Nano Banana 2.1 is generally available
Nano Banana 2.1 is Google's new fast image model
gemini-nano-banana-2.1Google has released Nano Banana 2.1, its new fast model for making and editing images. It became generally available in the Gemini API on October 6th, as an update to Nano Banana 2.
The efficient counterpart to Nano Banana Pro
Nano Banana 2.1The high-volume counterpart to Nano Banana Pro
Google says it keeps Flash-level speed and cost while improving image quality.
Google pitches it as the efficient counterpart to Nano Banana Pro, its premium image model. It keeps Flash level speed and cost.
Google reports better images, characters and text
Nano Banana 2.1Google says the images look more realistic, characters stay the same from one edit to the next, and text in infographics comes out more accurately.
Panoramic images lose their tiling artifacts
Nano Banana 2.1Wide and tall images no longer show tiling artifacts
Nano Banana 2 added very wide and very tall images, up to eight to one. At 2K and 4K those could show tiling artifacts, and Google says version 2.1 fixes them.
Google's raters preferred 2.1 in every category
Nano Banana 2.1Google's raters preferred 2.1 over Nano Banana 2 and Pro in every category
Widest lead: keeping several characters consistent
In Google's side by side tests, human raters preferred 2.1, with thinking on, over Nano Banana 2 and Pro in every category. Its widest lead was keeping several characters consistent.
What you can do
Nano Banana 2.1What you can do.
A new medium thinking level, now the default
Nano Banana 2.1You choose how much the model thinks before it draws. Version 2.1 adds a medium level between minimal and high, and makes it the default. Nano Banana 2 started at minimal.
Mix up to 14 reference images
Nano Banana 2.1Mix up to 14 reference images into one picture
You can hand it up to fourteen reference images and combine them into one picture. It keeps up to four characters looking like themselves, and up to ten objects true to the originals.
It can check Google Search before it draws
Nano Banana 2.1It can check Google Web and Image Search before it draws
Real photos of people from search can't be used yet.
With grounding on, the model can check Google Search and Image Search, so a weather map shows today's data. For now, it can't use real photos of people from those results.
Cost and access
Nano Banana 2.1Cost and access.
Each image costs half as much
Nano Banana 2.1Each image costs half as much as on Nano Banana 2
Input tokens cost three times as much.
Each image costs half what Nano Banana 2 charged. That's just over three cents at 1K, and about seven and a half at 4K. Input tokens cost three times as much, a dollar fifty per million.
Paid tier only in the Gemini API
Nano Banana 2.1In the Gemini API, it's paid tier only
In the Gemini API, 2.1 is for paid accounts. Google's pricing page lists the free tier as not available. The Batch API halves the price, and Google AI Studio lets you try it.
Also in the Gemini app, Search, Ads, Flow and Stitch
Nano Banana 2.1The same model runs in Google's own apps
Outside the API, Google's model card lists 2.1 in the Gemini app, AI Mode in Google Search, Google Ads, Flow and Stitch.
Before you switch
Nano Banana 2.1Before you switch.
Nano Banana 2 shuts down on October 29, 2026
Nano Banana 2.1gemini-3.1-flash-image is deprecated. Google says to move to 2.1.
If you build on Nano Banana 2, you have just over three weeks. Google has deprecated it, will shut it down on October 29th, and tells developers to move to 2.1.
The 512-pixel size isn't supported on 2.1
Nano Banana 2.1Output comes in 1K, 2K and 4K, without the 512-pixel size
Nano Banana 2.1 has no equivalent of the 0.5K option.
Images come out at 1K, 2K or 4K, with 1K the default. Nano Banana 2 also made small 512 pixel images, and 2.1 doesn't support that size, so check it before you switch.
What Google says 2.1 still gets wrong
Nano Banana 2.1Google's model card lists the weak spots. Small text can come out blurry, often at 1K. Characters don't always match the input images. And it sometimes mixes up left and right.
Every image carries a SynthID watermark
Nano Banana 2.1Every image it makes carries a SynthID watermark
ai.google.dev › Image generation guide
Every image it makes carries Google's SynthID watermark. Google's Image generation guide has the examples to start from. That's Nano Banana 2.1, Google's fast image model, at half the cost per image.
