Best forYour own sources
THE SIMPLE VERSION
What is Gemini Notebook?
Gemini Notebook is the current name for NotebookLM. Each notebook is a separate collection of sources for one project. In the standalone product, chat answers are grounded only in the sources inside that notebook, while the Studio panel can turn them into audio or video overviews, reports, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes, slide decks, infographics and data tables.
✓ A good fit if you want to…
- Need answers grounded in documents you selected
- Want study aids, reports or overviews from those sources
- Like citations that jump back to the supporting passage
– Choose another tool if you…
- Need a broad assistant for unrelated everyday questions
- Want open-web research without first building a notebook
- Need one search across several separate notebooks at once
YOUR FIRST 10 MINUTES
Start in three steps
- 1Create one notebookUse one notebook for one clear subject or project.
- 2Add a small trusted source setStart with documents or links you know you may use.
- 3Ask and open the citationsCheck the supporting passage before using the answer.
TRY THIS FIRST PROMPT
Using only these sources, explain [a topic] for a complete beginner. Give me five key points, cite the supporting passage for each point, and list anything the sources do not answer.
POPULAR USES
What can it help with?
PLANS
Free or paid?
100 notebooks, 50 sources per notebook, 50 chats per day and limited daily Studio outputs.
Best for normal study, document research and trying the complete workflow.200 notebooks, 100 sources per notebook and higher chat, overview, report and study-aid limits.
Best when Standard limits interrupt regular study or research.500 notebooks, 300 sources per notebook, substantially higher limits and stronger model access.
Best for frequent, larger research projects; Ultra offers still higher limits.✓Free is enough if…you work on a few projects at a time, keep each notebook under 50 sources and do not repeatedly hit the daily chat or Studio limits.
+Consider paid if…you need more sources in one notebook, create many audio or video overviews, or use the tool heavily every day. Most beginners should start free.
*US monthly prices checked on 24 August 2026. Google AI plan prices, storage, features, taxes and availability vary by country. Usage limits can change; Ultra has separate higher-priced tiers.
GOOD TO KNOW
Safety and privacy
Open every important citation
Grounding helps, but a source can still be outdated, incomplete or wrong.
Check upload and sharing rights
Do not add confidential or protected material without permission, and review who can open a shared notebook.
Know which Google app you are in
Notebook files and chats are not used directly to train foundation models unless you send feedback; notebook chats in the Gemini app follow Gemini Apps settings.
STILL CHOOSING?See the important differences side by side.
OFFICIAL EVIDENCE
Sources and freshness
We use official product and help pages for plan, access and privacy claims.
NotebookLM is now Gemini NotebookCreate a notebookGemini Notebook limits and upgradesNotebooks in Gemini AppsPrivacy and termsGoogle AI plans
- Official name, features and device routes
- Free and paid limits
- Privacy, feedback and Gemini app distinction