Nano Banana 2 Litevs.MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. MAI-Image-2.6 Flash has no arena rating yet. Nano Banana 2 Lite costs 1.7 times as much per image.

Test images

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

Nano Banana 2 Lite: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Nano Banana 2 Lite82 out of 100

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.6 Flash54 out of 100

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

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019587, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 6c7d17b2a84129cbeba7d52c8de703773e9296562d9d603688256d2717e65a0c

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: d6f2280312404df55179b7cf7d03468df04541eae774cc8d2b35e40e0820f06f

Infographic

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019598, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 11d8b5ddf15becefa6e4e32fca21729ff7d57f561a10e3a2b4b6f5c7a0aed6ef

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 5c40f304b9dad1876a8d2223d22ca0e431ba9fe8a16e878a81743ac8296b6649

Product photography

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019589, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 30d9b09b92917eca84675448260a083ad368d9ea25376dabccac0f526f3a3ab7

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 64376f13e8626feb37db3c138dde381843866e7d58fb87e8076c2fa9003365e4

Typography and layout

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019575, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 Lite image SHA 256: 9fab80fe1ad268b9ceceb4ef61ef1dd0e965dd3f28d377af7cf9cf201fdf47fa

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: be8d86a467f73abfce15cdcce3073acc257baf1c87112c2b53a64b36efde0804

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,249

Nano Banana 2 Lite

Rank 11 of 21

n/a

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Nano Banana 2 Lite

Rank 21 of 108

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Rank 31 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.034

Nano Banana 2 Lite

fairly cheap

$0.019

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

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.

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 ≈ €6.34 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 51 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.034 per image, 100 images $3.36.

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.019 per image, 100 images $1.95.

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 (38 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	Nano Banana 2 Lite	MAI-Image-2.6 Flash
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,249	n/a
Arena rank	Rank 11 of 21	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	17,813	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	71	67
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	82	54
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	87	90
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	47	52
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	66	74
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.034	$0.019
100 images	$3.36	$1.95
Profile
Released	June 2026	Jul 31, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	no notice	Preview in Microsoft Foundry
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	1K	2,359,296 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	51	n/a

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

Sources: Nano Banana 2 Lite model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MAI-Image-2.6 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 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 betterNano Banana 2 LiteMAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Text to Image Arena1,1071,120level

Image Editing Arena1,0551,145ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	Nano Banana 2 Lite	MAI-Image-2.6 Flash	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,107	1,120	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,055	1,145	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

Nano Banana 2 Lite has no successor yet
No predecessor recorded for MAI-Image-2.6 Flash
MAI-Image-2.6 Flash has no successor yet

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