Criterion Google Gemini NotebookLM (now Gemini Notebook)
CategoryAI Chatbots & AssistantsAI Research Tools
In one sentenceGoogle's AI assistant, integrated with Search and the Google Workspace apps many people already use.Google's AI research notebook, renamed Gemini Notebook in July 2026, that answers questions and creates summaries grounded in the sources you upload.
Problem it solvesAI assistance that connects to Google Search results and Workspace content (Docs, Gmail) in one place.Helps students, researchers and professionals understand and work with their own documents by grounding AI answers in those sources with citations.
Free planYesYes
Developer APIYes — docsNo
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Android, iOS
Pricing (summary)Free tier available; paid Google AI plans add higher limits and deeper Workspace features. Verify current plans on Google's site.
Checked 2026-10-05
Free to use with a Google account on the Standard tier; Google AI Plus, Pro and Ultra plans raise limits and add features, and enterprise access is offered through Google Cloud or qualifying Workspace plans. Limits are subject to change. Verify current plans on Google's NotebookLM / Gemini Notebook help pages.
Checked 2026-10-13
Strengths
  • Tight Google ecosystem integration
  • Current-information grounding
  • Answers are grounded in your own sources with citations you can check
  • Free Standard tier available with a Google account
  • Available on web plus Android and iPhone/iPad apps
Limitations
  • Answer quality varies by prompt
  • Workspace features need eligible plans
  • AI outputs, including Audio Overviews, may contain inaccuracies or glitches according to Google's help pages, so claims should be checked against sources
  • Free accounts have lower limits on notebooks and sources per notebook than paid plans
  • Availability of the app and paid plans varies by country, and the mobile app supports fewer source types