Hi Google Team and Community,
I am a developer building a specialized application using the Gemini API (generated via Google AI Studio). My app has its own custom User Interface (UI), custom system instructions (prompts), and unique features like lorebooks/character management.
I have a few questions regarding the Terms of Service for Commercial Use, as there is some confusion in my local developer community:
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Commercialization: Can I charge users a fee (e.g., subscription or one-time purchase) to access and use my app that utilizes the Gemini API?
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**“Business Purposes”:** The terms state that the API is for “developers building for professional or business purposes.” Does this confirm that building a paid product for end-users is a valid “business purpose”?
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**“Not for Consumer Use” Warning:** There is a notice saying Google AI Studio is “not for consumer use.” Does this apply to the AI Studio interface itself (meaning regular users shouldn’t use AI Studio directly), OR does it forbid me from selling my app to consumers?
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Free Tier: Is commercial use allowed even if I am currently using the Free Tier of the API (understanding that data may be used for tuning)?
I want to confirm that building a value-added app on top of the Gemini API and monetizing it is compliant with your policies.
Thank you!