Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 vs Nano Banana Pro vs Nano Banana 2 Lite
Nano Banana is the consumer name for Google DeepMind's Gemini image models. Four are live in October 2026: Nano Banana 2.1, the 6 October update that now heads the paid Gemini plans and the API, Nano Banana 2 for the Gemini app's free plan, Nano Banana 2 Lite for volume and drafts, and Nano Banana Pro for text-heavy and complex briefs. Each has its own page with prices, settings and the same twelve prompts run through it.
Google DeepMind · facts checked
Which one to pick
Nano Banana 2.1
$0.0336 per 1k image via Gemini API
Default on the API and on paid Gemini plans: cheaper per image than Nano Banana 2 at 1K, 2K and 4K, and Google's newest Flash image model.
Nano Banana 2
$0.067 per 1k image via Gemini API
Free in the Gemini app, and the one to keep if you rely on 512px output or have pinned results you need to reproduce.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
$0.0336 per 1k image via Gemini API
Hundreds of images, thumbnails, or drafts you will regenerate anyway.
Nano Banana Pro
$0.134 per 1k or 2k image via Gemini API
Posters and infographics with a lot of set text, briefs with many reference photos, or the most detailed 4K.
Side by side, measured
| Model | Price | Seconds per image | 12 prompts cost | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | $0.0336 per 1k image via Gemini API | 9 to 20 | $0.484 | 1K, 2K and 4K in fourteen fixed shapes, including 8:1 and 1:8 strips |
| Nano Banana 2 | $0.067 per 1k image via Gemini API | 9 to 14 | $0.96 | Four sizes, 512px, 1K, 2K and 4K, in fifteen fixed shapes including extreme 8:1 strips |
| Nano Banana 2 Lite | $0.0336 per 1k image via Gemini API | 3 to 4 | $0.408 | Output is 1K only, in fifteen fixed shapes |
| Nano Banana Pro | $0.134 per 1k or 2k image via Gemini API | 15 to 87 | $1.80 | Three sizes, 1K, 2K and 4K, in ten fixed shapes from wide 21:9 to tall 9:16 |
Seconds and cost are from our own runs of the same 12 prompts through each model; open a model for every picture and the request behind it.
Every version
| Version | Released | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana gemini-2.5-flash-image | First model under the name. Character consistency across edits, photo blending and multi-turn editing inside the Gemini app. Retired as the app default in February 2026. | |
| Nano Banana Pro gemini-3-pro-image | Built on Gemini 3 Pro. Legible multi-language text, 2K and 4K output, up to 14 reference images, Google Search grounding. | |
| Nano Banana 2 gemini-3.1-flash-image | Pro-level quality at Flash speed and about half of Pro's price. Became the default in the Gemini app, Search AI Mode, Lens, Ads and Flow. Deprecated on the Gemini API on 6 October 2026 in favour of 2.1, with no shutdown date announced. | |
| Nano Banana 2 Lite gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image | Cheapest tier at about $0.034 per image, output fixed at 1K, about four seconds a picture. | |
| Nano Banana 2.1 gemini-nano-banana-2.1 | An update to Nano Banana 2 at a lower API price per image: better text, visual design and character consistency per Google, three thinking levels with medium as the default, no 512px size. Paid Gemini plans only in the app. |
Frequently asked questions
Which Nano Banana model is free?
Nano Banana 2, and depending on the setting Nano Banana 2 Lite, in the Gemini app's free plan at 1K. Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro need a Google AI Plus, Pro or Ultra plan there, and none of the four has a free tier on the Gemini API.
What happened to the original Nano Banana?
Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, the August 2025 model, was replaced by Nano Banana 2 as the Gemini app default on 26 February 2026. It still exists on the API at $0.039 per image but there is little reason to choose it.
Is Nano Banana the same as Gemini?
Nano Banana is the consumer name for the image models inside Gemini. Each has a Gemini API id: gemini-nano-banana-2.1 for Nano Banana 2.1, gemini-3.1-flash-image for Nano Banana 2, gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image for 2 Lite, and gemini-3-pro-image for Pro.