How to get free Google AI Pro for an entire year – and save $240: 3 ways

Follow ZDNET:  Add us as a preferred source  on Google.

ZDNET's key takeaways

• Google is offering some users a free AI Pro subscription.

• College students can get 12 months for free.

• A new device gets you a free subscription, or you can share one.

Good news if you've been eyeing one of Google's premium AI plans but don't want to add another subscription to your monthly bills: you may be able to get one for free.

Also: Want a free Apple Watch? Play ZDNET's 'Guessing Game' to win one – only 4 days left

Google's AI Pro plan  has several benefits , including access to premier models like Gemini 3.1 Pro and 3.6 Flash, four times higher usage limits for reasoning and context models, huge context windows (up to 1,500 pages of text or 30,000 lines of code in a single prompt), Workspace integration for Gmail, Docs, and more, 5TB of cloud storage, Google Health Premium  and a YouTube Premium Lite individual plan , and more.

Also: You can earn your Google AI Professional Certificate for free – and I highly recommend it

All of those benefits come at a price, though: $19.99 a month. This subscription tier is designed for heavy AI users, not casual chatters, so many people don't need it. But if you're an extensive user who enjoys pushing AI to its limits and you rely heavily on the Google ecosystem, you'll find value.

Fortunately, if you'd like to check the benefits, there are ways to try AI Pro for free. Here's how. 

1. College students get one year free

If you're a college student, you can get one free year of Google AI Pro. To claim this offer, click here . You'll need to be 16 years or older, enrolled at a higher education institution in a country or region where Google AI Pro is supported, have a personal Google account and a Google Pay account with payment attached . You will need to use SheerID to verify your student status.

2. New devices can earn a free year  

You can also get free Google AI Pro when you buy hardware. This offer includes the Chromebook Plus (12 months), a standard Chromebook (3 months), or a Pixel 11 (6 months). Both new and existing Google One users are eligible for this promotion. The most affordable Chromebook Plus is the Acer 515 at $420. 

Also:  Taught by AI pioneers, Stanford's free online course takes you far beyond ChatGPT

Since the AI subscription alone costs $240, this hardware deal offers good value.

3. Family members can tag along

This is a bit of a workaround, but it's a way to get AI Pro for free or at a discounted rate. Up to five family members of someone who has a Google AI Pro membership can receive "select AI Pro benefits and features" at no additional cost. 

Not every benefit transfers (for example, this offer doesn't include YouTube Premium Lite), but it does include AI and 5TB storage benefits.

Also:  Got 6 hours? This free AI training from Google and Goodwill can boost your resume today

If a family member has AI Pro, you can take advantage of this offer and either tag along for free or pay a portion of the signup fee on the side. 

ZDNET and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.