Google AI (Gemini) Setup
How to get your Google AI API key from AI Studio and configure Gemini models in LinkedGrow.
Overview
Google AI provides Gemini 3 Pro, Gemini 3 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash, and Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite models. Gemini models offer excellent value, with some of the most affordable options available.
Step 1 - Go to Google AI Studio
- Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey
- Sign in with your Google account (any Gmail or Google Workspace account works)
Step 2 - Create your API key
- Click Create API Key
- Select a Google Cloud project (or create a new one if prompted)
- Your API key is generated immediately
- Copy the key - it starts with
AIza
Google AI Studio provides a free tier with limited requests. For consistent usage, you may want to set up billing in your Google Cloud Console to avoid hitting free tier limits.
Step 3 - Configure in LinkedGrow
- Go to Settings > AI API in LinkedGrow
- Click the Gemini tab
- Paste your API key in the key field
- Select a model from the dropdown
- Click Save
Available models
| Model | Best for | Cost per post | Monthly estimate (30 posts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3 Pro | Highest quality | ~$0.03 | ~$0.90 |
| Gemini 3 Flash (Recommended) | Best value for quality | ~$0.006 | ~$0.18 |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | Deep reasoning | ~$0.02 | ~$0.60 |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | Fast and affordable | ~$0.005 | ~$0.15 |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite | Cheapest option available | ~$0.001 | ~$0.03 |
Recommendation: Gemini 3 Flash offers an outstanding balance of quality and cost. At just $0.006 per post, it is one of the most affordable options for high-quality content. Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite is the absolute cheapest option if you want to minimize costs.
Key format
Google AI API keys start with AIza followed by a string of characters. They look different from OpenAI or Anthropic keys.
Image generation with the same key
The same Google AI API key also works for image generation (Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana, Imagen 4 Ultra, Imagen 4, Imagen 4 Fast). If you set up Google AI for text, you can use the same key for images without creating a separate account. See Image Providers for setup details.
Monitoring your spending
Track your API usage in the Google Cloud Console under the APIs & Services section. You can set up billing alerts to monitor spending.