AI Tools
15 Google AI Tools You Can Try in 2026
A practical guide to Google's AI tools in 2026, including Gemini, NotebookLM, AI Studio, Imagen, Veo, Whisk, ImageFX, MusicFX, Flow, and more.
If you have been seeing posts that say Google is giving away a huge pile of AI tools for free in 2026, the short answer is: kind of, yes.
But the more honest answer is better.
Google does have a large and unusually strong AI tool stack you can try right now. Some of it is free with a personal Google account. Some of it has free tiers or limited free testing. Some of it is available through Labs, student offers, Workspace plans, or credit-based access.
So this is not one of those “everything is free forever with no limits” lists.
It is a cleaner guide to the Google AI tools that are actually worth bookmarking, with direct links and a quick note on what each one is good for.
If your goal is productivity, research, content creation, image generation, audio, or lightweight prototyping, Google’s ecosystem is now big enough that it is easy to miss useful tools.
Here are 15 worth knowing.
First: what is actually free?
Before the list, a quick reality check.
Some Google AI tools are genuinely available at no cost for many users, including parts of the Gemini app, Gems, NotebookLM, and Google AI Studio. Other tools are better described as free to try, free with limits, or available through credits, Labs access, or subscription plans.
For example:
- Google said in its March 13, 2025 Gemini update that Deep Research and Gems were available for everyone to try at no cost in the Gemini app, though usage limits and availability can change.
- NotebookLM is broadly available in more than 200 countries, and Google has expanded Audio Overviews to more than 50 languages.
- Google AI Studio offers fast access to Gemini models and some media models, with free experimentation available in many cases.
- Tools in
labs.google/fxsuch as ImageFX, MusicFX, Whisk, and Flow come with country, age, and feature restrictions. Some are free to access, but not unlimited.
That distinction matters if you are writing about these tools, recommending them, or trying to decide where to spend time.
Now for the useful part.
1. Gemini
Best for: everyday writing, brainstorming, summarizing, planning, and general AI assistance
Gemini is Google’s all-round AI assistant, and for most people it is the main entry point into the rest of Google’s AI stack.
If you only try one tool from this list, this is the obvious place to start.
It is useful for:
- writing and rewriting
- outlining projects
- idea generation
- quick research help
- summarizing files
- basic coding assistance
Direct link:
2. Gemini Live
Best for: talking through ideas in real time
Gemini Live is the part of Gemini that feels more conversational than prompt-based. Google highlighted in its I/O 2025 updates that Gemini Live with camera and screen sharing was becoming free on Android and iOS for everyone.
This is useful if you think better out loud than in a blank text box.
You can use it to:
- talk through plans
- ask follow-up questions without rewriting prompts
- show your screen or camera in supported flows
- work through a problem step by step
Direct link:
3. Gemini Deep Research
Best for: turning a vague topic into a research report
Deep Research is one of the best reasons to use Gemini for knowledge work instead of treating it like a normal chatbot.
Google said in its March 2025 update that Deep Research was available for everyone to try. The tool browses, analyzes sources, and helps assemble more structured research output than a typical one-shot answer.
It is especially useful for:
- competitor research
- topic overviews
- planning articles
- learning a new subject quickly
- creating first-pass research notes
Direct link:
4. Gemini Canvas
Best for: drafting, iterating, and shaping longer work
Canvas is the Gemini feature I would point people to if they want help with a draft, not just an answer.
Instead of getting one block of output and starting over every time, you can shape and revise work more like a document.
This makes it more useful for:
- articles
- scripts
- study notes
- outlines
- landing page drafts
- longer work that needs iteration
Direct link:
5. Gemini Gems
Best for: creating reusable personal AI agents
Gems are custom versions of Gemini you can configure for repeatable tasks. Google said Gems were rolling out for everyone at no cost in the Gemini app in March 2025.
This is one of the more practical features in the stack because it reduces repetition.
You can build Gems for things like:
- writing help
- study coaching
- translation
- meal planning
- niche research
- brand voice support
Direct link:
6. NotebookLM
Best for: understanding your own sources, not just the web
NotebookLM is still one of Google’s smartest AI products.
Instead of starting from open-ended web knowledge, it starts from the documents and sources you upload. That makes it unusually good for research, studying, synthesis, and working from a trusted source set.
Google expanded NotebookLM to more than 200 countries and territories, and it supports files like PDFs, Docs, Slides, and web URLs.
Use it for:
- study materials
- interview transcripts
- internal notes
- research packets
- long reports
- source-grounded Q&A
Direct links:
7. NotebookLM Audio Overviews
Best for: turning dense notes into podcast-style listening
Audio Overviews became popular because they make boring material easier to consume. Google described them as podcast-like conversations generated from your sources, and later expanded them to more than 50 languages.
This is genuinely useful if you want to:
- listen to summaries while walking
- review research faster
- turn notes into something easier to remember
- study in a preferred language
It is still an AI-generated overview, so you should not treat it as perfect. But as a review layer, it is strong.
Direct links:
8. Google AI Studio
Best for: trying Gemini models and building prototypes fast
Google AI Studio is the easiest place to move from “I want to use AI” to “I want to build something with it.”
It is designed for fast prompting, testing, and prototyping with Gemini models. Google has also kept adding support for media models and lightweight app-building workflows inside AI Studio.
Use it for:
- prompt testing
- quick app prototypes
- API experiments
- multimodal inputs
- model comparisons
Direct links:
9. Gemini API
Best for: adding Google AI to your own app or workflow
If AI Studio is the playground, the Gemini API is the handoff into real use.
This matters if you want to:
- build your own tool
- automate a workflow
- create a chatbot or assistant
- add multimodal AI to a product
- experiment without committing to a heavy stack
Google has consistently positioned AI Studio as the fast starting point for Gemini API work, which makes this one of the easiest developer-friendly entries on the list.
Direct links:
10. Imagen
Best for: text-to-image generation
Imagen is Google’s image generation model. In 2025, Google introduced Imagen 4 across more of its stack and also made it available in AI Studio, including limited free testing there.
If you want cleaner text rendering, more polished visuals, and easy access from Google’s ecosystem, Imagen is worth trying.
Use it for:
- social graphics
- concept art
- thumbnails
- blog visuals
- product mockups
- prompt testing for visual styles
Direct links:
11. Veo
Best for: text-to-video and image-to-video generation
Veo is Google’s video generation model, but access depends heavily on where you use it.
Google has made Veo available through different surfaces, including Gemini, Flow, and AI Studio at different times, but this is not one of the tools you should assume is universally free and unlimited.
Still, if you create content, it is one of the most important tools in Google’s stack to track.
Use it for:
- short concept videos
- animated scenes
- visual prototypes
- social clips
- image-to-video experiments
Direct links:
12. Whisk
Best for: remixing images into new ideas fast
Whisk is a Google Labs image experiment built for visual ideation. It combines image and text prompting, which makes it feel more playful than a standard image generator.
This is good for:
- moodboards
- remixing references
- trying visual directions quickly
- early creative exploration
Google also tied Whisk to Veo-powered animation features in earlier updates, which makes it more than a static image tool if you are in a supported plan or region.
Direct link:
13. ImageFX
Best for: free-form image experimentation in Google Labs
ImageFX is Google’s Labs image generation tool and one of the easiest ways to try Google’s image stack without building anything.
It is especially useful for casual creators because the interface encourages iteration instead of one-shot prompting. Google has long highlighted the “expressive chips” system, which helps you quickly explore prompt variations.
Direct links:
14. MusicFX
Best for: generating music ideas and audio experiments
MusicFX is one of the less talked about Google AI tools, but it is worth knowing if you work with sound, creative experiments, or short-form content.
It is built for text-to-music generation and idea exploration rather than polished commercial production. That is still useful if you want:
- background music ideas
- creative experiments
- audio sketches
- inspiration for content
Direct links:
15. Flow
Best for: AI filmmaking workflows with images, video, and editing in one place
Flow is Google’s more advanced creative studio for video work. Unlike some of the earlier invite-only messaging around Google video tools, Flow now has a clearer product page and a free starting tier with credits, plus paid plans for heavier use.
According to Google’s current Flow page, free users get starter credits and daily credits, while Pro and Ultra plans raise the limits significantly.
That makes Flow important for two reasons:
- you can actually try it without immediately paying
- you should not mistake “free to start” for “unlimited”
If you make AI videos seriously, this is one to watch closely.
Direct links:
Which Google AI tools are most worth trying first?
If you want the shortest path through this list, I would start here:
- Gemini for everyday use
- NotebookLM for source-based research
- Google AI Studio if you want to build or prototype
- ImageFX if you want free creative experimentation
- Flow or Whisk if you care about video and image creation
That gives you one assistant, one research tool, one builder tool, and a couple of creative tools without spreading yourself too thin.
Final thought
Google really does have one of the deepest AI tool ecosystems available to regular users in 2026.
The mistake is assuming it is all one thing.
It is not.
Gemini is for everyday work. NotebookLM is for understanding your own material. AI Studio is for building. Labs tools like Whisk, ImageFX, MusicFX, and Flow are for creative exploration. Veo and Imagen are the underlying media engines that show up across several of those products.
So yes, there are more than a dozen Google AI tools worth trying.
Just be careful with posts that flatten all of them into “completely free, no limits.”
Some are free.
Some are free to try.
Some are only really useful once you understand the usage caps, credit model, or regional availability.
That is not a downside. It just means the honest version is more useful than the viral version.