unused credit expires 12 months after you buy it. That is why smaller, regular purchases suit most projects better than one large one.

### Will my existing Gemini code work with 5abeer?

Yes, if it sends requests in Google's generateContent format. Change the base URL and the key, and keep the model id in the path, as shown in [Base URLs](https://5abeer.ai/en/docs/start/base-urls.md).

### Is 5abeer part of Google?

No. 5abeer is an independent service, not affiliated with Google, OpenAI or Anthropic. We serve their models through our API below their official prices.

## Get started

Start on the [API page](https://5abeer.ai/en/api), compare prices on the [pricing page](https://5abeer.ai/en/pricing), or read [how to top up OpenAI credit from Egypt](https://5abeer.ai/en/guides/top-up-openai-from-egypt) if you use GPT too.