GPT Image 1.5vs.Nano Banana 2 Lite

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, Nano Banana 2 Lite leads. Both are in the lower half there, though. Nano Banana 2 Lite costs only a quarter per image.

Test images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

GPT Image 1.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 1.589 out of 100

Nano Banana 2 Lite: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — Nano Banana 2 Lite47 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:GPT Image 1.5 slightly ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2 Lite: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:21 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 0dff52ccd39400ac66ac8870c9ea937512ff1474688e70118688f420c38c2296

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 6c7d17b2a84129cbeba7d52c8de703773e9296562d9d603688256d2717e65a0c

Infographic

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2 Lite: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:21 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 1c9ff59c32621c8b48b002dacb0ae66487262280c7c0a5b3d6456c81b248ebe9

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 11d8b5ddf15becefa6e4e32fca21729ff7d57f561a10e3a2b4b6f5c7a0aed6ef

Product photography

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:16 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2 Lite: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:21 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 67cfa2f324447027ceb5f82e9446d40a1395b46ce425890a74606b4d97731cf6

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 30d9b09b92917eca84675448260a083ad368d9ea25376dabccac0f526f3a3ab7

Typography and layout

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2 Lite: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:00 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 6a4cec86850fd371b65274198e2bf630b3cf36a096f9fb953d4bfe17c3222ebe

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 9fab80fe1ad268b9ceceb4ef61ef1dd0e965dd3f28d377af7cf9cf201fdf47fa

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,236

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 13 of 21

1,249

Nano Banana 2 Lite

Rank 11 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 29 of 108

Nano Banana 2 Lite

Rank 21 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.13

GPT Image 1.5

expensive

$0.034

Nano Banana 2 Lite

fairly cheap

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 1.5

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.13 per image, 100 images $13.30.

Nano Banana 2 Lite

Subscription: Free to use at Google (Google AI Free, with limited credits), more from €4.99 a month (Google AI Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 51 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.034 per image, 100 images $3.36.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Nov 6, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 6, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

Kennzahl	GPT Image 1.5	Nano Banana 2 Lite
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,236	1,249
Arena rank	Rank 13 of 21	Rank 11 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	173,798	17,787
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	68	71
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	60	82
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	52	87
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	89	47
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	72	66
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.13	$0.034
100 images	$13.30	$3.36
Profile
Released	December 2025	June 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	Marked as deprecated by OpenAI; removed from the API on December 1, 2026	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	1,536 × 1,024 pixels	1K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	42	51

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: GPT Image 1.5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Nano Banana 2 Lite model source (verified Aug 15, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

Arena rating per categoryfrom votes by users · higher is betterGPT Image 1.5Nano Banana 2 Lite

Text to Image Arena1,1241,109level

Image Editing Arena1,1161,054ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,2181,226level

Text to Image: Art1,2251,256ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,2441,256level

Text to Image: Commercial design1,2381,248level

Text to Image: Overall1,2361,249ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,2471,259level

Text to Image: Portraits1,2591,244level

Text to Image: Text rendering1,2511,274ahead

Image Editing: Multi-image editing1,3421,289ahead

Image Editing: Overall1,3681,313ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026 · LMArena from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	GPT Image 1.5	Nano Banana 2 Lite	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,124	1,109	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,116	1,054	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,218	1,226	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,225	1,256	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,244	1,256	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,238	1,248	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,236	1,249	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,247	1,259	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,259	1,244	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,251	1,274	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Multi-image editing	1,342	1,289	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,368	1,313	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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