NotebookLM

What it is for

NotebookLM is a source-grounded notebook: you add sources, then chat, audio/video overviews, reports, flashcards, and slide decks stay tied to those files. Use it when the job is ask a notebook you filled, not when you need an open-web search engine.

What makes it unique: the official plans / Help table (cover) is the notebook chrome — sources, chat, Audio Overview — not a Gemini wordmark.

Key features

• Sources per notebook — 50 Standard; 100 Plus; 300 Pro; 500 / 600 Ultra (Upgrade Gemini Notebook).
• Chat — 50/day Standard; 200 Plus; 500 Pro; 2.5K / 5K Ultra.
• Audio / Video Overviews — 3/day Standard; higher on paid Google AI plans.
• Reports, flashcards, quizzes, mind maps — daily caps in the same Help table.
• Deep Research / slide decks — plan-gated rows on that table.

Who it's for

Best fit: students and analysts who will upload sources and stay inside a notebook.

Pricing

Verified 2026-10-22 (Asia/Shanghai) from Upgrade Gemini Notebook plus the US table on Google AI plans. Notebook access is Free with a Google account; higher limits ride Google AI Plus / Pro / Ultra.

• Gemini Notebook Standard — $0. Sign up with a Gmail account (Help). 100 notebooks; 50 sources; 50 chats/day.
• Google AI Plus — $4.99/month (US). Notebook “in Plus” limits (200 notebooks; 100 sources; 200 chats/day).
• Google AI Pro — $19.99/month (US). Notebook “in Pro” limits (500 notebooks; 300 sources; 500 chats/day).
• Google AI Ultra 5x — $99.99/month (US). 20 TB plan row on Google One.
• Google AI Ultra 20x — $199.99/month (US). 30 TB plan row.

The product renamed from NotebookLM in July 2026 (plans); existing notebooks stay.

Limitations / costs

• Standard is 50 sources and 50 chats/day. A big reading list wants Plus or Pro.
• Paid dollars are Google AI plan cards, not a separate Notebook SKU.
• Source-grounded notebook, not web search. For ad-free search, see Kagi.

Alternatives

• Anara — PDF workspace with Plus $10 / $8 yr.
• SciSummary — paper summarizer; Pro $4/mo billed annually.
• Elicit — research-agent composer over papers.

Official tutorial

Official Grow with Google video: A Practical Guide to Using AI for Work — Part 1 (Gemini and NotebookLM).

Written path: Upgrade Gemini Notebook plus notebooklm.google.

Website

https://notebooklm.google

Source

Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is Gemini Notebook’s official notebook chrome (sources + overview). Dollars checked on Google One AI plans (Plus $4.99; Pro $19.99; Ultra $99.99 / $199.99) and Help limits. Tutorial oEmbed author: Grow with Google.

Last verified

2026-10-22 (Asia/Shanghai) editorial check.