Google Unveils File Search Tool for Gemini API with Free Storage

November 6, 2025

Details

  • Google introduced the File Search Tool, a fully managed Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) system, directly integrated with the Gemini API on November 6, 2025.
  • The platform automates file storage, semantic chunking, and embedding creation for various formats, including PDF, DOCX, TXT, JSON, and code files, with all storage and query operations offered free of charge.
  • Developers only incur a cost of $0.15 per million tokens for initial indexing, streamlining setup expenses while eliminating ongoing storage or usage fees.
  • Beam, Phaser Studio’s AI-powered game content platform, has adopted the tool, executing thousands of searches daily with response times under two seconds—a dramatic efficiency improvement over manual processes.
  • The tool features built-in citation tracking and advanced semantic vector search, which ensures accurate, attributed results with reduced engineering effort.

Impact

With File Search, Google lowers the entry barrier for developers creating RAG systems by managing embeddings and search infrastructure, and aggressively competes on cost. The offer of free storage and usage, with minimal indexing fees, directly challenges established vector database providers and self-managed alternatives. Early success stories like Phaser Studio highlight its effectiveness and readiness for large-scale applications.

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