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Gemini API vs Vertex AI

Two sides of the LLM API decision: model provider and through your cloud. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.

Gemini APIModel providerIn Lovable, Replit
Vertex AIThrough your cloud
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Which fits you

Choose Gemini API if
  • You want the strongest general models and the widest ecosystem of examples and integrations

Use it whenYou feed in whole documents, video or audio, or want to start without paying.

Trade-offFree-tier prompts may be used to improve Google's products, so paid tier is the one for user data.

Choose Vertex AI if
  • Gemini and partner models such as Claude on Google Cloud, with its regions, IAM and billing.

Use it whenYou run on Google Cloud or have its credits, and want Gemini with enterprise data terms.

Trade-offMore setup than the Gemini API (a Cloud project, service accounts, regions), for the same models.

At a glance

Gemini APIVertex AI
Used by99 makers' products · 227 open-source projects3 makers' products · 59 open-source projects
Cost at default usageinput tokens 50 million tokens, output tokens 10 million tokens$28/mo Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite—
Downloads19.2M/wk6.5× vs npm3.2M/wk5.7× vs npm
PricingFree tier with rate limits; pay per token. · paid from Pay per tokenPay per token by model, billed to your Google Cloud account. · paid from Pay per token
Free tierYesNo
Open sourceNoNo

What makers say

Makers on using it for LLM API, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.

On Gemini API
Powers all agent conversations on Konfide. Fast, cost-effective, handles unlimited concurrent chats. Every user message goes through Gemini. Chose it for speed and quality at scale.
Konfide, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Gemini gives us another strong option for routing complex tasks. Fast response times and competitive pricing mean we can offer our customers more flexibility in how their automations run.
Logic, Inc., the makerSep 2026 ↗
Saturn uses Gemini for structured data extraction from Japanese government filings (EDINET, gBizINFO). Best cost-performance ratio for Japanese language processing at scale.
Saturn, the makerSep 2026 ↗
67 more on the Gemini API page →
On Vertex AI

No maker quote about Vertex AI for LLM API yet.

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.

Gemini API
Most loved
  • It offers some of the best price-to-performance, with fast, cheap Flash models. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • A context window of a million tokens or more handles whole codebases and long documents without extra pipelines. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • Native multimodal input covers video, screenshots and audio. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
Watch-outs
  • Getting an API key and paying is confusing, with usage tiers and Google Cloud console hoops. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Models are deprecated abruptly, some without leaving preview or having a replacement. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Pricing docs are unclear, and new models sometimes launch without listed prices. HNHN 2
On Product Hunt: 4.9★, 167 reviews · mentioned most: fast performance, multimodal capabilities, Google integration · complaints: inconsistent data, hallucinations
Vertex AINothing that recurs in what we collected yet.

Who uses each

Gemini API99 makers' products
1752vc Pitch Deck Analyzer8baseAccorataAgentplace.ioAppear on AIAskiva AIAsmi AIAutomaticallBookmarkjar ®BriefyBuilt for DevsCiro+87 more
Vertex AI3 makers' products
KatalystOmnifactCustomer.io
Used by both — often one replacing the other, or each for a different part of the product
Omnifact

What makers pair each with

With Gemini API
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
Database
Hosting
With Vertex AI
Database
Frontend Framework
Backend Framework
AI SDK & Agent Framework

Neither quite right?

See the whole LLM API decision →
OpenAI APIModel providerThe broadest model lineup — text, images, speech, embeddings — and the largest ecosystem.vs Gemini API →
ClaudeModel providerCoding, long documents and agent-style tool use.vs Gemini API →
GroqOpen models, hostedVery low-latency inference on open models, for real-time features.vs Gemini API →
Mistral AIModel providerA European provider whose API covers chat, coding, OCR and speech models.vs Gemini API →
DeepSeekModel providerLow per-token prices on strong reasoning and coding models, with OpenAI- and Anthropic-format endpoints.vs Gemini API →
OpenRouterGateway (many providers, one API)Trying many models from many providers with one API key and one bill, without opening an account at each.
LiteLLMGateway (many providers, one API)Running your own OpenAI-compatible proxy in front of your own provider keys, with retries, routing and per-key budgets.