Nano Banana 2vs.Qwen-Image-2.1

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, Nano Banana 2 leads. Qwen-Image-2.1 has no API price.

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Qwen-Image-2.154 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

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1591420783, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 5d3a70ed3fe3328484725565d9c91fb25fc7f745bd66872dae432444493a83de

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: b29bb7e207ad464957ee060bbf0655104bcbece703360254e48daa3ec35a62d7

Infographic

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1283422012, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, prior anonymous attempt refused before inference (ZeroGPU quota), completed through authenticated browser, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 66123dd4e8cd5d22ecdca9cca8e4c5853a8046370aa4861ffee807a8c122c769

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 316e38ed63ff401f86a7ceee9cc65c74413e0e9c7c899a6e6bf453acc2940dac

Product photography

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=196359631, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 509871921c450f6f07ec28f91a380992db1b3017108fd5928fe0aa9670a1ecdc

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 041f559d4261865b327fcae4f8bb0bd3b176c55a3b1255a042ab3e0fc4f9bc4b

Typography and layout

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=158818011, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2 image SHA 256: 06ae79c07d1604d3da3bbfa80bac73ac15c88af5cb8c013faaf5c9ea93092305

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 4670269190f492154c05e3f18c4eb9e3938910ca1aca32503b6a1ceb16d39b38

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,257

Nano Banana 2

Rank 8 of 21

1,227

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 14 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Nano Banana 2

Rank 51 of 108

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 40 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.067

Nano Banana 2

fairly expensive

n/a

Qwen-Image-2.1

no API price

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.

Qwen-Image-2.1

Subscription: No Alibaba subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €9.54 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 5 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: local, Web app.
License: Open weights, Qwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license.

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	Qwen-Image-2.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,257	1,227
Arena rank	Rank 8 of 21	Rank 14 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	77,495	19,378
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	61	65
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	100	54
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	45	90
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	36	34
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	63	83
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.067	n/a
100 images	$6.70	n/a
Profile
Released	February 2026	Sep 20, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	openQwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license
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	local, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	4K	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	73	5

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) · Qwen-Image-2.1 model source, status 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 2Qwen-Image-2.1

Text to Image Arena1,1421,045ahead

Image Editing Arena1,1251,080ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,2561,214ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,2571,231level

Text to Image: Art1,2401,235level

Text to Image: Cartoon1,2601,234ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,2681,237ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,2571,227ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,2611,230ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,2551,256level

Text to Image: Text rendering1,2941,250ahead

Image Editing: Agentic image generation1,3771,362level

Image Editing: Overall1,3871,364ahead

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

All individual values with sources

Rating	Nano Banana 2	Qwen-Image-2.1	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,142	1,045	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,125	1,080	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,256	1,214	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,257	1,231	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,240	1,235	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,260	1,234	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,268	1,237	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,257	1,227	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,261	1,230	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,255	1,256	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,294	1,250	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic image generation	1,377	1,362	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,387	1,364	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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