Tested: Is Google’s notebooklm plus worth the subscription fee?

I have recently started using NotebooklmAnd I love it. Google’s AI tool is free, with the Premium Plus version that is originally available for work areas. Things changed last week when Google included it in the One Ai Premium subscription, which also gives you access to Gemini advanced and 2 TB cloud storage for $ 20 per month.

I tested both free and paid versions of notebooklm to determine the difference and whether it is worth paying for.

For the ignorant, Notebooklm is marketed as a personal AI research assistant. You start by creating a notebook and adding your sources, including PDFs, Google documents and web pages. Then you can use it as a chatbot by asking questions, and Notebooklm will retrieve information from your uploaded sources.

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

Instead, you can upload your car’s handbook and other related documents to a notebook in Notebooklm. For example, when you have a question about your car, such as how to activate automatic folding mirrors, you can enter your question, for example, and Notebooklm will pick up the answer within a few seconds. It’s really 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 judges. You can read more about my experience with it in my last “How I use Notebooklm to increase my productivity” post.

The basic version of Notebooklm is free for anyone with a Google account. However, the Plus version is available through a Google One AI premium subscription or a Google Workspace account.

Before I come up with if the tool is worth a subscription, I would like 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 500 chat questions and 20 audiobooks daily (50 questions and 3 audio generations for free accounts).
• Customable response styles (guide, analyst or your own).
• Selected length (longer or shorter answers).
• Divable “chat-only” notebooks, so others do not have direct access to the sources.

For me, the free version does not cause problems. I have notebooks with documents related to the latest apartment purchases and manuals for different appliances and things, and I can use the tool without exceeding the limits. I think the boundaries are generous enough for most people unless you do lots of research and need a notebook with over 100 sources.

However, the custom answers add value. You can check out examples of how the same question gets another answer by using guide and analyst styles. You can further customize it by adding your own style, similar to using gemini pearls. The guide style is more conversation, while the analyst is more direct.

The starting length is also useful, as I need shorter, more direct answers for some notebooks and longer for others.

However, although I find value in some of the extra Notebooklm Plus deals, I can do with the free version just fine. Your mileage may vary, but I think most people do not need to upgrade unless they do a lot of research with many sources.

But remember that the one AI premium plan doesn’t just get you Notebooklm Plus; It also gets you access to Gemini Advanced and 2TB cloud storage. This is where things get difficult. Although I would not pay just for Notebooklm Plus, I am glad to pay the monthly subscription since I get Gemini (which I use daily) and many cloud storage that always comes in handy.

If you are 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 are a basic user of Gemini and Notebooklm, you will do well with a free account. There is also a free trial available, so those interested should certainly give it once before they are dismissed with their money.