Nano Banana 2vs.GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, GPT Image 2.5 Flare leads. GPT Image 2.5 Flare 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.

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

GPT Image 2.5 Flare: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 2.5 Flare64 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

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

GPT Image 2.5 Flare: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:53 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 5d3a70ed3fe3328484725565d9c91fb25fc7f745bd66872dae432444493a83de

GPT Image 2.5 Flare image SHA 256: 85b17c41b19389cae3ea073ef582e6065a321d741978e772987d22e3ea3e3b08

Infographic

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

GPT Image 2.5 Flare: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:53 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 66123dd4e8cd5d22ecdca9cca8e4c5853a8046370aa4861ffee807a8c122c769

GPT Image 2.5 Flare image SHA 256: bc752abfce1c0d27b73e4084c3e7d82c4c0f71e0e5af97a80f4b24326cc4686e

Product photography

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

GPT Image 2.5 Flare: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:53 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 509871921c450f6f07ec28f91a380992db1b3017108fd5928fe0aa9670a1ecdc

GPT Image 2.5 Flare image SHA 256: 69fedb7d635d1329c461ff1ee9e5cf8384119e218e3b3bdb93b9e11f728335d8

Typography and layout

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

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

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 06ae79c07d1604d3da3bbfa80bac73ac15c88af5cb8c013faaf5c9ea93092305

GPT Image 2.5 Flare image SHA 256: cc90d54a99e1bad9e0cc8e4196746fb1d56a2fdd2a9ee101dbbf270ef5e4b6a8

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,257

Nano Banana 2

Rank 8 of 21

1,399

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Rank 2 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Nano Banana 2

Rank 51 of 108

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Rank 18 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.067

Nano Banana 2

fairly expensive

$0.21

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

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.

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 ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 73 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.067 per image, 100 images $6.70.

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 61 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.21 per image, 100 images $21.07.

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	Nano Banana 2	GPT Image 2.5 Flare
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,257	1,399
Arena rank	Rank 8 of 21	Rank 2 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	77,495	53,925
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	61	72
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	100	64
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	45	69
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	36	63
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	63	91
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.067	$0.21
100 images	$6.70	$21.07
Profile
Released	February 2026	Sep 8, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	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	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	4K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	73	61

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

Sources: Nano Banana 2 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · GPT Image 2.5 Flare model source (verified Sep 22, 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 2GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Text to Image Arena1,1421,208ahead

Image Editing Arena1,1251,182ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,2561,382ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,2571,363ahead

Text to Image: Art1,2401,387ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,2601,427ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,2681,385ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,2571,399ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,2611,416ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,2551,439ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,2941,432ahead

Image Editing: Agentic image generation1,3771,492ahead

Image Editing: Multi-image editing1,3701,476ahead

Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing1,3901,476ahead

Image Editing: Overall1,3871,482ahead

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

All individual values with sources

Rating	Nano Banana 2	GPT Image 2.5 Flare	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,142	1,208	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,125	1,182	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,256	1,382	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,257	1,363	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,240	1,387	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,260	1,427	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,268	1,385	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,257	1,399	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,261	1,416	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,255	1,439	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,294	1,432	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic image generation	1,377	1,492	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Multi-image editing	1,370	1,476	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing	1,390	1,476	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,387	1,482	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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