GPT Image 2.5 Sunburstvs.Nano Banana 2

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst leads. GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst costs 3.1 times as much per image.

Test images

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst54 out of 100

Nano Banana 2: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Nano Banana 2100 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Nano Banana 2 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

What the rating looks at: Legible text, hierarchy, and composition.

“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 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:15 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: 2bcd5e2358dbf9e2f11336ebf6c4a4a15e0a9a10261dd74378d40985ac68ec6d

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 5d3a70ed3fe3328484725565d9c91fb25fc7f745bd66872dae432444493a83de

Infographic

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:52 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:15 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: 7dab94e5588be73aefe08f23f9d56ced4e2ddb2b29f754db41b057025cf34847

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 66123dd4e8cd5d22ecdca9cca8e4c5853a8046370aa4861ffee807a8c122c769

Product photography

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:15 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: c648276704e06f7925f2325e8ffff0d9d0a9bd6c5bb4866785abac92ce97ff9a

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 509871921c450f6f07ec28f91a380992db1b3017108fd5928fe0aa9670a1ecdc

Typography and layout

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:50 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: fd6a3767ba8253869cb94d5346f025541dac924c2190df2c37b366b182986cf8

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 06ae79c07d1604d3da3bbfa80bac73ac15c88af5cb8c013faaf5c9ea93092305

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,427

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Rank 1 of 21

1,257

Nano Banana 2

Rank 8 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Rank 8 of 108

Nano Banana 2

Rank 51 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.21

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

expensive

$0.067

Nano Banana 2

fairly expensive

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 2.5 Sunburst

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 62 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.21 per image, 100 images $21.07.

Nano Banana 2

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 ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 73 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.067 per image, 100 images $6.70.

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

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 3, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (35 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst	Nano Banana 2
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,427	1,257
Arena rank	Rank 1 of 21	Rank 8 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	40,323	73,278
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	75	61
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	54	100
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	87	45
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	64	36
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	97	63
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.21	$0.067
100 images	$21.07	$6.70
Profile
Released	Sep 8, 2026	February 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	no notice	Previous generation to Nano Banana 2.1; Google recommends Nano Banana 2.1 for all new projects, the stable API has existed since May 28, 2026 and no shutdown is announced, the arena entry names the earlier pre-release configuration
Access	API	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	3,840 × 2,160 pixels	4K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	62	73

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

Sources: GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst model source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · Nano Banana 2 model source, status 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 2.5 SunburstNano Banana 2

Text to Image Arena1,2231,140ahead

Image Editing Arena1,1991,124ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,4161,255ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,3971,256ahead

Text to Image: Art1,4091,241ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,4561,259ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,4191,267ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,4271,257ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,4331,262ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,4611,257ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,4661,294ahead

Image Editing: Agentic image generation1,5291,377ahead

Image Editing: Multi-image editing1,5211,369ahead

Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing1,5411,390ahead

Image Editing: Overall1,5171,387ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026 · LMArena from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst	Nano Banana 2	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,223	1,140	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,199	1,124	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,416	1,255	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,397	1,256	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,409	1,241	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,456	1,259	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,419	1,267	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,427	1,257	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,433	1,262	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,461	1,257	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,466	1,294	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic image generation	1,529	1,377	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Multi-image editing	1,521	1,369	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing	1,541	1,390	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,517	1,387	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

PredecessorGPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs. GPT Image 2Predecessor of GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
PredecessorNano Banana 2 vs. Nano Banana ProPredecessor of Nano Banana 2
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst has no successor yet
Nano Banana 2 has no successor yet

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