Gemini vs Sesame (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Gemini: it is second in our ranking of AI assistants, and it grades higher too, 3.8 against 3.2.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Gemini grades higher on features and platforms. Sesame grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gemini
Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps
Which one is for you
Pick Gemini if
- Fits if your email, files and calendar are already with Google, since Gemini can look through them
- Works for anyone who needs more Google storage anyway, since $4.99 a month also gets you 400 GB
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to know your limits up front: Google gives no numbers, and they can change without notice
- Not for you if you're on an Intel Mac or Linux, and the Windows app can't share your screen, take dictation or connect local folders
- Tight if you lean on Deep Research for free, which Google says may be unavailable at busy times
- Pricey if you want the top tier: Ultra is $99.99 a month, or $199.99 for 20x the usage
- Watch out: there's no Gemini-only plan, paid plans need you to be 18 or over, and features vary by region
Pick Sesame if
- Fits if you want to talk to an AI by voice on your phone for free
- Works for iPhone owners who want it to reach Gmail and Calendar
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a desktop or web app, as only phones are listed
- Watch out: the maker calls the iOS release a preview and has published no later pricing
- Not for you if you need a language other than English, which the maker calls early and less reliable
- Watch out: the app is limited to a list of supported countries
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAGeminiExcellent | 3.2GPASesameVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$4.99 a month doubles your usage, puts Gemini inside Gmail and adds 400 GB of storage, the low end of this category's prices. ChatGPT's first paid plan is $8. AI Pro is $19.99, and Ultra starts at $99.99. | AFree to download, and no paid plan or usage limit is published on the App Store page or sesame.com. Free and full counts as top value, though it may not stay that way. |
| Free plan and trial | BChat, images, Deep Research, voice chats with Gemini Live, Canvas and Gems, all free with a Google Account. The catch is the limits: Google gives no numbers, and says free users can lose Deep Research when it's busy. | AFree outright, with no plan to buy. The open question is future pricing, which the maker has not said anything about. |
| Features | AChat, image and video generation, Deep Research, and spoken conversations where you can show it what your camera sees. And it reads your Gmail, Drive, Docs and Calendar, which nothing else in this category does. | CVoice and text chat, four characters, connected apps, skills and an incognito mode. English is the only officially supported language, and the iOS release is still a preview. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 2.3 million App Store ratings, and asking a question is as easy as typing it. The muddle is everything around it: Gemini turns up in the app, Chrome, Gmail and Docs, each a bit different, and you pick a model too. | A4.9 on the App Store from about 2,000 ratings. There is no plan to pick before you start talking. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android with chats synced between them, an API, and hooks into Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Vids and Chrome. The Mac app wants Apple Silicon and macOS 15, and no Linux app is listed. | CPhones only: an iOS listing, with Android mentioned on the maker's site but not read. No web or desktop app, and only some countries are supported. |
| Best for | AI help that reaches into your Gmail and Drive | talking to an AI by voice on your phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Gemini and Sesame. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gemini starts at $4.99 a month and scores 4.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Sesame has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
Gemini scores higher, and starts $4.99 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other AI assistants on the chart, none scores higher than Gemini for less, and none scores higher than Sesame for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Gemini also covers AI search.
- Sesame also covers dictation and AI agents.
At a glance
| Gemini | Sesame | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $4.99 per month (Google AI Plus) | Free |
| Free plan | Free with a Google Account: access to 3.6 Flash and varying access to 3.1 Pro, image generation and editing, Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas and Gems, plus 15 GB of Google storage. | The iOS app is free to download, and no paid plan is listed on the App Store page or on sesame.com. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Sesame AI, Inc. | |
| Price read from | gemini.google | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gemini
- Paid tiers are Google AI plans that bundle storage and other Google services; no Gemini-only paid plan is listed.
- Google AI plans require age 18 or over, and features vary by region and platform.
- Google AI Ultra starts at $99.99 per month, and its 20x usage level costs $199.99 per month.
- The macOS desktop app requires Apple Silicon and macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later, and the Windows app does not yet share the screen, take dictation or connect local folders.
Sesame
- The maker still calls the iOS release a preview, and the full experience was free at launch with no later pricing published.
- Sesame officially supports English; other languages work but are described as early and less reliable.
- The app is limited to a list of supported countries, so it may not be available everywhere.
- The app list on the maker's site says it is available on iOS and Android, but only the iOS listing was read for details.
Key features
Gemini
- Chat with Gemini models
- The free plan includes the 3.6 Flash model and varying access to 3.1 Pro. Paid plans raise usage limits, from 2x on Plus to as much as 20x the Pro limits on Ultra.
- Deep Research
- A research tool that is included in the free plan, with higher access on the paid Google AI plans.
- Gemini Live
- Have a spoken conversation, switch between talking and typing, and show Gemini what you are looking at while you talk.
- Image and video generation
- Generate and edit images on every plan, and create or edit video by describing what you want. Paid plans include Google Flow credits.
- Google app integration
- Works with Gmail, Drive, Docs and Calendar, and paid plans add Gemini inside Gmail, Docs and Vids.
- Desktop app
- Apps for Windows and macOS open over your work with a keyboard shortcut. Screen sharing, voice dictation and connecting local folders are in the macOS app only, with Windows to follow.
Sesame
- Voice and text conversation
- Agents are built for spoken back-and-forth and can be texted when talking is not practical.
- Four characters
- Maya, Miles, Simone and Charlie each have their own personality and voice, and each keeps its own memory and app access.
- Connected apps
- Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive can be connected, and external MCP servers that use OAuth are supported.
- Skills
- A skill is a plain-language playbook created in conversation that runs on demand or on a schedule.
- Incognito mode
- In this mode nothing new is saved to memory or to Sesame's servers, according to the App Store description.
Plans
Gemini
Free$0
Access to 3.6 Flash, varying access to 3.1 Pro, image generation, Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas and Gems, with 15 GB of storage.
Google AI Plus$4.99
per month
2x higher usage than Free, 200 Google Flow credits, Gemini in Gmail and Vids, and 400 GB of storage. Google One also sells Plus with 2 TB at $9.99 a month.
Google AI Pro$19.99
per month
4x higher usage than Free, 1,000 Flow credits, higher access to Gemini 3 Pro, Jules, Chrome auto browse, YouTube Premium Lite and 5 TB of storage.
Google AI UltraFrom $99.99
per month
5x the usage limits of AI Pro at $99.99 or 20x at $199.99, with Deep Think, Project Genie, YouTube Premium and 20 TB or more of storage.
Sesame
Free$0
The app is free; the maker has published no paid plan and no usage limits.
Ways to pay less
Gemini
- Education
Free Pro plan for college students for a year
Google's US subscriptions page says college students get a free Google AI Pro plan for one year, through its student offer.
Sesame
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gemini or Sesame?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Sesame is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $4.99 a month for Gemini. Gemini starts at $4.99 per month (Google AI Plus), and Sesame is free.
Which has a free plan, Gemini or Sesame?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Gemini and Sesame have a free plan.
Which platforms do Gemini and Sesame run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Gemini lists a web app and macOS and Windows apps. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.