AI / Google Antigravity Gemini Fundamentals Interview Questions
What are the Gemini API rate limits and how do they differ between free and paid tiers?
The Gemini API enforces rate limits on three dimensions: requests per minute (RPM), requests per day (RPD), and tokens per minute (TPM). Limits vary significantly by model and whether you are on the free tier or a paid billing tier.
| Model | Free tier RPM | Free tier RPD | Paid tier RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | Varies (check AI Studio) | Varies | Higher (billing required) |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | No free tier | No free tier | Billing required |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | 10 RPM | 250 RPD | Much higher |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite | 15 RPM | 1,000 RPD | Much higher |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | 5 RPM | 100 RPD | Billing required for higher |
import time from google import genai from google.api_core import exceptions client = genai.Client() # Handle rate limiting with exponential backoff: def generate_with_retry(prompt, model="gemini-2.5-flash", max_retries=3): for attempt in range(max_retries): try: response = client.models.generate_content( model=model, contents=prompt ) return response.text except exceptions.ResourceExhausted: # 429 rate limit error wait = 2 ** attempt print(f"Rate limited. Waiting {wait}s (attempt {attempt+1})") time.sleep(wait) raise Exception("Max retries exceeded") # Tips for free tier: # - Add delays between calls (1-2 seconds minimum) # - Use Flash-Lite (higher RPD: 1,000/day) # - Monitor quota in AI Studio dashboard # - Enable billing for Tier 1 ($250/month cap available)
Key changes: Google reduced free tier limits by 50-80% in December 2025. Tutorials and documentation written before that date will show stale (higher) numbers. Always check current limits in the AI Studio quota dashboard.
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