Is it allowed to use friends' free-tier API keys for a shared project?

Gemini API
1

Hi Google team,

I’m a content creator (Twitch/YouTube, channel AsapGringoo) and I’m building a tool that analyzes my livestream recordings with the Gemini API (gemini-3.8-flash, video + audio). I stream about 70 hours per month, and the free tier of my own project covers only a small part of it.

Some friends of mine collaborate with me on the channel. Each of them has their own Google account with its own Gemini API free tier, which they don’t use. Our idea is: when my project reaches its daily free limit, the tool switches to an API key created by one of my friends in their own project, so we can keep analyzing the same livestream.

In our view this is allowed, because we are only using free quota that Google gives to each account, and we work together on the same channel. But I want to be sure we respect section 2(d) “API Limitations” of the Google APIs Terms of Service (“will not attempt to circumvent such limitations”).

My questions:

  1. Is it allowed to use API keys from my friends’ projects (their free tier) for our shared channel’s workload, switching key when one reaches its daily limit?
  2. If not, what is the correct way to get higher limits for this use case? Is it possible to request a higher free quota, or is a paid billing account the only option?

Thank you,
Gabriele (AsapGringoo)

2

Hello @Gabtiele_Benatti,

We can’t provide specific legal guidance on this forum. Please review API Limitations and Developer credentials in the Google APIs Terms of Service. Also see the Gemini API Additional Terms of Service.
To access higher tiers, you must set up billing on your project. The rate limit increase request is for paid tier projects.