Gemini Notebook review

Gemini Notebook is the product Google used to call NotebookLM, and it works differently from a general chatbot: it reads only the sources you upload and cites them next to each answer. For students that means a notebook per course, filled with lecture PDFs, slide decks, YouTube lectures and audio files, then questions answered from that material rather than from the open web. The study tools are broad and free. It can generate flashcards, quizzes, slides, mind maps, video overviews and its signature podcast-style Audio Overviews, which the mobile app plays in the background and offline. The free plan allows up to 50 sources per notebook with standard limits; Google AI Plus, listed at $4.99 a month on the US App Store, doubles usage and allows 100 sources. The limits are scope and age: it will not help with a problem that is not in your sources, and the app is rated 13+. For older students with a pile of readings, it is the strongest free option here.

Who it is for

college students studying from many PDFs and slides

Price

Free plan; Google AI Plus from $4.99 per month on the US App Store for double the usage limits.

Google AI Plus (400 GB) $4.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Answers are grounded in your uploaded sources and cited in-line
• Accepts PDFs, websites, YouTube videos, Google Drive files, audio and text
• Generates Flashcards, Quizzes, Slides, Mind Maps and Video Overviews
• Podcast-style Audio Overviews you can join to ask questions
• Free plan allows up to 50 sources per notebook; Google AI Plus raises it to 100

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Full study toolkit is available on the free plan
• Strength: Citations make every answer easy to check against class notes
• Strength: Mobile app supports offline listening to Audio Overviews
• Weakness: 13+ age rating on the US App Store
• Weakness: Only works from sources you add, so it will not solve a stray homework problem
• Weakness: Google AI Plus, Pro and Ultra plans are only sold in specific regions

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, up to 50 sources per notebook
• Cheapest paid plan: Google AI Plus, $4.99 on the US App Store
• Former name: NotebookLM

Where it ranks

Gemini Notebook is No. 1 in our Best AI Study Tools for Students verdict.