Nano Banana 2.1vs.Z-Image Turbo

Which one is better?

In our own test, Nano Banana 2.1 leads. Neither is in the arena. Neither has an API price.

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

Nano Banana 2.1: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Nano Banana 2.180 out of 100

Z-Image Turbo: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Z-Image Turbo28 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:Nano Banana 2.1 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

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

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. 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 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036408, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:40 PM. Source

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=457367499, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: f89e3f52678670058ce0e1e9b0b5b6ec084e25a212491b5025e76d7525fb8707

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 5297796931ae8a9259947d2ee85881444a6408266aa7c9bc45d365b56bd11fe1

Infographic

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036560, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:40 PM. Source

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=364147116, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: ce5c4b7af2575ccf9964cfeea2e4f0bb75cdad21aea29c4201e693fa307e435b

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 2a0bbce06ee9f7e009876b2d9abc02657f7be5535cd79ab7f37df0bf61b141a8

Product photography

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036546, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:39 PM. Source

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=453185405, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: 289b144f7d5348e9324d229e5508d5698c09035f2cbdea474845a84b852e859e

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 16330b5b71c71290aaa2994dd589e5e2088712d286fddcee8046e56c300f124e

Typography and layout

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036497, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:39 PM. Source

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=249593273, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

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

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: d27b58baa4115177a46fae2d71e258c5f4de9243fc66df93983ef6127df2f320

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 0a9ee8166b04fc677b96ca3f74d8fcf37657d812f81d3b94940092aa661dba50

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Nano Banana 2.1

not in the arena

n/a

Z-Image Turbo

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Nano Banana 2.1

Rank 11 of 74

Z-Image Turbo

Rank 54 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Nano Banana 2.1

no API price

n/a

Z-Image Turbo

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Nano Banana 2.1

Subscription: At Google from €4.99 a month (Google AI Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights: unknown.

Z-Image Turbo

Subscription: No Tongyi-MAI / Alibaba subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €12.78 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). 3 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, local, Web app.
License: Open weights.

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

GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	Nano Banana 2.1	Z-Image Turbo
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	69	37
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	60	54
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	80	28
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	67	46
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	71	21
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	Oct 6, 2026	Nov 26, 2025
Weightsopen means: runs locally	unknown	open
Access	API, Web app	API, local, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	not consistently published	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	42	3

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

Sources: Nano Banana 2.1 model source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · Z-Image Turbo model source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

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

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for Nano Banana 2.1 and Z-Image Turbo from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model

More matchups

Compare Nano Banana 2.1 and Z-Image Turbo with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

Nano Banana 2.1

Z-Image Turbo

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

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