Tested: Is Google’s NotebookLM Plus worth the subscription fee?

I’ve recently started using NotebookLM, and I love it. Google’s AI tool is free, with the premium Plus version initially available only to Workspace users. Things changed last week when Google included it in the One AI Premium subscription, which also gives you access to Gemini Advanced and 2TB of cloud storage for $20 per month.

I tested both the free and paid versions of NotebookLM to determine the difference and whether it’s worth paying for.

For those unaware, NotebookLM is marketed as a personal AI research assistant. You start by creating a notebook and adding in your sources, including PDFs, Google Docs, and webpages. Then, you can use it like a chatbot by asking questions, and NotebookLM will pull information from your uploaded sources.

Let me give you an example from my colleague Andy who recently wrote a post on this topic. Say you bought a new car and are still learning about it and all its functionality, so you have to refer to the car’s manual often. That can be time-consuming, as trying to find the answer to your question in a 300-page manual isn’t always easy.

Instead, you can upload the car’s manual and other related documents to a notebook in NotebookLM. Now, when you have a question about your car, like how to enable automatic folding mirrors, for example, you can type in your question and NotebookLM will fetch the answer within a few seconds. It really is a great tool for researching.

The tool can also create a podcast on the topic of your sources, give you a quick summary of the main points, and even create study notes. You can read more about my experience with it in my recent “How I use NotebookLM to boost my productivity” post.

The basic version of NotebookLM is free for everyone with a Google account. However, the Plus version is available through a Google One AI Premium subscription or a Google Workspace account.

Before I get to whether the tool is worth a subscription, I want to highlight the differences between NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus. The paid version offers:

• Up to 500 notebooks (100 for free accounts).
• 300 sources per notebook (50 for free accounts).
• A limit of 500 chat queries and 20 audiobooks daily (50 queries and 3 audio generations for free accounts).
• Customizable response styles (Guide, Analyst, or your own).
• Selectable output length (Longer or Shorter responses).
• Shareable “Chat-only” notebooks, so others don’t have direct access to the sources.

For me, the free version’s limits don’t cause problems. I have notebooks with documents related to my recent apartment purchase and manuals for various appliances and gadgets, and I can use the tool without exceeding the limits. I think the limits are generous enough for most people unless you’re doing a ton of research and need a notebook with over 100 sources.

The customized responses add value, though. You can check out examples of how the same question gets a different answer using the Guide and Analyst styles. You can further customize it by adding your own style, similar to using Gems in Gemini. The Guide style is more conversational, while the Analyst is more direct.

The output length is also helpful, as I need shorter, more direct responses for some notebooks and longer ones for others.

However, even though I find value in some of the extra features NotebookLM Plus offers, I could get by with the free version just fine. Your mileage may vary, but I think most people don’t need to upgrade unless they’re doing lots of research with many sources.

But keep in mind that the One AI Premium plan doesn’t just get you NotebookLM Plus; it also gets you access to Gemini Advanced and 2TB of cloud storage. This is where things get tricky. While I wouldn’t pay just for NotebookLM Plus, I’m happy to pay the monthly subscription since I get Gemini (which I use daily) and tons of cloud storage that always come in handy.

If you’re in the same boat and find value in all the features offered by Google’s One AI Premium plan, I recommend a subscription. However, if you’re a basic user of Gemini and NotebookLM, you’ll do just fine with a free account. Also, there’s a free trial available, so those interested should definitely give that a go before parting with their money.